James and the Giant Peach

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: August 9th, 2010 at 7:56 am

When Henry Selnick’s James and the Giant Peach was released it was neither fish nor fowl. In 1996 the Walt Disney Company was still in the midst of the animation renaissance – even the product was waning – but they didn’t know exactly what to do with stop-motion animation. A Nightmare Before Christmas was modestly successful (and has since proved exceptionally remunerative), and likely they were already in production on James and the Giant Peach when that came out (Stop motion takes years, Selnick says they were on this for at least three). But the film didn’t seem a winner to the mouse house, and so they put it out in April and it died a quick death. But Henry Selnick’s film deserved better, and deserves better than Disney’s half-hearted Blu-ray release. The story of an orphaned boy (Paul Terry), and the magical Peach that takes him on a high seas adventure with a handful of insects (voiced by Susan Sarandon, Richard Dreyfuss, David Thewlis, Miriam Margolyes, Jane Leeves and Simon Callow) is a fine children’s entertainment. My review of the James and the Giant Peach Blu-ray follows after the jump.

Henry Selick Exclusive Video Interview. Talks Future Projects, CORALINE UNFIXED, Why He Left Laika Studios, More

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: November 2nd, 2009 at 12:00 am

A few days ago I sat down with director Henry Selick (“Coraline”, “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “James and the Giant Peach”) for a very extensive interview.  While I spoke to him earlier this year before “Coraline” got released, with Focus Features trying to get “Coraline” nominated for Best Animated Feature (it absolutely deserves a nomination!) Selick has been talking to journalists and I was lucky enough to land a spot.  While we touched on “Coraline”, most of the interview covered other subjects.  Since most of you might not have the time to watch the entire interview, here are some highlights.  But if you’re a fan of Henry Selick, you definitely want to watch the interview after the jump as it was great.

• Says his next project might be another collaboration with Gaiman. If it’s not the next one, it’s the project after the next one.  Says there are some issues to deal with before production could start.
• I ask what might be his next project if it’s not with Gaiman. Says he wrote an original treatment years ago (it’s 84 pages) and that might be the next project. Says it’s tonally another scary film for kids.  Calls it a cousin of Coraline.
• In the next two weeks a lot is going to be known about his next project.  He is working out a deal with a studio right now. Says he is unsure if they will announce one project or 3 or 4 projects as a lot is coming together right now
• Talks about why he left Laika Studios
• Reveals he was going to work with Wes Anderson on Fantastic Mr. Fox but when financing came in for Coraline, he had to drop out.  Says when they worked together on The Life Aquatic they talked about it.
• Wants to do a midnight re-release of Coraline and call it “Coraline Unfixed”. In this edition you wouldn’t see any of the digital fixes.  He explains what the edition would entail in the interview. It sounds awesome.
• They have spoken to him about the James and the Giant Peach Blu-ray
• Talks about a sequence that was never used in Nightmare Before Christmas and how it’s gone and may never be seen. It’s a head credit sequence that was animated candy corn.
• Wants to remaster all his short films and his MTV work and release it on DVD/Blu-ray.  Says all the elements have been assembled and he just has to find the time to do it.

Again, if you’re a fan, you definitely want to watch this interview:

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