Amazon.com essential video

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. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Great Movie! Special Edition?
This is a great film, and follows the legacy of classics such as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. It is stop motion animation, and every step of the journey is simply magical! The story (written by R Dahl) is about a young boy name James that lives with his two creul aunts, after his parents tragically die. One day they notice that a peach starts to grow, on their peach tree! The mysterious part is that no peach has grown before on the elderly tree! Soon the peach grow so large that it is bigger than their home! James crawls into the peach and meets some new friends played by Jane Leeves (Fraiser), Susan Surandon (Little Women), and a host of others! Soon the peach makes way down the hill and off on a magical journey!

Another great audio/visual DVD experience from Disney! I'am not sure why they called it a Special Edition. There is just the usual DVD features, nothing special. They probably could have done more extensive interviews with Jane, Susan and the singer/songwritter Randy Newman.

Still a great DVD! Next time look at Tarzan or A Bug's Life, Disney!

One of the best movies made since "Nightmare."
I personally like "James and the Giant Peach" because it's a movie that has something in it for everyone. The animation is great and I like the songs. My siblings enjoy it too. One of my brothers can't even hear the title without going berserk, because he really likes the Centipede. I like it becuase Jack Skellington (The hero from "Nightmare Before Christmas") makes a cool cameo appearance in it. It doesn't surprise me. Tim Burton was one of the producers. Anyway, it is a cute story and has something evryone in the family can enjoy. "James" is also very detailed. Inside the peach, you can recognize everday items that are literally larger than life, like a spool of thread and a seed packet. The only reason I give four stars is because it isn't as detailed as it should be, and the animation could use a little bit of improvement.

a good book also
this is a very sorowful tale of horrible women who mistreat a small child called james.he finds some magic ..........mmmmmmmm.............somethings which effect whatever they touch magicly.eventualy it turns a peach into a giant peach.james gets into it and rides with some bugs across the sea from london to new york.it is animated so no stars again.it is very sad at the beginning,but picks up so some children may get worked up.tim burton is in charge again,so it is a gem.it is one of his best works.the 2evil chicks at the start are terrible and have no real place in a childrens movie.the book is excellent also.our teacher read it to us in the 5th grade.this one is great!

Perfect for Children; Fails to Entertain Adults
All children should see this, better yet -read it. The book was actually read to my class by our fifth grade teacher and our imaginations really soared.

The movie is a let down from the world I imagined. Also, this movie is not suitable for adults. It hardly held my attention, the songs are weak, and there is very little (if any) embedded adult humor.

Adult Burton enthusiasts should avoid this movie.

James and the Giant Peach great movied to view on dvd
james (paul terry) is a nice and quite moral little boy who has two loving parents. while near the beach, he and his mom get killed (although this is not shown since it's a pg film) by a rhinoceros. yes this is a fantasy film in part and there are many magical elements in the film. james custody then is then taken over by two ugly aunts: aunt spiker (joanna lumley from "absolutely fabulous" fame) and aunt sponge (miriam margolyes) who are classic examples of adults who abuse their children. they are the classic example of the trash and evil nature that exist in all wretched adults who seek exploit others
for their wealth. in fact, james's aunts use him as basically a slave to work around the house. they starve him and feed the breadcrumbs that are in the trash. they yell at him when james wants to make new friends and talk to kids who he can't
relate to. nah it doesn't get much lower than quality of life aunt sponge and aunt spiker have on james. one day a mysterious man gives james a mysterious bag full of crocodile tongues I believe, which he says are magic and can make James dreams come
true. In this case, James dream was to go to New York City and see Empire State Building. It was actually both James parent's dreams and James dream. However, even though James parent's are long gone, James still wants to go to New York an accomplish the dream he and his parents set out to do. This is one impressive kid, he has a big heart and the kind of determination that almost no adults have nowadays. That's one lesson of the film right there , which is not to give up on one's dream, it's literally embodied in this great kid. So this special bag of magic combines with a small peach to grow into a gigantic peach which Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker capitalize for their own selfish profits!!!! Now if you think this made James's life any easier youd be wrong. Nope James's life continues as before, even wore as his rich selfish Aunt have become greedier and more manipulative and more vindictive. It's hard to believe that these "aunts" are the blood relative of James. Now before I go on, I couldn't help but think of James and Harry Potter. Sure Harry Potter was an orphan, but he and James are taken in by their slimy relatives who basically want to exploit and abuse them without any rights whatsover. Potter eventually escapes his vile relatives and so does James. Potter becomes one of the most loved characters at Hogwarts and James also near the end (without revealing too much) becomes
one of the most loved kids in the world. Anyhow James interests in the peach grows huge to the point with the aid of the magic bad of tongues , James becomes magically converted to small size and invades the beach. Inside the beach, James discovers a group of zany characters all symbolizing common day insects who have now made James the center of attention. James meeting the characters of Mr. Grasshopper (Simon
Callow), Mr. Centipede (Richard Dreyfuss), Ms. Ladybug (Jane Leeves from Frasier), Ms. Spider (Susan Sarandon), learns that they have been watching him as he is mistreated by his aunts and know that James dreams of going to New York City. Eventually James learns that the characters not only want to go with him but they are going to help him
on his journey as well. This is a great movie about friendship as well. Let's face facts it's not likely James would have gone to New York on his own, but these group of wonderful friends give the help and encouragement to do it, when he needs it.

When James and the group decide on a plan to go to New York City, they're journey is stalled by several dangerous adventures which include a metallic shark, dead caribbean pirates, and the hazardous condition which threaten to end their journey. However that isn't stopping anyone and James and his friends, as a group are determined to make it New York and James is determined to make his and his parents dream come true.... As you can see you can describe the movie any better than better, and the movie itself is loaded with amazing special effects that elevate this entertaining fantasy world that James has now come into contact with. In fact when I first looked at the effects, I thought I was watching another classic fantasy film like in "The Nightmare Before Christmas", and guess what both films were directed by the same great director, Henry Selick. I was success and an eye for greatness embodied in fantasy is a signature for
Selick. He really outdoes himself here.

Sony Imageworks and a trio of great animators provide the stop motion technology and animation that make the world of James and The Giant Peach so fantastic. Speaking of fantastic the voice talents in this film are all great with Sarandon, Dreyfuss , Leeves, and David Thewlis as Mr. Earthworm are great, you can tell
that they captured the characters really well, but the person who outshines them is Paul Terry as James, he give's quite a performance and I couldn't think anyone better to do the role he did. So as you can see James and The Giant Peach is far from being just a kids flick, it's that kind of stupid attitude that shows the true ignorance of so called critics who we'll miss out on the many meanings of films like "James and The Giant Peach". In fact one critic even mentioned that the film brings up ideas by Karl Marx for example the relationship of the slave, and master which are true in some regard, but above this a film that really does capture the spirit of having a dream and not quitting until he or she achieves that dream, because as you watch the ending, you can see in the ending, that James's dream really affects many people, not just himself. I could go and on about how great "James and The Giant Peach" but I think I've nailed everything good about it, all that's left now is to recommend the film to those who haven't seen it.

DVD Details:

Ah, the DVD is excellent coming up with several extra features:

*Commentary

*Behind the scenes on the making of the movie

* A special music video by Randy Newman who wrote several songs for the movie

* A beautiful transfer of the movie shown in letterbox format.

*Theatrical trailer

* About 13 character sketches on the characters themselves giving a glimpse
into the artistic process of the film

* Dolby Digital Surround sound.

As you can see a good DVD definitely worth checking out especially if you want
more details about the film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For those who never thought Disney would release a film in which Santa Claus is kidnapped and tortured, well, here it is!The full title is Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, which should give you an idea of the tone of this stop-action animated musical/fantasy/horror/comedy.It is based on characters created by Burton, the former Disney animator best known as the director of Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and the first two Batman movies. His benignly scary-funny sensibility dominates the story of Halloweentown resident Jack Skellington (voice by Danny Elfman, who also wrote the songs), who stumbles on a bizarre and fascinating alternative universe called ... Christmastown!Directed by Henry Selick (who later made the delightful James and the Giant Peach), this PG-rated picture has a reassuringly light touch.As Roger Ebert noted in his review, "some of the Halloween creatures might be a tad scary for smaller children, but this is the kind of movie older kids will eat up; it has the kind of offbeat, subversive energy that tells them wonderful things are likely to happen." --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (247)

Kidnap the Sandy Claws!
This is my favorite animated film and in my opinion the best to come out of the Burton/Elfman team. The plot is... well... "different": The denizens of Halloween Town kidnap Santa Claus and have their way with Christmas. i.e. make a complete mess out of it. The visuals are spectacular (if a little dark) and the music and songs are wonderful and fit right in with the action. Regarding the "family appeal" of this movie: just keep in mind that this is a Tim Burton creation (Beetlejuice, Sleepy Hollow) and therefore it is dark, a little scary and the humor is on the sarcastic side. Oh, and if you absolutely can't stand musicals, then this movie will either make you a believer (like it did to me) or will put you off.

About the DVD edition: I've seen this movie in the theater, on TV, on VHS and now on DVD and I must say that the DVD edition had the best sound quality. They could have included some bonuses (a "the making of..." type of feature is really missing) but the excellent sound and decent picture quality was good enough for me.

Go ahead and give it a try, especially if you're a Burton/Elfman fan!

Fantastic, wonderful, and moving...
I've not seen this movie in a very long time, and it wasn't until just recently that I revisited it. The Nightmare Before Christmas' title sounds like something from a horror movie, but it certainly isn't one. Sure, everything looks grim and creepy, but that's just the setting. The story of Jack Skellington feeling as if everything is a routine for him and wants to experience something different was kinda touching, as is with the songs he sings to himself in the film. The music is creepy at times and is beautiful when needed, and it's all composed by Danny Elfman; who in turn also wrote the songs, and does Jack Skellington's voice. TNMBC was skillfully animated, using the stop-motion style, which most likely took them quite a while to finish. The end product looks pretty good too, especially for a movie released back in '91. Tim Burton has always been one of my favorite directors, and this film didn't let me down. Not only did it bring back some nice childhood memories, but it also made me feel good in the process. Those parents who aren't sure of showing this film to their kids because it may scare them, at least consider that the movie has NO violence either than a stitched-up lady jumping from a building, but she doesn't get harmed as she puts herself back together. If your kids can handle the creepy looking monsters and creatures, by all means let them watch this movie. They most likely will never forget it.

the best christmas and halloween movie ever
wellllllllllllll.the guys from halloween land go to x-mas land and kidnap santa and do x-masup thier own way.its animated or something so no stars per say.this one is for some kids and not for others.the sensitive types need to be in bed.it is another one of tim burtons abselute masterpieces.there are basicly 2 kinds of movies.your julia robetrs-sell out-hollywood-junk and movies that actualy required some thought.so anyone with an imagination will like it.this is themost over the top and wild x-mas movie ever.

Spellbinding
This movie is beyond enchanting, delving into the realms of spellbinding. I never thought that an animated film could be so stunning with its cinematography mixed with the music. That's the amazing beauty of Tim Burton's world: it's filled with contrasts. In particular is Sally (voiced by the Canadian goddess Catherine O'Hara) the ragdoll who externally is not the most beautiful thing with her stitchings and patched clothes, but internally she is pure and filled with love for Jack. Even her singing (again Catherine) sounds like an innocent child, straight tone (no vibrato) and a flowing, velvet soprano.
The world of Halloweentown is dark, but filled with beauty and rich melodies straining through (by the genius Danny Elfman). The construction of the film is so perfect making Halloweentown filled with browns and blacks whereas Christmastown is bright and cheerful, joyful as we expect Christmas to be and the real world is somewhere in between. All of it pulls together beautifully to create a timeless story and the most magnificently filmed ending with Sally and Jack in the snow.
Just proves the genius of the film makers.

yuck
Why does "everyone" love this movie? It's not that good. Not at all. I saw this when I was four and I absolutely hated it when I found out they kidnapped Santa Clause. The zombie girl taking her head off at one point in the movies was pretty gross too...yuck. I don't reccomend this film. ... Read more

Description

Enter an extraordinary world filled with magic and wonder -- where every holiday has its own special land ... and imaginative, one-of-a-kind characters! THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS tells the heartfelt tale of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, and all things that go bump in the night. Bored with the same old tricks and treats, he yearns for something more, and soon stumbles upon the glorious magic of Christmas Town! Jack decides to bring this joyful holiday back to Halloween Town. But as his dream to fill Santa's shoes unravels, it's up to Sally, the rag doll who loves him, to stitch things back together. This critically acclaimed movie milestone captured the heart and imagination of audiences everywhere with its Academy Award(R)-nominated stop-motion effects, engaging Grammy(R)-nominated music, and the genius of Tim Burton (BATMAN, PLANET OF THE APES). THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHIRSTMAS -- a delightful treat the whole family will enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (247)

Kidnap the Sandy Claws!
This is my favorite animated film and in my opinion the best to come out of the Burton/Elfman team. The plot is... well... "different": The denizens of Halloween Town kidnap Santa Claus and have their way with Christmas. i.e. make a complete mess out of it. The visuals are spectacular (if a little dark) and the music and songs are wonderful and fit right in with the action. Regarding the "family appeal" of this movie: just keep in mind that this is a Tim Burton creation (Beetlejuice, Sleepy Hollow) and therefore it is dark, a little scary and the humor is on the sarcastic side. Oh, and if you absolutely can't stand musicals, then this movie will either make you a believer (like it did to me) or will put you off.

About the DVD edition: I've seen this movie in the theater, on TV, on VHS and now on DVD and I must say that the DVD edition had the best sound quality. They could have included some bonuses (a "the making of..." type of feature is really missing) but the excellent sound and decent picture quality was good enough for me.

Go ahead and give it a try, especially if you're a Burton/Elfman fan!

Fantastic, wonderful, and moving...
I've not seen this movie in a very long time, and it wasn't until just recently that I revisited it. The Nightmare Before Christmas' title sounds like something from a horror movie, but it certainly isn't one. Sure, everything looks grim and creepy, but that's just the setting. The story of Jack Skellington feeling as if everything is a routine for him and wants to experience something different was kinda touching, as is with the songs he sings to himself in the film. The music is creepy at times and is beautiful when needed, and it's all composed by Danny Elfman; who in turn also wrote the songs, and does Jack Skellington's voice. TNMBC was skillfully animated, using the stop-motion style, which most likely took them quite a while to finish. The end product looks pretty good too, especially for a movie released back in '91. Tim Burton has always been one of my favorite directors, and this film didn't let me down. Not only did it bring back some nice childhood memories, but it also made me feel good in the process. Those parents who aren't sure of showing this film to their kids because it may scare them, at least consider that the movie has NO violence either than a stitched-up lady jumping from a building, but she doesn't get harmed as she puts herself back together. If your kids can handle the creepy looking monsters and creatures, by all means let them watch this movie. They most likely will never forget it.

the best christmas and halloween movie ever
wellllllllllllll.the guys from halloween land go to x-mas land and kidnap santa and do x-masup thier own way.its animated or something so no stars per say.this one is for some kids and not for others.the sensitive types need to be in bed.it is another one of tim burtons abselute masterpieces.there are basicly 2 kinds of movies.your julia robetrs-sell out-hollywood-junk and movies that actualy required some thought.so anyone with an imagination will like it.this is themost over the top and wild x-mas movie ever.

Spellbinding
This movie is beyond enchanting, delving into the realms of spellbinding. I never thought that an animated film could be so stunning with its cinematography mixed with the music. That's the amazing beauty of Tim Burton's world: it's filled with contrasts. In particular is Sally (voiced by the Canadian goddess Catherine O'Hara) the ragdoll who externally is not the most beautiful thing with her stitchings and patched clothes, but internally she is pure and filled with love for Jack. Even her singing (again Catherine) sounds like an innocent child, straight tone (no vibrato) and a flowing, velvet soprano.
The world of Halloweentown is dark, but filled with beauty and rich melodies straining through (by the genius Danny Elfman). The construction of the film is so perfect making Halloweentown filled with browns and blacks whereas Christmastown is bright and cheerful, joyful as we expect Christmas to be and the real world is somewhere in between. All of it pulls together beautifully to create a timeless story and the most magnificently filmed ending with Sally and Jack in the snow.
Just proves the genius of the film makers.

yuck
Why does "everyone" love this movie? It's not that good. Not at all. I saw this when I was four and I absolutely hated it when I found out they kidnapped Santa Clause. The zombie girl taking her head off at one point in the movies was pretty gross too...yuck. I don't reccomend this film. ... Read more

Description

Take a bite out of Disney's delicious Special Edition of JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the popular children's book by Roald Dahl that inspired this imaginative film. This amazing mix of live-action, stop-motion animation and computer-generated special effects includes bonus materials never before available. When young James spills some magic crocodile tongues, a giant peach grows as huge as a house. Climbing inside, he embarks on a thrilling and magical odyssey that only the creative team from TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS could bring you. Along the way you'll discover the famous star voices of Richard Dreyfuss and Susan Sarandon, Jane Leeves (FRASIER), and Simon Callow (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE), plus the inspired music of Randy Newman. Enjoy -- it's a peach of a journey! ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Great Movie! Special Edition?
This is a great film, and follows the legacy of classics such as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. It is stop motion animation, and every step of the journey is simply magical! The story (written by R Dahl) is about a young boy name James that lives with his two creul aunts, after his parents tragically die. One day they notice that a peach starts to grow, on their peach tree! The mysterious part is that no peach has grown before on the elderly tree! Soon the peach grow so large that it is bigger than their home! James crawls into the peach and meets some new friends played by Jane Leeves (Fraiser), Susan Surandon (Little Women), and a host of others! Soon the peach makes way down the hill and off on a magical journey!

Another great audio/visual DVD experience from Disney! I'am not sure why they called it a Special Edition. There is just the usual DVD features, nothing special. They probably could have done more extensive interviews with Jane, Susan and the singer/songwritter Randy Newman.

Still a great DVD! Next time look at Tarzan or A Bug's Life, Disney!

One of the best movies made since "Nightmare."
I personally like "James and the Giant Peach" because it's a movie that has something in it for everyone. The animation is great and I like the songs. My siblings enjoy it too. One of my brothers can't even hear the title without going berserk, because he really likes the Centipede. I like it becuase Jack Skellington (The hero from "Nightmare Before Christmas") makes a cool cameo appearance in it. It doesn't surprise me. Tim Burton was one of the producers. Anyway, it is a cute story and has something evryone in the family can enjoy. "James" is also very detailed. Inside the peach, you can recognize everday items that are literally larger than life, like a spool of thread and a seed packet. The only reason I give four stars is because it isn't as detailed as it should be, and the animation could use a little bit of improvement.

a good book also
this is a very sorowful tale of horrible women who mistreat a small child called james.he finds some magic ..........mmmmmmmm.............somethings which effect whatever they touch magicly.eventualy it turns a peach into a giant peach.james gets into it and rides with some bugs across the sea from london to new york.it is animated so no stars again.it is very sad at the beginning,but picks up so some children may get worked up.tim burton is in charge again,so it is a gem.it is one of his best works.the 2evil chicks at the start are terrible and have no real place in a childrens movie.the book is excellent also.our teacher read it to us in the 5th grade.this one is great!

Perfect for Children; Fails to Entertain Adults
All children should see this, better yet -read it. The book was actually read to my class by our fifth grade teacher and our imaginations really soared.

The movie is a let down from the world I imagined. Also, this movie is not suitable for adults. It hardly held my attention, the songs are weak, and there is very little (if any) embedded adult humor.

Adult Burton enthusiasts should avoid this movie.

James and the Giant Peach great movied to view on dvd
james (paul terry) is a nice and quite moral little boy who has two loving parents. while near the beach, he and his mom get killed (although this is not shown since it's a pg film) by a rhinoceros. yes this is a fantasy film in part and there are many magical elements in the film. james custody then is then taken over by two ugly aunts: aunt spiker (joanna lumley from "absolutely fabulous" fame) and aunt sponge (miriam margolyes) who are classic examples of adults who abuse their children. they are the classic example of the trash and evil nature that exist in all wretched adults who seek exploit others
for their wealth. in fact, james's aunts use him as basically a slave to work around the house. they starve him and feed the breadcrumbs that are in the trash. they yell at him when james wants to make new friends and talk to kids who he can't
relate to. nah it doesn't get much lower than quality of life aunt sponge and aunt spiker have on james. one day a mysterious man gives james a mysterious bag full of crocodile tongues I believe, which he says are magic and can make James dreams come
true. In this case, James dream was to go to New York City and see Empire State Building. It was actually both James parent's dreams and James dream. However, even though James parent's are long gone, James still wants to go to New York an accomplish the dream he and his parents set out to do. This is one impressive kid, he has a big heart and the kind of determination that almost no adults have nowadays. That's one lesson of the film right there , which is not to give up on one's dream, it's literally embodied in this great kid. So this special bag of magic combines with a small peach to grow into a gigantic peach which Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker capitalize for their own selfish profits!!!! Now if you think this made James's life any easier youd be wrong. Nope James's life continues as before, even wore as his rich selfish Aunt have become greedier and more manipulative and more vindictive. It's hard to believe that these "aunts" are the blood relative of James. Now before I go on, I couldn't help but think of James and Harry Potter. Sure Harry Potter was an orphan, but he and James are taken in by their slimy relatives who basically want to exploit and abuse them without any rights whatsover. Potter eventually escapes his vile relatives and so does James. Potter becomes one of the most loved characters at Hogwarts and James also near the end (without revealing too much) becomes
one of the most loved kids in the world. Anyhow James interests in the peach grows huge to the point with the aid of the magic bad of tongues , James becomes magically converted to small size and invades the beach. Inside the beach, James discovers a group of zany characters all symbolizing common day insects who have now made James the center of attention. James meeting the characters of Mr. Grasshopper (Simon
Callow), Mr. Centipede (Richard Dreyfuss), Ms. Ladybug (Jane Leeves from Frasier), Ms. Spider (Susan Sarandon), learns that they have been watching him as he is mistreated by his aunts and know that James dreams of going to New York City. Eventually James learns that the characters not only want to go with him but they are going to help him
on his journey as well. This is a great movie about friendship as well. Let's face facts it's not likely James would have gone to New York on his own, but these group of wonderful friends give the help and encouragement to do it, when he needs it.

When James and the group decide on a plan to go to New York City, they're journey is stalled by several dangerous adventures which include a metallic shark, dead caribbean pirates, and the hazardous condition which threaten to end their journey. However that isn't stopping anyone and James and his friends, as a group are determined to make it New York and James is determined to make his and his parents dream come true.... As you can see you can describe the movie any better than better, and the movie itself is loaded with amazing special effects that elevate this entertaining fantasy world that James has now come into contact with. In fact when I first looked at the effects, I thought I was watching another classic fantasy film like in "The Nightmare Before Christmas", and guess what both films were directed by the same great director, Henry Selick. I was success and an eye for greatness embodied in fantasy is a signature for
Selick. He really outdoes himself here.

Sony Imageworks and a trio of great animators provide the stop motion technology and animation that make the world of James and The Giant Peach so fantastic. Speaking of fantastic the voice talents in this film are all great with Sarandon, Dreyfuss , Leeves, and David Thewlis as Mr. Earthworm are great, you can tell
that they captured the characters really well, but the person who outshines them is Paul Terry as James, he give's quite a performance and I couldn't think anyone better to do the role he did. So as you can see James and The Giant Peach is far from being just a kids flick, it's that kind of stupid attitude that shows the true ignorance of so called critics who we'll miss out on the many meanings of films like "James and The Giant Peach". In fact one critic even mentioned that the film brings up ideas by Karl Marx for example the relationship of the slave, and master which are true in some regard, but above this a film that really does capture the spirit of having a dream and not quitting until he or she achieves that dream, because as you watch the ending, you can see in the ending, that James's dream really affects many people, not just himself. I could go and on about how great "James and The Giant Peach" but I think I've nailed everything good about it, all that's left now is to recommend the film to those who haven't seen it.

DVD Details:

Ah, the DVD is excellent coming up with several extra features:

*Commentary

*Behind the scenes on the making of the movie

* A special music video by Randy Newman who wrote several songs for the movie

* A beautiful transfer of the movie shown in letterbox format.

*Theatrical trailer

* About 13 character sketches on the characters themselves giving a glimpse
into the artistic process of the film

* Dolby Digital Surround sound.

As you can see a good DVD definitely worth checking out especially if you want
more details about the film. ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Surprisingly delightful!
I had my reservations about this film because of all the negative reviews I read about it, but I love Chris Kattan, so I decided to give it a chance. I was surprisingly delighted in this hilarious movie! "Citizen Kane" it's not, but it's not supposed to be either. It's a zany, bizarre and totally "out there" kind of movie, and escapism at it's best! It doesn't use the standard formula of most movies either (a refreshing change!), and I found the story and plot very original. Chris Kattan is hilarious in his role (my sides were aching from laughing so much) and Brendan Fraser proves once again that he can take on a myriad of roles with ease.

The opening sequence with the cartoon is probably the "wierdest" scene in the movie and I almost turned it off right there (thinking that the rest of the movie would follow in the same manner), but sheer curiosity kept me watching. The visuals are also quite impressive and lend a certain "Beetlejuice" meets "Nightmare Before Christmas" feel to them. This is a fun movie through and through. Worth a "rent" at least!

Monkeybone A Cult Masterpiece
I have found that the people that like this movie are usually the ones with a stroke of creativity in their blood...people that can actually relate to Stu. Being an illustrator myself I found a lot of truth behind this film about a man and his psychological baggage. The characters real and fictional are very well developed and the movie moves along at a pace that really kept me interested and involved. If you liked the movie, the DVD is well worth acquiring for all the special features. My favorite extra's were the extended scenes, explaining a lot of plot development in further detail. The animation is great, the story is great, the characters are great. I don't know what creative person can sit through this movie without wanting to buy their own Monkeybone doll. I researched and found a copy of Kaja Blackley's graphic novel "Dark Town" upon which the movie is based, and found it just as fascinating. Only problem now is dealing with the fact that only #1 out of a 12 volume series was published...and I'm left with only the movie in its completion!

Used to hate it and now I love it.
I saw Monkeybone when it was in theaters without knowing what it was even about. My impression at the time was that it was a wierd and stupid movie with no point. I recently found it for $5 so I decided to give it a try, and I am glad I did. Everyone I know hates this movies or has not seen it, but I now think this is a wonderful movie.

Stu Miley (Brendan Frasier) has just launched his new animated character Monkeybone, created from Stu's repressed sexual anxieties(as another reviewer put it). Monkeybone is a hot character that brings a huge demand for cartoons, toys, and just about any other kind of merchandising you can think of. After a party for the launch of his new character, Stu and his girlfriend are in a car wreck leaving Stu in a coma. This happens just when Stu is going to propose to his girlfriend. As others see him in a coma, Stu ends up in Downtown, the place where other people in a coma reside, along with their nightmares. I really enjoyed the effects that take place in Downtown. But once there, Stu comes face to face with his creation, and together must find a way out of Downtown before Stu's sister "pulls the plug" on him in the outside world. Monkeybone turns on Stu and steals his pass into the real world, and so with a deal from Death (Whoopi Goldberg) Stu must get back to his life and stop Monkeybone from ruining his life. Thats all I want to say about the plot, and it may sound dumb or a little complicated, but to me is a good and very entertaining movie. Bottom line is that this is a nice blend of live-action and animation and is nicely directed by Henry Selick. And as usual Frasier gives a nice performance in this starring role. At the heart of this movie is also a good love story. A lot of you may not like this movie, but at least watch it once and give it a chance. You might be surprised.

I know it looks stupid, but trust me.......ts funny
I know it may look stupid but it is real funny. This movie is about a guy who is in a deep deep coma. He is in this fantasy land kinda thing. It reminds me of the set of Tim Burton's nightmare before christmas. Then he has this kinda pet named "Monkey Bone". Then once he finally gonna get out, Monkey bone betrays him. So now Stu (Brendan Fraser)has to find a way back to his girlfriend. This is a real funny movie. It has the kinda smart comedy we needed years ago.

Monkeyblah
Synopsis:
A freak car crash, (involving a giant inflatable monkey) sends cartoonist Stu Miley (Brenden Fraser) into coma and into a nightmarish and bizarre between world called Downtown where coma patients must wait for their ticket back. There he meets an aspect of his twisted personality, a character he created called Monkeybone.

As Stu waits in limbo, back in the real world where his girlfriend (Bridget Fonda) waits for him to recover, his sister, Kimmy plans to pull the plug. Monkeybone and Stu discover her plans and try to escape back to the real world. But a double-cross nearly dooms Stu and his life altogether and sends Monkeybone on a crazy (and somewhat raunchy) escapade in the real world.

About the movie:
I found this movie somewhat painful to watch and was left wondering how anyone could think that something this bizarre and poorly written would do well in the theaters. (It didn't do that well).

As a movie, this one is pretty odd overall, and the script is below par at best. There are quite a few spots that could use more exposition, and the main characters definitely needed to be fleshed out more. None of them make you care a whit about what happens to them. Bridget Fonda is nice to look at, but she was totally luke-warm in her role as Stu's girlfriend (not that she had much to work with) and Brendan Fraser's character is so neurotic as to make you wonder why she'd even like him. Whoopi Goldberg has a cameo as Death, but her role is pretty much a yawner as well.

This is not to mention that there are some pretty gross things in this movie. Chris Kattan (who proves in this role that he is a fantastic physical comedian, something worth seeing, if only for his acting) running around as a reanimated dead guy with a broken neck was extremely entertaining, for his physical comedy, but the bit with the organs falling out onto people was in really bad taste and more than a little gross.

The end result of all of this is that you have a weak movie that subsists mainly on bodily function jokes and sexual gags for almost all of its humor, and of that, most of it is of the extremely low brow and immature sort. If you happen to like that sort of humor, great, but me, I got tired of being browbeaten with it by halfway through the movie.

The only thing semi redeeming about this movie was the sophisticated stop motion photography that was used in creating the Monkeybone character. It really is impressive to see what they pulled off, somewhat akin to the sort of stuff done in Who-Framed Roger Rabbit. It's a shame it was wasted in a movie that ended up being so painful to watch.

Neat special effects don't make a movie. Script, plot and acting do, and while Fraser and Kattan were decent in their parts, the rest was sorely lacking. Not the most painful movie I've seen, but it's lurking down there nearby.

About the DVD:
Monkeybone comes in a standard hard case in 1.85:1 widescreen format with 5.1 Dolby digital sound. It contains English and French audio tracks and English and Spanish subtitles. The picture and sound are quite good.

The cover of this DVD release claims that it's the SPECIAL EDITION. Considering that there never was a regular DVD release of this movie, that label is a bit pretentious. Of course, it does make up for it by being loaded with extra goodies, not that the extra goodies make up for the movie itself.

Among the special features are, a director's commentary, 11 extended scenes, an alternate ending (both with optional director's commentary), 7 animation studies for scenes in the movie, a gallery of stills, and the obligatory theatrical trailers.

The director's commentary is interesting, as he talks about what it took to put the movie together, mostly from a production point of view. His commentary helps explain how certain scenes and shots were put together and the amount of work needed to make them solid and believable. Interestingly, near the end of the commentary, there seems to be a sense of consternation in his conversation as he subtly wondered in a roundabout way why his movie hadn't done better in the box office.

I'm not a film critic, but I probably could answer that one. It was just too off the wall, a little too weird and simply had humor that was too immature (and at one point, gross) for most audiences. I certainly would suggest previewing this before letting kids watch it.

Anyway, back to the point. While all these goodies on the DVD are nice, they really don't make up for the fact that the movie itself is so poor. 2 stars for a decent DVD release and a not so good movie. ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Surprisingly delightful!
I had my reservations about this film because of all the negative reviews I read about it, but I love Chris Kattan, so I decided to give it a chance. I was surprisingly delighted in this hilarious movie! "Citizen Kane" it's not, but it's not supposed to be either. It's a zany, bizarre and totally "out there" kind of movie, and escapism at it's best! It doesn't use the standard formula of most movies either (a refreshing change!), and I found the story and plot very original. Chris Kattan is hilarious in his role (my sides were aching from laughing so much) and Brendan Fraser proves once again that he can take on a myriad of roles with ease.

The opening sequence with the cartoon is probably the "wierdest" scene in the movie and I almost turned it off right there (thinking that the rest of the movie would follow in the same manner), but sheer curiosity kept me watching. The visuals are also quite impressive and lend a certain "Beetlejuice" meets "Nightmare Before Christmas" feel to them. This is a fun movie through and through. Worth a "rent" at least!

Monkeybone A Cult Masterpiece
I have found that the people that like this movie are usually the ones with a stroke of creativity in their blood...people that can actually relate to Stu. Being an illustrator myself I found a lot of truth behind this film about a man and his psychological baggage. The characters real and fictional are very well developed and the movie moves along at a pace that really kept me interested and involved. If you liked the movie, the DVD is well worth acquiring for all the special features. My favorite extra's were the extended scenes, explaining a lot of plot development in further detail. The animation is great, the story is great, the characters are great. I don't know what creative person can sit through this movie without wanting to buy their own Monkeybone doll. I researched and found a copy of Kaja Blackley's graphic novel "Dark Town" upon which the movie is based, and found it just as fascinating. Only problem now is dealing with the fact that only #1 out of a 12 volume series was published...and I'm left with only the movie in its completion!

Used to hate it and now I love it.
I saw Monkeybone when it was in theaters without knowing what it was even about. My impression at the time was that it was a wierd and stupid movie with no point. I recently found it for $5 so I decided to give it a try, and I am glad I did. Everyone I know hates this movies or has not seen it, but I now think this is a wonderful movie.

Stu Miley (Brendan Frasier) has just launched his new animated character Monkeybone, created from Stu's repressed sexual anxieties(as another reviewer put it). Monkeybone is a hot character that brings a huge demand for cartoons, toys, and just about any other kind of merchandising you can think of. After a party for the launch of his new character, Stu and his girlfriend are in a car wreck leaving Stu in a coma. This happens just when Stu is going to propose to his girlfriend. As others see him in a coma, Stu ends up in Downtown, the place where other people in a coma reside, along with their nightmares. I really enjoyed the effects that take place in Downtown. But once there, Stu comes face to face with his creation, and together must find a way out of Downtown before Stu's sister "pulls the plug" on him in the outside world. Monkeybone turns on Stu and steals his pass into the real world, and so with a deal from Death (Whoopi Goldberg) Stu must get back to his life and stop Monkeybone from ruining his life. Thats all I want to say about the plot, and it may sound dumb or a little complicated, but to me is a good and very entertaining movie. Bottom line is that this is a nice blend of live-action and animation and is nicely directed by Henry Selick. And as usual Frasier gives a nice performance in this starring role. At the heart of this movie is also a good love story. A lot of you may not like this movie, but at least watch it once and give it a chance. You might be surprised.

I know it looks stupid, but trust me.......ts funny
I know it may look stupid but it is real funny. This movie is about a guy who is in a deep deep coma. He is in this fantasy land kinda thing. It reminds me of the set of Tim Burton's nightmare before christmas. Then he has this kinda pet named "Monkey Bone". Then once he finally gonna get out, Monkey bone betrays him. So now Stu (Brendan Fraser)has to find a way back to his girlfriend. This is a real funny movie. It has the kinda smart comedy we needed years ago.

Monkeyblah
Synopsis:
A freak car crash, (involving a giant inflatable monkey) sends cartoonist Stu Miley (Brenden Fraser) into coma and into a nightmarish and bizarre between world called Downtown where coma patients must wait for their ticket back. There he meets an aspect of his twisted personality, a character he created called Monkeybone.

As Stu waits in limbo, back in the real world where his girlfriend (Bridget Fonda) waits for him to recover, his sister, Kimmy plans to pull the plug. Monkeybone and Stu discover her plans and try to escape back to the real world. But a double-cross nearly dooms Stu and his life altogether and sends Monkeybone on a crazy (and somewhat raunchy) escapade in the real world.

About the movie:
I found this movie somewhat painful to watch and was left wondering how anyone could think that something this bizarre and poorly written would do well in the theaters. (It didn't do that well).

As a movie, this one is pretty odd overall, and the script is below par at best. There are quite a few spots that could use more exposition, and the main characters definitely needed to be fleshed out more. None of them make you care a whit about what happens to them. Bridget Fonda is nice to look at, but she was totally luke-warm in her role as Stu's girlfriend (not that she had much to work with) and Brendan Fraser's character is so neurotic as to make you wonder why she'd even like him. Whoopi Goldberg has a cameo as Death, but her role is pretty much a yawner as well.

This is not to mention that there are some pretty gross things in this movie. Chris Kattan (who proves in this role that he is a fantastic physical comedian, something worth seeing, if only for his acting) running around as a reanimated dead guy with a broken neck was extremely entertaining, for his physical comedy, but the bit with the organs falling out onto people was in really bad taste and more than a little gross.

The end result of all of this is that you have a weak movie that subsists mainly on bodily function jokes and sexual gags for almost all of its humor, and of that, most of it is of the extremely low brow and immature sort. If you happen to like that sort of humor, great, but me, I got tired of being browbeaten with it by halfway through the movie.

The only thing semi redeeming about this movie was the sophisticated stop motion photography that was used in creating the Monkeybone character. It really is impressive to see what they pulled off, somewhat akin to the sort of stuff done in Who-Framed Roger Rabbit. It's a shame it was wasted in a movie that ended up being so painful to watch.

Neat special effects don't make a movie. Script, plot and acting do, and while Fraser and Kattan were decent in their parts, the rest was sorely lacking. Not the most painful movie I've seen, but it's lurking down there nearby.

About the DVD:
Monkeybone comes in a standard hard case in 1.85:1 widescreen format with 5.1 Dolby digital sound. It contains English and French audio tracks and English and Spanish subtitles. The picture and sound are quite good.

The cover of this DVD release claims that it's the SPECIAL EDITION. Considering that there never was a regular DVD release of this movie, that label is a bit pretentious. Of course, it does make up for it by being loaded with extra goodies, not that the extra goodies make up for the movie itself.

Among the special features are, a director's commentary, 11 extended scenes, an alternate ending (both with optional director's commentary), 7 animation studies for scenes in the movie, a gallery of stills, and the obligatory theatrical trailers.

The director's commentary is interesting, as he talks about what it took to put the movie together, mostly from a production point of view. His commentary helps explain how certain scenes and shots were put together and the amount of work needed to make them solid and believable. Interestingly, near the end of the commentary, there seems to be a sense of consternation in his conversation as he subtly wondered in a roundabout way why his movie hadn't done better in the box office.

I'm not a film critic, but I probably could answer that one. It was just too off the wall, a little too weird and simply had humor that was too immature (and at one point, gross) for most audiences. I certainly would suggest previewing this before letting kids watch it.

Anyway, back to the point. While all these goodies on the DVD are nice, they really don't make up for the fact that the movie itself is so poor. 2 stars for a decent DVD release and a not so good movie. ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Surprisingly delightful!
I had my reservations about this film because of all the negative reviews I read about it, but I love Chris Kattan, so I decided to give it a chance. I was surprisingly delighted in this hilarious movie! "Citizen Kane" it's not, but it's not supposed to be either. It's a zany, bizarre and totally "out there" kind of movie, and escapism at it's best! It doesn't use the standard formula of most movies either (a refreshing change!), and I found the story and plot very original. Chris Kattan is hilarious in his role (my sides were aching from laughing so much) and Brendan Fraser proves once again that he can take on a myriad of roles with ease.

The opening sequence with the cartoon is probably the "wierdest" scene in the movie and I almost turned it off right there (thinking that the rest of the movie would follow in the same manner), but sheer curiosity kept me watching. The visuals are also quite impressive and lend a certain "Beetlejuice" meets "Nightmare Before Christmas" feel to them. This is a fun movie through and through. Worth a "rent" at least!

Monkeybone A Cult Masterpiece
I have found that the people that like this movie are usually the ones with a stroke of creativity in their blood...people that can actually relate to Stu. Being an illustrator myself I found a lot of truth behind this film about a man and his psychological baggage. The characters real and fictional are very well developed and the movie moves along at a pace that really kept me interested and involved. If you liked the movie, the DVD is well worth acquiring for all the special features. My favorite extra's were the extended scenes, explaining a lot of plot development in further detail. The animation is great, the story is great, the characters are great. I don't know what creative person can sit through this movie without wanting to buy their own Monkeybone doll. I researched and found a copy of Kaja Blackley's graphic novel "Dark Town" upon which the movie is based, and found it just as fascinating. Only problem now is dealing with the fact that only #1 out of a 12 volume series was published...and I'm left with only the movie in its completion!

Used to hate it and now I love it.
I saw Monkeybone when it was in theaters without knowing what it was even about. My impression at the time was that it was a wierd and stupid movie with no point. I recently found it for $5 so I decided to give it a try, and I am glad I did. Everyone I know hates this movies or has not seen it, but I now think this is a wonderful movie.

Stu Miley (Brendan Frasier) has just launched his new animated character Monkeybone, created from Stu's repressed sexual anxieties(as another reviewer put it). Monkeybone is a hot character that brings a huge demand for cartoons, toys, and just about any other kind of merchandising you can think of. After a party for the launch of his new character, Stu and his girlfriend are in a car wreck leaving Stu in a coma. This happens just when Stu is going to propose to his girlfriend. As others see him in a coma, Stu ends up in Downtown, the place where other people in a coma reside, along with their nightmares. I really enjoyed the effects that take place in Downtown. But once there, Stu comes face to face with his creation, and together must find a way out of Downtown before Stu's sister "pulls the plug" on him in the outside world. Monkeybone turns on Stu and steals his pass into the real world, and so with a deal from Death (Whoopi Goldberg) Stu must get back to his life and stop Monkeybone from ruining his life. Thats all I want to say about the plot, and it may sound dumb or a little complicated, but to me is a good and very entertaining movie. Bottom line is that this is a nice blend of live-action and animation and is nicely directed by Henry Selick. And as usual Frasier gives a nice performance in this starring role. At the heart of this movie is also a good love story. A lot of you may not like this movie, but at least watch it once and give it a chance. You might be surprised.

I know it looks stupid, but trust me.......ts funny
I know it may look stupid but it is real funny. This movie is about a guy who is in a deep deep coma. He is in this fantasy land kinda thing. It reminds me of the set of Tim Burton's nightmare before christmas. Then he has this kinda pet named "Monkey Bone". Then once he finally gonna get out, Monkey bone betrays him. So now Stu (Brendan Fraser)has to find a way back to his girlfriend. This is a real funny movie. It has the kinda smart comedy we needed years ago.

Monkeyblah
Synopsis:
A freak car crash, (involving a giant inflatable monkey) sends cartoonist Stu Miley (Brenden Fraser) into coma and into a nightmarish and bizarre between world called Downtown where coma patients must wait for their ticket back. There he meets an aspect of his twisted personality, a character he created called Monkeybone.

As Stu waits in limbo, back in the real world where his girlfriend (Bridget Fonda) waits for him to recover, his sister, Kimmy plans to pull the plug. Monkeybone and Stu discover her plans and try to escape back to the real world. But a double-cross nearly dooms Stu and his life altogether and sends Monkeybone on a crazy (and somewhat raunchy) escapade in the real world.

About the movie:
I found this movie somewhat painful to watch and was left wondering how anyone could think that something this bizarre and poorly written would do well in the theaters. (It didn't do that well).

As a movie, this one is pretty odd overall, and the script is below par at best. There are quite a few spots that could use more exposition, and the main characters definitely needed to be fleshed out more. None of them make you care a whit about what happens to them. Bridget Fonda is nice to look at, but she was totally luke-warm in her role as Stu's girlfriend (not that she had much to work with) and Brendan Fraser's character is so neurotic as to make you wonder why she'd even like him. Whoopi Goldberg has a cameo as Death, but her role is pretty much a yawner as well.

This is not to mention that there are some pretty gross things in this movie. Chris Kattan (who proves in this role that he is a fantastic physical comedian, something worth seeing, if only for his acting) running around as a reanimated dead guy with a broken neck was extremely entertaining, for his physical comedy, but the bit with the organs falling out onto people was in really bad taste and more than a little gross.

The end result of all of this is that you have a weak movie that subsists mainly on bodily function jokes and sexual gags for almost all of its humor, and of that, most of it is of the extremely low brow and immature sort. If you happen to like that sort of humor, great, but me, I got tired of being browbeaten with it by halfway through the movie.

The only thing semi redeeming about this movie was the sophisticated stop motion photography that was used in creating the Monkeybone character. It really is impressive to see what they pulled off, somewhat akin to the sort of stuff done in Who-Framed Roger Rabbit. It's a shame it was wasted in a movie that ended up being so painful to watch.

Neat special effects don't make a movie. Script, plot and acting do, and while Fraser and Kattan were decent in their parts, the rest was sorely lacking. Not the most painful movie I've seen, but it's lurking down there nearby.

About the DVD:
Monkeybone comes in a standard hard case in 1.85:1 widescreen format with 5.1 Dolby digital sound. It contains English and French audio tracks and English and Spanish subtitles. The picture and sound are quite good.

The cover of this DVD release claims that it's the SPECIAL EDITION. Considering that there never was a regular DVD release of this movie, that label is a bit pretentious. Of course, it does make up for it by being loaded with extra goodies, not that the extra goodies make up for the movie itself.

Among the special features are, a director's commentary, 11 extended scenes, an alternate ending (both with optional director's commentary), 7 animation studies for scenes in the movie, a gallery of stills, and the obligatory theatrical trailers.

The director's commentary is interesting, as he talks about what it took to put the movie together, mostly from a production point of view. His commentary helps explain how certain scenes and shots were put together and the amount of work needed to make them solid and believable. Interestingly, near the end of the commentary, there seems to be a sense of consternation in his conversation as he subtly wondered in a roundabout way why his movie hadn't done better in the box office.

I'm not a film critic, but I probably could answer that one. It was just too off the wall, a little too weird and simply had humor that was too immature (and at one point, gross) for most audiences. I certainly would suggest previewing this before letting kids watch it.

Anyway, back to the point. While all these goodies on the DVD are nice, they really don't make up for the fact that the movie itself is so poor. 2 stars for a decent DVD release and a not so good movie. ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Surprisingly delightful!
I had my reservations about this film because of all the negative reviews I read about it, but I love Chris Kattan, so I decided to give it a chance. I was surprisingly delighted in this hilarious movie! "Citizen Kane" it's not, but it's not supposed to be either. It's a zany, bizarre and totally "out there" kind of movie, and escapism at it's best! It doesn't use the standard formula of most movies either (a refreshing change!), and I found the story and plot very original. Chris Kattan is hilarious in his role (my sides were aching from laughing so much) and Brendan Fraser proves once again that he can take on a myriad of roles with ease.

The opening sequence with the cartoon is probably the "wierdest" scene in the movie and I almost turned it off right there (thinking that the rest of the movie would follow in the same manner), but sheer curiosity kept me watching. The visuals are also quite impressive and lend a certain "Beetlejuice" meets "Nightmare Before Christmas" feel to them. This is a fun movie through and through. Worth a "rent" at least!

Monkeybone A Cult Masterpiece
I have found that the people that like this movie are usually the ones with a stroke of creativity in their blood...people that can actually relate to Stu. Being an illustrator myself I found a lot of truth behind this film about a man and his psychological baggage. The characters real and fictional are very well developed and the movie moves along at a pace that really kept me interested and involved. If you liked the movie, the DVD is well worth acquiring for all the special features. My favorite extra's were the extended scenes, explaining a lot of plot development in further detail. The animation is great, the story is great, the characters are great. I don't know what creative person can sit through this movie without wanting to buy their own Monkeybone doll. I researched and found a copy of Kaja Blackley's graphic novel "Dark Town" upon which the movie is based, and found it just as fascinating. Only problem now is dealing with the fact that only #1 out of a 12 volume series was published...and I'm left with only the movie in its completion!

Used to hate it and now I love it.
I saw Monkeybone when it was in theaters without knowing what it was even about. My impression at the time was that it was a wierd and stupid movie with no point. I recently found it for $5 so I decided to give it a try, and I am glad I did. Everyone I know hates this movies or has not seen it, but I now think this is a wonderful movie.

Stu Miley (Brendan Frasier) has just launched his new animated character Monkeybone, created from Stu's repressed sexual anxieties(as another reviewer put it). Monkeybone is a hot character that brings a huge demand for cartoons, toys, and just about any other kind of merchandising you can think of. After a party for the launch of his new character, Stu and his girlfriend are in a car wreck leaving Stu in a coma. This happens just when Stu is going to propose to his girlfriend. As others see him in a coma, Stu ends up in Downtown, the place where other people in a coma reside, along with their nightmares. I really enjoyed the effects that take place in Downtown. But once there, Stu comes face to face with his creation, and together must find a way out of Downtown before Stu's sister "pulls the plug" on him in the outside world. Monkeybone turns on Stu and steals his pass into the real world, and so with a deal from Death (Whoopi Goldberg) Stu must get back to his life and stop Monkeybone from ruining his life. Thats all I want to say about the plot, and it may sound dumb or a little complicated, but to me is a good and very entertaining movie. Bottom line is that this is a nice blend of live-action and animation and is nicely directed by Henry Selick. And as usual Frasier gives a nice performance in this starring role. At the heart of this movie is also a good love story. A lot of you may not like this movie, but at least watch it once and give it a chance. You might be surprised.

I know it looks stupid, but trust me.......ts funny
I know it may look stupid but it is real funny. This movie is about a guy who is in a deep deep coma. He is in this fantasy land kinda thing. It reminds me of the set of Tim Burton's nightmare before christmas. Then he has this kinda pet named "Monkey Bone". Then once he finally gonna get out, Monkey bone betrays him. So now Stu (Brendan Fraser)has to find a way back to his girlfriend. This is a real funny movie. It has the kinda smart comedy we needed years ago.

Monkeyblah
Synopsis:
A freak car crash, (involving a giant inflatable monkey) sends cartoonist Stu Miley (Brenden Fraser) into coma and into a nightmarish and bizarre between world called Downtown where coma patients must wait for their ticket back. There he meets an aspect of his twisted personality, a character he created called Monkeybone.

As Stu waits in limbo, back in the real world where his girlfriend (Bridget Fonda) waits for him to recover, his sister, Kimmy plans to pull the plug. Monkeybone and Stu discover her plans and try to escape back to the real world. But a double-cross nearly dooms Stu and his life altogether and sends Monkeybone on a crazy (and somewhat raunchy) escapade in the real world.

About the movie:
I found this movie somewhat painful to watch and was left wondering how anyone could think that something this bizarre and poorly written would do well in the theaters. (It didn't do that well).

As a movie, this one is pretty odd overall, and the script is below par at best. There are quite a few spots that could use more exposition, and the main characters definitely needed to be fleshed out more. None of them make you care a whit about what happens to them. Bridget Fonda is nice to look at, but she was totally luke-warm in her role as Stu's girlfriend (not that she had much to work with) and Brendan Fraser's character is so neurotic as to make you wonder why she'd even like him. Whoopi Goldberg has a cameo as Death, but her role is pretty much a yawner as well.

This is not to mention that there are some pretty gross things in this movie. Chris Kattan (who proves in this role that he is a fantastic physical comedian, something worth seeing, if only for his acting) running around as a reanimated dead guy with a broken neck was extremely entertaining, for his physical comedy, but the bit with the organs falling out onto people was in really bad taste and more than a little gross.

The end result of all of this is that you have a weak movie that subsists mainly on bodily function jokes and sexual gags for almost all of its humor, and of that, most of it is of the extremely low brow and immature sort. If you happen to like that sort of humor, great, but me, I got tired of being browbeaten with it by halfway through the movie.

The only thing semi redeeming about this movie was the sophisticated stop motion photography that was used in creating the Monkeybone character. It really is impressive to see what they pulled off, somewhat akin to the sort of stuff done in Who-Framed Roger Rabbit. It's a shame it was wasted in a movie that ended up being so painful to watch.

Neat special effects don't make a movie. Script, plot and acting do, and while Fraser and Kattan were decent in their parts, the rest was sorely lacking. Not the most painful movie I've seen, but it's lurking down there nearby.

About the DVD:
Monkeybone comes in a standard hard case in 1.85:1 widescreen format with 5.1 Dolby digital sound. It contains English and French audio tracks and English and Spanish subtitles. The picture and sound are quite good.

The cover of this DVD release claims that it's the SPECIAL EDITION. Considering that there never was a regular DVD release of this movie, that label is a bit pretentious. Of course, it does make up for it by being loaded with extra goodies, not that the extra goodies make up for the movie itself.

Among the special features are, a director's commentary, 11 extended scenes, an alternate ending (both with optional director's commentary), 7 animation studies for scenes in the movie, a gallery of stills, and the obligatory theatrical trailers.

The director's commentary is interesting, as he talks about what it took to put the movie together, mostly from a production point of view. His commentary helps explain how certain scenes and shots were put together and the amount of work needed to make them solid and believable. Interestingly, near the end of the commentary, there seems to be a sense of consternation in his conversation as he subtly wondered in a roundabout way why his movie hadn't done better in the box office.

I'm not a film critic, but I probably could answer that one. It was just too off the wall, a little too weird and simply had humor that was too immature (and at one point, gross) for most audiences. I certainly would suggest previewing this before letting kids watch it.

Anyway, back to the point. While all these goodies on the DVD are nice, they really don't make up for the fact that the movie itself is so poor. 2 stars for a decent DVD release and a not so good movie. ... Read more

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Both films are available in widescreen versions for the first time. The Nightmare Before Christmas (Special Edition) contains a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film; theatrical trailers; and two Tim Burton shorts, Vincent (his debut) and Frankenweenie (a typical Burton mixture of genres, this time putting a cute pooch in the shoes of Frankenstein). James and the Giant Peach (Special Edition) contains a making-of documentary, theatrical trailers, and a music video of Randy Newman's "Good News."

The Nightmare Before Christmas
For those who never thought Disney would release a film in which Santa Claus is kidnapped and tortured, well, here it is! The full title is Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, which should give you an idea of the tone of this stop-action animated musical-fantasy-horror-comedy. It is based on characters created by Burton, the former Disney animator best known as the director of Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and the first two Batman movies. His benignly scary-funny sensibility dominates the story of Halloweentown resident Jack Skellington (voiced by Danny Elfman, who also wrote the songs), who stumbles on a bizarre and fascinating alternate universe called Christmastown! Directed by Henry Selick, this PG-rated picture has a reassuringly light touch. As Roger Ebert noted in his review, "some of the Halloween creatures might be a tad scary for smaller children, but this is the kind of movie older kids will eat up; it has the kind of offbeat, subversive energy that tells them wonderful things are likely to happen." --Jim Emerson

James and the Giant Peach
Roald Dahl's modern classic for children becomes a delightful combination of live-action footage 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 voiceovers by Paul Terry), who is orphaned and left in the charge of two cruel aunts (Miriam Margolyes and 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 written by Randy Newman) get everyone going. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Double Fun!
This DVD set is indescribably wonderful!!
The talents of Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, & co, could not be better portrayed or improved upon.
The excellent bonus materials were happy and invaluable additions.
We Love these films!!
The musical scores are brilliant throughout the films, and the creativity is simply superb in both.
James could not have been possible without the shining genius of Road Dahl, and this film is a fitting tribute to this awesome author, and one of his many fantastic books.
Nightmare Before Christmas is nothing less than superb.
'Frankenweenie', which is included as a bonus short film, is another stroke of mastery and excitement from the gifted imaginations of these very talented folks.
The short 'Vincent' was an unexpected happy surprise. You must see it to understand. The poetry in this one is crafty and catchy.
Again, this is also am impressive tribute to another genius, Vincent Price.
I cannot say enough about these films, so.....
Go watch 'em!! ;)

Great movie
This is one of my personal favorite movies. Since i was little I have always love claymation. Who better to do a claymation movie than Tim Burton. His visions are truely incredible. The creation and imagination of Tim Burton alone invokes ideas beyond the basic movie idea. If you haven't seen this or any other Tim Burton movie I highly incourage you pick one up and invite your friends over for a great movie experience.

Good family fun meets Burton & Selick
"The Nightmare Before Chirstmas: Special Edition," is a must have that would carry a six start rating if at all possible. "Nightmare," was the most amazing (and largest scale) film ever made with stop-motion animation.

The story of Jack Skelington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who wishes to take over Christmas. The movie is the claymation Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindare meets an Edward Gorrey novel. The wide screen version is wonderful for that "in the theater feeling," and the special edition offers extras as seen on DVDs. There is a "making of" documentory, and the short black and white animated project of Burton's called, "Vincent." "Vincent," is the story of a little boy who wants to become Vincent Price when he grows up. The six minute animated film is narrated by Price himself. Also attatched is Burton's first (pre-Pee Wee) live action short: "Frankenweenie." The name gives a clear idea, it's a dog.

"James and the Giant Peach: Special Edition," is also in the wide screan version. Based on the popular (and dark) children's book by author, Roald Dahl (author of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"), this tale is whimsical and fun. A mixture of the stop-motion technology that had been expanded for "Nightmare," this film also uses computer animation for special effects, and live action scenes.

As a bonus, "James," also has a "making of," segment, and a music video for the films song, "Good News." Both, "James," and "Nightmare," have original trailers.

Great fun, "James," gives affirmations for childrens' abilities to accomplish things for themselves, and both ("Nightmare" is better) have wonderful musical numbers. Some of the inhabitants of Holloween Town (in "Nightmare") may be a little bit frightening for really young children, but all and all these aren't just for us older "kids," but can be enjoyed by children of any age.

I loved "Nightmare" when it was new, but had only just seen "James," for the first time. Highly recomended.

Spectacular animation... poor value...
You should be aware that you can get these special editions cheaper by ordering them separately (only a dollar cheaper here).

That said, these stories are both excellent, although only related by virture of the production team. The clay animation style has always been a favorite of mine, and the production values of these two movies, combined with modern techniques, is completely immersive for me.

Nightmare - a great rendition of a holiday tale. It's difficult to find a original story about Christmas, but Burton and Elfman achieved it in this story about the archetype of Halloween growing melancholy and making an assault on the archetype of another holiday (Christmas) more out of existential artistic angst than anything else.

Peach - an enjoyable rendering of a favorite child's story book, it entertains and scares with the same tongue in cheek, freaky, and slightly unsettling humor.

These movies are great for kids, but not for younger kids who are easily frightened. Save these movies for those children who have developed the maturity and sophisiticated wit with which they are so seldom credited.

Sophisticated adult humor (ala Loony Tunes) also peppers the tales and make this an enjoyable entire family experience.

Nightmare
Back when I first saw the Nightmare Before Christmas, I was amazed. They drew me into the world of Halloween. Things were magnificent. When I heard about this DVD comming out AND that it had a rarly seen film called Vincent, I was amazed. I logged righ on and bought it. With the spectactular job of stop-animation, you won't believe your eyes. You will be one of the many viewers who asked "What is this?" ... Read more