The Iron Giant (1999)

A boy makes friends with an innocent alien giant robot that a paranoid government agent wants to destroy.

Director:

Brad Bird

Writers:

Tim McCanlies (screenplay), Brad Bird (screen story),

Stars:

Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., Vin Diesel

19 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Aniston	...	Annie Hughes (voice)
Harry Connick Jr.	...	Dean McCoppin (voice)
Vin Diesel	...	The Iron Giant (voice)
James Gammon	...	Foreman Marv Loach / Floyd Turbeaux (voice)
Cloris Leachman	...	Mrs. Tensedge (voice)
Christopher McDonald	...	Kent Mansley (voice)
John Mahoney	...	General Rogard (voice)
Eli Marienthal	...	Hogarth Hughes (voice)
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Earl Stutz (voice)
Jack Angel	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Bob Bergen	...	Additional Voices (as Robert Bergen)
Mary Kay Bergman	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Michael Bird	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Devon Cole Borisoff	...	Additional Voices (voice) (as Devon Borisoff)
Rodger Bumpass	...	Additional Voices (voice)

Storyline

This is the story of a nine-year-old boy named Hogarth Hughes who makes friends with an innocent alien giant robot that came from outer space. Meanwhile, a paranoid U.S. Government agent named Kent Mansley arrives in town, determined to destroy the giant at all costs. It's up to Hogarth to protect him by keeping him at Dean McCoppin's place in the junkyard.

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Plot Keywords:

boy | government agent | fear | robot | prejudice | 

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Taglines:

It came from outer space!

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Family | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for fantasy action and mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 August 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

El gigante de hierro

Box Office

Budget:

$48,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£196,079 (UK) (17 December 1999)

Gross:

£2,456,310 (UK) (4 February 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Feature Animation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dean's newspaper in the diner scene had an ad for RINSO, THE GRANULATED SOAP clothing detergent which was a very accurate ad (and image) of the time, down to the silhouettes of "happy home-makers" on the box.

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Goofs

Guided air-to-air missiles were not in service in 1957.

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Quotes

Dean McCoppin: Sorry about the crowbar, kid. You'd be surprised how many people want to steal scrap. But, man, once I make it into art, I can't give it away. I mean, what am I? A junkman who makes art or an artist who sells junk? You tell me.

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Crazy Credits

For Susan

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Connections

References Aliens (1986)

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Soundtracks

"Let's Do the Cha Cha"
Written by Willie Boyd and Richard Nance
Performed by The Magnificents
Courtesy of Vee-Jay Limited Partnership
By Arrangement with Rhino Entertainment Company and Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Guns kill.

An ambitious take on Ted Hughes' 1968 children's book The Iron Man, director Brad Bird's The Iron Giant works well as both archetype-infused allegory and heartstring-tugging tale of friendship. Set in small town Maine in the 1950s at the height of Cold War paranoia, the film explores the relationship between a lonely, fatherless boy (a photo on a nightstand hints that the father was a combat pilot killed in WWII) and a monstrously huge, hulking metal behemoth (the origins of which are brilliantly left to the imagination). The animation marks a welcome contrast from the virtually ubiquitous Disney template, with the human characters bearing a stylized, comic book exaggeration that fits perfectly with the story material. The Iron Giant has more than enough imagination and sparkle to interest kids and adults, and nicely balances its action-adventure aspirations with a solidly-crafted sense of moral purpose.