History YMMV / JamesAndTheGiantPeach

* HarsherInHindsight: James' aunts trying to kill him after he is finally free really becomes cringe-worthy when you realize that, [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep fourteen years later]], another Disney hero, Disney/{{Cinderella}}, would almost be killed by her stepfamily for [[IfICantHaveYou the same reason]]. Spiker and Sponge must have really influenced Lady Tremaine.

** Also don't forget Mr. Centipede in James and the Giant Peach the 1996 Tim Burton film, is hated and abused by all the other bugs all the time, including by Mr. Grasshopper. By the middle end of the movie, he is betrayed by the other bugs because they counted on him to lead the way to New York but failed because he fell asleep and lost sense of direction. He fits a woobie to a T. Even the crush he loves, Ms. Spider doesn't even notice his strong feelings for her until the end when he became a hero.

** Miss Spider can also come across as this in the book. It's hard not to feel bad for her when she confesses that she doesn't understand why people hate spiders, or when she starts crying while talking about how her relatives were killed in front of her. Also don't forget Mr. Centipede in James and the Giant Peach the 1996 Tim Burton film, is hated and abused by all the other bugs all the time, including by Mr. Grasshopper. By the middle end of the movie, he is betrayed by the other bugs because they counted on him to lead the way to New York but failed because he fell asleep and lost sense of direction. He fits a woobie to a T. Even the crush he loves, Ms. Spider doesn't even notice his strong feelings for her until the end when he became a hero.

** Miss Spider can also come across as this in the book. It's hard not to feel bad for her when she confesses that she doesn't understand why people hate spiders, or when she starts crying while talking about how her relatives were killed in front of her.

** Though they might've crossed it earlier, when they kicked a family out from their peach display because of [[DisproportionateRetribution the young girl wanting to touch it]]. [[FridgeHorror Chances are, other families might've suffered from such cruelty as well]].

*** Even more hilarious in the French dub of the film; Sora[[note]]who's a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent pseudo-vampire]] in Halloween Town[[/note]] and James share [[Creator/DonaldReignoux a voice actor]]!

* MoralEventHorizon: Both Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker are abusive legal guardians towards James in the movie, but they finally crossed it when they outright attempt to '''MURDER''' him [[AxeCrazy with axes.]]

* HilariousInHindsight: The undead pirate scene, which is lead by [[{{WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas}} Jack Skellington]], has an expy of DonaldDuck among his crew. Six years later, ''[[{{VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI}} Kingdom Hearts]]'' was released, with Donald as one of the main characters and Halloween Town being a playable world, with Jack serving as it's GuestStarPartyMember. Likewise, the main party become undead there, though Donald is turned into a {{Mummy}} instead.
** Even more hilarious in the French dub of the film; Sora[[note]]who's a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent pseudo-vampire]] in Halloween Town[[/note]] and James share [[Creator/DonaldReignoux a voice actor]]!

* WhatAnIdiot: Centipede [[BullyingTheDragon insulting the Cloud People in the book.]]

* The manner in which Spiker and Sponge mention and constantly threaten James with the rhino returning, coupled with the ethereal and slightly ludicrous story of his parents demise could indicate that their never was a rhino. Spiker and Sponge killed James's parents. The rhino is merely another manifestation of his fear made possible by the magic of the crocodile tongues.

* WhatAnIdiot: Centipede [[BullyingTheDragon insulting the Cloud People in the book.]]

* HilariousInHindsight: The undead pirate scene, which is lead by an expy of [[{{WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas}} Jack Skellington]], has an expy of DonaldDuck among his crew. Six years later, ''[[{{VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI}} Kingdom Hearts]]'' was released, with Donald as one of the main characters and Halloween Town being a playable world, with Jack serving as it's GuestStarPartyMember. Likewise, the main party become undead there, though Donald is turned into a {{Mummy}} instead.
** Even more hilarious in the French dub of the film; Sora and James share [[Creator/DonaldReignoux a voice actor]]!

* NauseaFuel: That disgusting fish head pie James receives from his aunts for dinner in the movie. This is, in fact, a [[AluminumChristmasTrees real meal]] called [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargazy_pie stargazy pie]].

* HoYay: Some might say that a private violin performance of Bach's Partita No. 3, Gavotte en Rondeau, over a moonlit sea edges on the romantic side of things--especially when you consider how flustered Mr. Grasshopper is to be caught by James in the middle of things.

* CompleteMonster: Aunt Sponge and Spiker. They practically enjoy abusing James as their virtual slave.

* CompleteMonster: Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge.

* FridgeBrilliance: The same magic that makes James' wishes come true - traveling to New York, having a large group of friends that also act as a caring, surrogate family - also brings to life his fears. The mechanical shark spits out the same plates of disgusting fish heads Spiker and Sponge fed him, and threatens to prevent his escape to a better life just as they do in the film's conclusion.
** Also, when James first meets the bugs in the film, only Miss Spider knows his real name (the others didn't know, or thought that his aunts' nicknames for him was his name.) It might be overlooked - however, when you find out that [[spoiler:James befriended Miss Spider and saved her from his aunts in the beginning]] it makes sense that she knows his name. [[spoiler:She would have heard his IAmSong, after all.]]
* HighOctaneNightmareFuel: In the movie, the rhino is quite scary. Even worse is the mechanical shark. Heck, the dead pirates can be pretty scary too, right at the very beginning of their scene.
** The entire premise of the book is HighOctaneNightmareFuel. Sure, James' insect pals look sweet and cute in the illustrations, but would you like to come face to face with a human sized [[http://gaygamer.net/images/centipedes_millipedes_and_cata/centipede.jpg centipede]] or spider in real life? Now keep in mind that they're actually ''less'' anthropomorphized than, let's say, Disney's Jiminy Cricket who is essentially a little green-skinned man.
*** The Aunts. Don't forget the aunts. They scared this troper so much (especially as they were wrapped up in Miss Spider's web), that she avoided the movie for YEARS before she gained the courage to watch it again. (for the record, she was five when it first came out...and didn't watch it again till she was 19.)