James and the Giant Peach

Name: James and the Giant Peach
Released: 1996-4-12
Cast: Simon Callow, Richard Dreyfuss, Jane Leeves, Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes

PG
1h 19m
1996

91%

age 7+

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After the daring rescue of a spider, a young boy named James gains possession of some magic crocodile tongues. When James spills them in the garden, out sprouts an enormous peach! Climbing inside, he meets an astonishing cast of characters and embarks on a magical odyssey full of thrills and adventure. This classic story is delicious entertainment for the whole family!

Director:

Henry Selick

Producer:

Denise Di Novi, Tim Burton

Writer:

Karey Kirkpatrick, Jonathan Roberts, Steve Bloom

Cast:

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

Rotten Tomatoes® Score

TOMATOMETER®

91%

Critics Consensus: The arresting and dynamic visuals, offbeat details and light-as-air storytelling make James and the Giant Peach solid family entertainment.

Reviews

Zaki's Corner

Zaki Hasan

...valiantly attempts to convey the amazement and childlike sense-of-wonder so characteristic of the late Dahl's books, and while it does succeed occasionally, more often than not it falls flat.

Dahl himself thought his book would be impossible to translate into film, and for all the ingenuity that's been thrown at the screen, perhaps he was right. This overgrown peach never ripens.

The film is a technical tour de force, featuring a wealth of inventive design ideas. But James never develops the emotional dimension that Nightmare possessed.

August 16, 2017

FULL REVIEW

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Jeff Strickler

A snappy, fun adaptation that entertains young viewers without speaking down to them.

This film adaptation of his James and the Giant Peach, though capturing Dahl's comic brilliance, does not shy away from the tale's surreal grimness.

June 25, 2017

FULL REVIEW

Common Sense Media

age 7+

Common Sense Says

Fabulous adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic book.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that in this adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic story, James and the Giant Peach, young James both loses his parents and is forced to live as a servant to abusive relatives. James risks his life in a trip across the ocean, and there's one particularly scary encounter with a toothy shark. The movie may inspire kids to build little hot air balloons with candles, as James does, and it may encourage bug-phobic kids to become even more enamored of their insect friends. It offers positive messages about friendship, acceptance, and facing your fears and has a strong role model in James, who's courageous in the face of difficulty.