For a writer of children's stories, Roald Dahl undoubtedly had a dark imagination. Here, though, there will only be squeals of delight as James and his insect allies escape from a killer shark, skeleton pirates and a couple of awful aunts as they ride a giant peach to the city where dreams come true. It took three years to combine the live-action sequences with state-of-the-art model animation, and the latter is greatly assisted by the personality-packed voices of Susan Sarandon, Richard Dreyfuss, Simon Callow and David Thewlis. However, it's Joanna Lumley and Miriam Margolyes as the ghastly Spiker and Sponge who steal this wonderfully pantomimic show.

When the young orphan boy James spills a magic bag of crocodile tongues, he finds himself in possession of a giant peach that flies him away to strange lands.