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James and the Giant Peach

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James and the Giant Peach

PG

Released Apr 12, 1996

1h 20m

Kids & Family

Fantasy

Animation

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

75 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Featuring stop-motion animation and live action, this inventive adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved children's tale follows the adventures of James (Paul Terry), an orphaned young British boy. Forced to live with his cruel aunts (Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes), James finds a way out of his bleak existence when he discovers an enormous enchanted peach. After rolling into the sea inside the buoyant fruit, James, accompanied by a crew of friendly talking insects, sets sail for New York City.

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Critics Consensus

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

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David Ansen

Newsweek

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.

Feb 23, 2018

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Dave Kehr

New York Daily News

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.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 11, 2014

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Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

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

Nov 11, 2014

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

As such, the film is a strong piece for youngsters, but doesn’t quite resonate on other levels.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 4, 2022

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Rachel Wagner

Rachel's Reviews (YouTube)

Underrated animated film from director Henry Selick

Nov 14, 2021

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Zaki Hasan

Zaki's Corner

...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.

Rated: C

Apr 12, 2019

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Stephen C

LOL, 1 hour and 20 minutes of animated humor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

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Audience Member

A nice little movie about a child standing up to his abusive guardians. Finding friendship at last. 4/5 stars.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

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Julian S

One of the more accomplished Roald Dahl adaptations, with a design that remains timeless.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/08/25

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Audience Member

La araña carreo toda la película.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/31/24

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Student: Jake M

Why does this film even show a boy as an orphan getting adopted by a spider? That is just so creepy and will give me nightmares for crying out loud! This was not a critical failure but is a commercial failure, prompting Skellington Productions to be absorbed into Walt Disney Pictures. The ending after the credits was a nightmare, making a person lose in a scary game that was set up.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/28/24

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TROY S

There is sooo much I like with this movie. It has imagination, a sense of wonder and characters you either love or hate. And the blend of live action and stop-motion animation is a delight. The songs incorporated in this story is not very memorable but sweet and fit their purpose. And you simply have to love to hate Margoyles and Lumley in their parts as the aunts from hell.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/13/24

Full Review

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Synopsis

Featuring stop-motion animation and live action, this inventive adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved children's tale follows the adventures of James (Paul Terry), an orphaned young British boy. Forced to live with his cruel aunts (Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes), James finds a way out of his bleak existence when he discovers an enormous enchanted peach. After rolling into the sea inside the buoyant fruit, James, accompanied by a crew of friendly talking insects, sets sail for New York City.

Director: Henry Selick
Producer: Tim Burton, Denise Di Novi
Screenwriter: Roald Dahl, Karey Kirkpatrick, Jonathan Roberts, Steve Bloom
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Walt Disney Pictures, Skellington Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Kids & Family, Fantasy, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 12, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $28.9M
Runtime: 1h 20m
Sound Mix: Surround

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