The Iron Giant (1999)

A young boy befriends a giant robot from outer space that a paranoid government agent wants to destroy.

Director:

Brad Bird

Writers:

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

Stars:

Eli Marienthal, Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Aniston

21 wins & 18 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 | robot | friend | maine | government agent | 

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Taglines:

It came from outer space!

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Genres:

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

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for fantasy action violence, language, some thematic material and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 August 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Gigant aus dem All

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$5,732,614 (USA) (6 August 1999)

Gross:

$23,159,305 (USA) (19 November 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Duncan Studio, Warner Bros. Animation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min 90 min (Signature Edition)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was originally meant to be a musical. Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff developed it as a stage musical, using songs from Pete Townshend's concept album "The Iron Man" (much like the stage version of The Who's Tommy (1975)). Des McAnuff decided it would work better as an animated feature and pitched it to Warner Bros.

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Goofs

When Hogarth leaves the house to encounter the giant for the first time, a crescent moon is shown touching the horizon. The TV station has not signed off, and the plot suggests it is a time when kids are in bed but adults are still up, so it has to be before midnight. However, the moon's crescent is to the left, which would indicate a waning moon rising in the east shortly before sunrise.

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Quotes

Hogarth Hughes: Hey, I thought you were in trouble. I had this weird guy following me around, it took me hours to shake him, I kill myself getting out here, and you have him doing... arts and crafts.
Dean McCoppin: You have a problem with arts and crafts, little man?
Hogarth Hughes: He's a giant robot. It's a little undignified.
Dean McCoppin: It is? Well then, smart guy, what would you have him do?

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Crazy Credits

The Warner Brothers logo is done in 50's art deco, as the Sputnik signal is heard.

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Connections

Referenced in The Pixar Story (2007)

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Soundtracks

Duck and Cover
Written by Teddy Newton
Arranged by Preston Oliver
Performed by Brad Bird, Shannon Gregory, and Dean Wellins

User Reviews

The Best of Two Worlds: Adult and Kid

All too often, "family films" are only infantile, simplistic formulas with a few self-referential and pop-culture jokes thrown in to try and keep adults awake. But then along comes something like "The Iron Giant", which is sophisticated enough to demand respect while maintaining a mythic and pure-hearted tone that actually does appeal to the kid in everybody.

"The Iron Giant" is refreshingly non-Disney in no end of ways. Characters seem real and chosen to fit the story, instead of being a superficial reshuffling of an old formula. The animation definitely has its eye-popping moments, but there are also scenes of great wonderment, pathos, and humour that only top-drawer animation can convey. The Giant itself is a great character, who only becomes MORE interesting as the film continues (another huge break from Disney). No scene is wasted in this film, either; every set piece, even the really funny ones, helps either to establish the "world" of the movie, or to advance the plot. At no time do you feel that you are merely waiting for the story to crank up again.

"The Iron Giant" is funny, exhilarating, and touching as well. It's sad to see it failing at the box office, as a blunt reminder that the success of films is often in direct proportion to their publicity budget. Hopefully, though, word-of-mouth will come to its rescue. Go see it! Tell your friends! Then go again! (Repeat as necessary.)

P.S. I find myself comparing the Iron Giant character to Martin Donovan's character in "Amateur". If there is anyone else on earth who has seen both films you may wish to entertain the notion yourself.