JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH

US, 1996, 80 minutes, Colour.
Voices of Simon Callow, Susan Sarandon, Richard Dreyfuss, Miriam Margoyles, David Thewliss.
Directed by Henry Selick.

James and the Giant Peach is based on a Roald Dahl story. Several films have been made of Dahl's novels: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches and Matilda. In the latter two, adults seem ugly and threatening. This is very much the case with the two sisters in James and the Giant Peach, played by Miriam Margoyles and an absolutely ugly Joanna Lumley.

The film focuses on a young boy, played by Paul Terry, in the late '40s. His parents disappear (taken by a mysterious rhinoceros) and he is put under the cruel care of the two sisters. A traveller, Pete Postlethwaite, passes by and tells him a story - which leads into the fantasy of his travelling to New York, the place of dreams bequeathed by his father, in a giant peach. He is accompanied by a range of bugs and insects - who have rather strong personalities, especially with the voices of Simon Callow as the grasshopper, Susan Sarandon as the spider, David Thewlis as the worm, Richard Dreyfuss as the centipede.

The film was directed by Henry Selick, the director of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Tim Burton and Denise di Novi are the producers of this film as well. It combines puppets with animation.

The film is vigorous, entertaining, with a touch of the sweet and the frightening and a number of songs.

1. An entertainment for children? For adults?

2. The popularity of Roald Dahl's stories, other film versions? The focus on children, intelligent and resourceful children? Their being put upon by adults? The ugly adults? The world of fantasy and relief?

3. The title and its expectations? The humour of travelling over the seas on a giant peach - and not dying of hunger because the peach can be eaten?

4. The introduction: James and his parents, the visual style of the late '40s, colour, clothing, the postures on the beach? The artificial settings? James and his love for his parents, their love for him, communicating that love and their dreams, especially New York?

5. The mysterious disappearance and their being taken by a rhinoceros - and the audience being left with this mystery? The later appearance of the terrifying rhinoceros?

6. The two ugly sisters: their appearance, vanity, looking at themselves in the mirror, their clothes? Their cruelty to James? Making him work? Their threats - and the dangers of their house? The insects and their antagonism, the spider?

7. The traveller, his knowing all about James, his friendliness, telling him the story - and his winking at the audience at the end?

8. The contrast between the real-life action and the animation? Establishing the characters and voices with real life? The transition to a fantasy world?

9. James and the enterprise of going on the voyage, the various insects and their presence on the boat? The setting sail? The vision of New York?

10. The musical score, the songs - especially those throughout the voyage and their contribution to character, to situations?

11. The sisters and their appearance on the prow of the ship, their appearance on the high seas? Finally arriving in New York and their dominating James, accusing him of telling lies, the spider cocooning them in her web? The villains of the piece?

12. The characters of the insects on the peach: the grasshopper and his English aristocracy? The Brooklyn centipede? The British worm? The French spider? The ladybug? Their appearance, characters, wit, contribution to the action - especially in sailing the ship, surviving, the pirates, the shark?

13. The shark attack - and the visuals of the mechanical shark? The contrast with going down into the pirate ship - and its coming alive with Skellington characters?

14. The seagulls and the ingenuity of getting them to carry the peach? The difficulties, getting them back, transporting them over the sea?

15. The adventures on the ship, James and his wisdom and control? Relying on each of the insects? Their moments of despair, hope, courage?

16. The arrival in New York? The humour of being stuck on the Empire State Building? James being rescued and the voyage being a success? The confrontation with the sisters and his telling the truth? The sympathetic policeman? The people on the streets and their watching James and admiring him? Hope for a new life?

17. The humour of the newspaper headlines with the fate of each of the characters? The post-credits glimpse of the game involving the two sisters?

18. Roald Dahl and his capacity for telling stories to fascinate children? Children and their identifying with them? The criticism of ugly adults? The limitless realms of fantasy?