Disney VHS: James and the Giant Peach w/ Case Tim Burton Dolby Surround

Description

James and the Giant Peach (Walt Disney Pictures Presents) [VHS]Paul Terry (Actor), Joanna Lumley (Actor), Henry Selick (Director, Producer) Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Format: VHS Tape

Roald Dahl’s modern classic for children becomes a delightful combination of live action and stop-motion animation by the team that made The Nightmare Before Christmas: director Henry Selick and producers Tim Burton (Batman) and Denise Di Novi. The story concerns young James (played for real and through voice-overs by Paul Terry), who is orphaned and left in the charge of two cruel aunts (Miriam Margolyes, Joanna Lumley). Rescued by a mysterious fellow (Pete Postlethwaite), James ends up inside a giant peach, drifting over the Atlantic Ocean in the company of a gentleman grasshopper (voiced by Simon Callow), a fast-talking centipede (Richard Dreyfuss), an anxious earthworm (David Thewlis), a matronly ladybug (Jane Leeves), and a sexy spider (Susan Sarandon). The collection of actors and their creepy-crawly alter egos are a delight, especially when some of the song-and-dance numbers (tunes are written by Randy Newman) get everyone going.

From Tim Burton, the acclaimed director of Alice In Wonderland, comes the astounding film that captured the hearts of fans and critics all across the world. Inspired by Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book, Burton, Denise Di Novi, and director Henry Selick combine a fascinating mix of live-action, stop-motion animation, and computer-generated special effects to create a world beyond your imagination.

Actors: Paul Terry, Joanna Lumley, Pete Postlethwaite, Simon Callow, Richard Dreyfuss
Directors: Henry Selick
Writers: Jonathan Roberts, Karey Kirkpatrick, Roald Dahl, Steve Bloom
Producers: Henry Selick, Brian Rosen, Denise Di Novi
Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Live, NTSC
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number of tapes: 1
Studio: Walt Disney Home Video
VHS Release Date: October 15, 1996
Run Time: 79 minutes

On the tape:
101 Dalmatians (Live-Action) Preview
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame: Topsy Turvy Games CD-ROM Preview
Muppet Treasure Island Preview
Oliver And Company Preview
Toy Story Preview

The film begins with normal live-action for the first 20 minutes, but becomes stop-motion animation after James enters the peach, and then live-action when James enters New York City (although the arthropod characters remained in stop-motion). Selick had originally planned James to be a real actor through the entire film, then later considered doing the whole film in stop-motion; but ultimately settled on entirely live-action and entirely stop-motion sequences, to keep lower costs. Unlike the novel, James’ aunts are not killed by the rolling peach (though his parents’ deaths also occur like the novel) but follow him to New York.

Though Roald Dahl declined numerous offers to have a film version of James and the Giant Peach produced during his lifetime, his widow, Liccy, approved an offer to have a live action version produced. She thinks Roald “would have been delighted with what they did with James. It is a wonderful film.

The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score, by Randy Newman. It won Best Animated Feature Film at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

The Roald Dahl novel “James and the Giant Peach” made it to the big screen 35 years after it was published, thanks to Disney Pictures and Director Henry Selick (also Director of “The Nightmare Before Christmas”).

The simple story is about James (Paul Terry), a young boy who is orphaned at a young age when his parents are eaten by a dark rhino! He is forced to live with his evil aunts, Spiker and Sponge (Joanna Lumley and Miriam Margolyes). They beat him, starve him, and use him to do all of the work on the deserted island that they live on. Just as he reaches the pit of despair, having nothing to hope for, he is given a great gift by a mysterious stranger. A magical peach begins to grow, and with a group of new friends that James makes, he is able to face his fears and go after the dream he and his parents shared together: to visit New York City and The Empire State Building. Definitely a family-friendly movie, although there are some dark parts, especially with the orphaning of James and the evil treatment he receives from his Aunts (no worries…they get their retribution!).

It took 22 soundstages and 3 years to make it!

0-7888-0437-3

Case slightly squished. VHS itself is near mint. Tape is completely rewinded for your convenience. Dolby Surround. Includes a WB coming soon pamphlet.