Family Friendly Pick: James And The Giant Peach
When it comes to influential works of fiction aimed at children, plenty of celebrated names come to mind: Walt Disney, Dr. Seuss, and Don Bluth are just a few of the more prolific artists. Bluth stands out from that list for his tendency to sprinkle tragedy into his stories, as does Roald Dahl, the author of such classics as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and James and the Giant Peach, and while many of his stories were turned into classic kids’ movies, James and the Giant Peach is one of the most mesmerizing and timeless.
As with many children’s stories, this one begins and ends with an orphan named James, whose parents are killed by a giant rhino who lives in the clouds (don’t ask, just go with it). After being left in the care of his maniacal aunts, he is given a bag of magical “crocodile tongues” that turn a peach into a giant, floating vessel full of sentient, life-sized bugs. It also turns the world into a stop-motion magic factory that takes James and his new friends on memorable adventures.
What makes James and the Giant Peach stand out from other kids’ flicks is the creativity put into the stop-motion sections and the sheer depravity and effort put into terrifying kids. Although the times have changed and contemporary kids’ movies often tell darker stories aimed with heavier themes, James and the Giant Peach was one of the first to really freak me out. Knowing that a lightning rhino could potentially kill my family at any time was one thing, but finding out that robot sharks will hunt me down to the ends of the earth was enough to keep me out of the water for more than a few summers.
That being said, kids these days (God, I sound old) could handle James and the Giant Peach wonderfully and be able to fully appreciate the adventures the crew goes on. The voice acting is pitch perfect, the art direction is brilliant and the songs are…well, they’re there. Whether you grew up on Roald Dahl’s twisted stories or you barely even know Willy Wonka’s name, James and the Giant Peach is a classic that still delights after all these years.