The Iron Giant DVD Review

"THE IRON GIANT" reviews

DVD

THE IRON GIANT

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2005-10-27 22:16:49

Provider

DVD Review

This gripping 1999 animation, featuring the voices of Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel and Harry Connick Jnr, is based on Ted Hughes' lyrical fantasy The Iron Man.

The story was co-adapted by Brad Bird who trained as a Disney animator before working as a consultant on hit shows such as The Simpsons and King Of The Hill, making him well qualified for the job.

The story begins in 1957 when a meteor plunges into the ocean off the coast of Maine. Although eyewitness accounts are dismissed by the authorities as drunken ramblings, nine-year-old Hogarth Hughes sets off to find the truth and discovers a giant iron man. Bringing in elements of ET, King Kong and Superman, and keeping the CGI to a minimum, Bird has crafted a back-to-basics heart-string tugger that stays the right side of schmaltzy while providing great family entertainment.

Fans of the movie will be pleased to learn that the DVD contains 8 additional scenes with introductions by Brad Bird, including an alternative opening sequence, 13 branching featurettes revealing the origin and the in-depth development process of the Iron Giant, plus Brad Bird and Vin Diesel explaining the voicing of the film.