James and the Giant Peach Movie Review 1996

Terrific combo of live action and stop-motion animation highlights this adaptation of Roald Dahl's 1961 children's book. Orphaned James is sent to live with his wicked aunts. When magic "crocodile tongues," given to James by a hobo, spill at the base of a peach tree, one fruit grows to such a tremendous size that James crawls inside, meets six insect friends, and goes on numerous adventures, all the while trying to face his fears. Dahl's books are creepy and since the people who brought you "Nightmare Before Christmas" are also doing "James," expect the visuals to be astonishing but too scary for the little ones.

Distribution

Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521-1120, Toll-free: 800-723-4763, URL: http://www.bvhe.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 80 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Live Action/Animation Combos, Fantasy, Adoption & Orphans, Childhood Visions, Books to Film: Roald Dahl, Aunts & Uncles, Nieces & Nephews, Spiders

Cinematography

Pete Kozachik, Hiro Narita

Director

Henry Selick

Music

Randy Newman

Other

Paul Terry, Pete Postlethwaite, Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes, Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, David Thewlis, Simon Callow, Jane Leeves

Producer

Tim Burton, Denise Di Novi, Jake Eberts, Walt Disney Pictures, Allied Film Makers, Buena Vista