I Watch Films: Jack The Giant Killer (1962)

 

Jack The Giant-Killer (1962)

In the fairytale kingdom of Cornwall, the evil wizard Pendragon was banished. Now the wizard who banished him has died, he comes back in disguise to court the Princess Elaine. He gives her a gift of a music box with a dancing jester; that night the jester grows into a giant and kidnaps her. She’s in luck though as farmer Jack defeats the giant and rescues her using his mill*.

The king knights Jack and makes him Elaine’s protector. Worried for her safety he decides to send her across the sea to a convent. However Lady Constance has been enchanted and tells Pendragon; he sends witches to kidnap Elaine off the ship, and kill the captain. The crew unwilling to follow Jack to rescue her they throw him overboard with Peter the captain’s son. They’re rescued by Sigurd, a Viking who offers to help. Sigurd gives him a bottle with a leprechaun called The Imp, who speaks in rhyming couplets and offers three wishes to anyone who is honest.

Jack uses some wishes but Elaine has been enchanted into a witch. She puts him to sleep and tries to use the Imp in the bottle, but being dishonest this burns her and she throws it in the sea. When she drags Jack back to the castle Pendragon insists on knowing where the bottle is, turning Peter into an ape and Sigurd into a dog. But Jack doesn’t know. Eventually they break the spells and try to escape, only for Pendragon to summon another giant.

This has perfectly adequate stop motion effects (the growth of the first giant is probably best) and is fairly standard family adventure film for the period. Plenty of twists and turns and the method of de-enchanting witched up women is nicely laid out to be a source of tension at the end.

Watch This: Fun, fast-moving all ages fantasy
Don’t Watch This: Unfunny jokes, poor acting, annoying rhymes

* The film describes him as a farmer not a miller.