JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH

"JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH"
(1996) (Live Action/Cartoon) (PG)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Minor	None	Mild	Moderate	Minor

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Minor	Minor	Moderate	None	Minor

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
None	Mild	Minor	Minor	Mild

QUICK TAKE:: Children's Adventure: A young boy takes a ride toward New York with some insect friends on a giant peach .

PLOT:: A magical musical fairy tale concerning a little boy, James Henry Trotter (PAUL TERRY), who finds himself living with his two aunts, Spiker and Sponge, after the death of his parents. Life with his aunts is hard and he dreams of a better place, specifically New York City, a "dream like" place his parents had talked about. His dream comes true when a stranger appears with a bagful of magic which among others things, changes insects (a Grasshopper, Centipede, Lady Bug, Spider, Earthworm and Glow Worm) into real life characters and causes an ordinary peach to grow to immense proportions. It's upon this peach that James and his new insect friends travel and make their way toward his "dream land."

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Yes. If they liked the book, animated features, or the look and feel of "Nightmare Before Christmas" they'll be drawn to this one.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG: For some frightening images.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: PAUL TERRY is the only "human" cast member with a large part and he plays a naive, but ready to face the world, little boy.
The rest of the cast consists of animated insects that probably won't be seen by kids as role models; The rest of the cast consists of animated insects that probably won't be seen by kids as role models

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

ALCOHOL/DRUG USE: The two aunts are seen drinking wine.

BLOOD/GORE: None.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: The two aunts are mean to James in every scene they're in. They work him hard, and then feed the starving boy two rotten fish heads.
The aunts tell James on several occasions that a mysterious Rhino that killed his parents is still out there and may come after him.
One aunt tells the other to "beat James," but the other complains that it's too early and thus doesn't.; The aunts tell James on several occasions that a mysterious Rhino that killed his parents is still out there and may come after him.
One aunt tells the other to "beat James," but the other complains that it's too early and thus doesn't.; One aunt tells the other to "beat James," but the other complains that it's too early and thus doesn't.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: (The degree to which these scenes may be scary to your kids depends on your kids. We rated them as moderately scary, but you'll have to decide how your children will react to them).
A storm suddenly approaches and a menacing rhino comes out of the sky and threatens (and later, we're told, kills) James' parents.
James is told that the Rhino might come back after him.
A mysterious man (with a bag full of magic) blinks his eye and it turns milky grey. When he blinks again, it's normal.
The first time James enters the giant peach, it's dark and shadowy inside and several strange looking creatures are moving about (they turn out to be the non-menacing insects).
While floating in the ocean atop their huge peach, a menacing mechanical shark approaches and attempts to capture and then consume all of them, nearly eating Mr. Centipede with it's spinning, grinding teeth.
James dreams that he's a caterpillar and that his aunts spray a pesticide cloud which comes nearer and nearer to him.
A rather lengthy underwater sequence begins with a view of an eerie looking double masthead on a sunken ship. Then the Catepillar is surprised by a skeleton crew (literally) of a sunken battle ship, where more and more scary looking skeletons come after him and the other characters.
The rhino storm appears again and scares James and the insects. There are more shots of the glowing-eyed Rhino with lightning bolts coming from it.
The scenes of the aunts after they've come out of the water and they're makeup has run down their faces may be scary looking to younger kids.; A storm suddenly approaches and a menacing rhino comes out of the sky and threatens (and later, we're told, kills) James' parents.
James is told that the Rhino might come back after him.
A mysterious man (with a bag full of magic) blinks his eye and it turns milky grey. When he blinks again, it's normal.
The first time James enters the giant peach, it's dark and shadowy inside and several strange looking creatures are moving about (they turn out to be the non-menacing insects).
While floating in the ocean atop their huge peach, a menacing mechanical shark approaches and attempts to capture and then consume all of them, nearly eating Mr. Centipede with it's spinning, grinding teeth.
James dreams that he's a caterpillar and that his aunts spray a pesticide cloud which comes nearer and nearer to him.
A rather lengthy underwater sequence begins with a view of an eerie looking double masthead on a sunken ship. Then the Catepillar is surprised by a skeleton crew (literally) of a sunken battle ship, where more and more scary looking skeletons come after him and the other characters.
The rhino storm appears again and scares James and the insects. There are more shots of the glowing-eyed Rhino with lightning bolts coming from it.
The scenes of the aunts after they've come out of the water and they're makeup has run down their faces may be scary looking to younger kids.; James is told that the Rhino might come back after him.
A mysterious man (with a bag full of magic) blinks his eye and it turns milky grey. When he blinks again, it's normal.
The first time James enters the giant peach, it's dark and shadowy inside and several strange looking creatures are moving about (they turn out to be the non-menacing insects).
While floating in the ocean atop their huge peach, a menacing mechanical shark approaches and attempts to capture and then consume all of them, nearly eating Mr. Centipede with it's spinning, grinding teeth.
James dreams that he's a caterpillar and that his aunts spray a pesticide cloud which comes nearer and nearer to him.
A rather lengthy underwater sequence begins with a view of an eerie looking double masthead on a sunken ship. Then the Catepillar is surprised by a skeleton crew (literally) of a sunken battle ship, where more and more scary looking skeletons come after him and the other characters.
The rhino storm appears again and scares James and the insects. There are more shots of the glowing-eyed Rhino with lightning bolts coming from it.
The scenes of the aunts after they've come out of the water and they're makeup has run down their faces may be scary looking to younger kids.; A mysterious man (with a bag full of magic) blinks his eye and it turns milky grey. When he blinks again, it's normal.
The first time James enters the giant peach, it's dark and shadowy inside and several strange looking creatures are moving about (they turn out to be the non-menacing insects).
While floating in the ocean atop their huge peach, a menacing mechanical shark approaches and attempts to capture and then consume all of them, nearly eating Mr. Centipede with it's spinning, grinding teeth.
James dreams that he's a caterpillar and that his aunts spray a pesticide cloud which comes nearer and nearer to him.
A rather lengthy underwater sequence begins with a view of an eerie looking double masthead on a sunken ship. Then the Catepillar is surprised by a skeleton crew (literally) of a sunken battle ship, where more and more scary looking skeletons come after him and the other characters.
The rhino storm appears again and scares James and the insects. There are more shots of the glowing-eyed Rhino with lightning bolts coming from it.
The scenes of the aunts after they've come out of the water and they're makeup has run down their faces may be scary looking to younger kids.; The first time James enters the giant peach, it's dark and shadowy inside and several strange looking creatures are moving about (they turn out to be the non-menacing insects).
While floating in the ocean atop their huge peach, a menacing mechanical shark approaches and attempts to capture and then consume all of them, nearly eating Mr. Centipede with it's spinning, grinding teeth.
James dreams that he's a caterpillar and that his aunts spray a pesticide cloud which comes nearer and nearer to him.
A rather lengthy underwater sequence begins with a view of an eerie looking double masthead on a sunken ship. Then the Catepillar is surprised by a skeleton crew (literally) of a sunken battle ship, where more and more scary looking skeletons come after him and the other characters.
The rhino storm appears again and scares James and the insects. There are more shots of the glowing-eyed Rhino with lightning bolts coming from it.
The scenes of the aunts after they've come out of the water and they're makeup has run down their faces may be scary looking to younger kids.; While floating in the ocean atop their huge peach, a menacing mechanical shark approaches and attempts to capture and then consume all of them, nearly eating Mr. Centipede with it's spinning, grinding teeth.
James dreams that he's a caterpillar and that his aunts spray a pesticide cloud which comes nearer and nearer to him.
A rather lengthy underwater sequence begins with a view of an eerie looking double masthead on a sunken ship. Then the Catepillar is surprised by a skeleton crew (literally) of a sunken battle ship, where more and more scary looking skeletons come after him and the other characters.
The rhino storm appears again and scares James and the insects. There are more shots of the glowing-eyed Rhino with lightning bolts coming from it.
The scenes of the aunts after they've come out of the water and they're makeup has run down their faces may be scary looking to younger kids.; James dreams that he's a caterpillar and that his aunts spray a pesticide cloud which comes nearer and nearer to him.
A rather lengthy underwater sequence begins with a view of an eerie looking double masthead on a sunken ship. Then the Catepillar is surprised by a skeleton crew (literally) of a sunken battle ship, where more and more scary looking skeletons come after him and the other characters.
The rhino storm appears again and scares James and the insects. There are more shots of the glowing-eyed Rhino with lightning bolts coming from it.
The scenes of the aunts after they've come out of the water and they're makeup has run down their faces may be scary looking to younger kids.; A rather lengthy underwater sequence begins with a view of an eerie looking double masthead on a sunken ship. Then the Catepillar is surprised by a skeleton crew (literally) of a sunken battle ship, where more and more scary looking skeletons come after him and the other characters.
The rhino storm appears again and scares James and the insects. There are more shots of the glowing-eyed Rhino with lightning bolts coming from it.
The scenes of the aunts after they've come out of the water and they're makeup has run down their faces may be scary looking to younger kids.; The rhino storm appears again and scares James and the insects. There are more shots of the glowing-eyed Rhino with lightning bolts coming from it.
The scenes of the aunts after they've come out of the water and they're makeup has run down their faces may be scary looking to younger kids.; The scenes of the aunts after they've come out of the water and they're makeup has run down their faces may be scary looking to younger kids.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Battle ax/Swords/Spears: Used by a crew of skeletons as they attack James and the insects.
Ax: Used by an aunt as she tries to whack James.; Ax: Used by an aunt as she tries to whack James.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Shut up," "Nit-wit," and "Idiot."
James and the insects get into a "food fight" with pieces of the peach.; James and the insects get into a "food fight" with pieces of the peach.

JUMP SCENES: Some pirate skeletons jump up out of the floor.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): There is a moderate amount of scary music in several scenes.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: Just one word: "ass"

SEX/NUDITY: None.

SMOKING: In a musical number, the Spider exhales smoke from a cigar.
The centipede chews on, but doesn't ever appear to be smoking, a cigar.
One of the aunts smokes a cigarette.; The centipede chews on, but doesn't ever appear to be smoking, a cigar.
One of the aunts smokes a cigarette.; One of the aunts smokes a cigarette.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: James parents are killed (we're told this, but don't see it happen), and thus he's left all alone (and must go live with his aunts.)

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Losing your parents and having to go live with others.
Insects (and James) turning into animated characters.; Insects (and James) turning into animated characters.

VIOLENCE: Some of the violence is slapstick as the aunts try to kill a spider and end up falling down the stairs, and then one hits the other in the face with a fly swatter as she misses the spider.
One aunt tells the other to "beat James," but the other complains that it's too early and so he's spared.
A starving Mr. Grasshopper and Mr. Centipede fight over a small piece of food and continue fighting after it has fallen from the peach.
Mr. Grasshopper kicks Mr. Centipede in the head (after he learns Mr. Centipede has been lying).
Skeletons on a pirate ship put Mr. Centipede on the rack and stretch him out.
One of the aunts comes after James with an ax and barely misses him with it as the ax imbeds into a car.; One aunt tells the other to "beat James," but the other complains that it's too early and so he's spared.
A starving Mr. Grasshopper and Mr. Centipede fight over a small piece of food and continue fighting after it has fallen from the peach.
Mr. Grasshopper kicks Mr. Centipede in the head (after he learns Mr. Centipede has been lying).
Skeletons on a pirate ship put Mr. Centipede on the rack and stretch him out.
One of the aunts comes after James with an ax and barely misses him with it as the ax imbeds into a car.; A starving Mr. Grasshopper and Mr. Centipede fight over a small piece of food and continue fighting after it has fallen from the peach.
Mr. Grasshopper kicks Mr. Centipede in the head (after he learns Mr. Centipede has been lying).
Skeletons on a pirate ship put Mr. Centipede on the rack and stretch him out.
One of the aunts comes after James with an ax and barely misses him with it as the ax imbeds into a car.; Mr. Grasshopper kicks Mr. Centipede in the head (after he learns Mr. Centipede has been lying).
Skeletons on a pirate ship put Mr. Centipede on the rack and stretch him out.
One of the aunts comes after James with an ax and barely misses him with it as the ax imbeds into a car.; Skeletons on a pirate ship put Mr. Centipede on the rack and stretch him out.
One of the aunts comes after James with an ax and barely misses him with it as the ax imbeds into a car.; One of the aunts comes after James with an ax and barely misses him with it as the ax imbeds into a car.

Reviewed April 12, 1996

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