Jack et le Haricot magique

I grew up with this film, watching it every time I visited my Nan & Grandad, who had it on video. My sisters, cousins and I remember it with great fondness, although our parents thought it was 'creepy and weird'. It holds some original characters as well as the traditional Jack, the giant, the magic harp etc. The plot starts off as we all know it, with jack buying some magic beans of a stranger, planting them and the beanstalk growing over night. Jack climbs it to discover a land where a beautiful princess, her castle and all those who live there are kept under a spell by the giant and his evil mother (?). The mice are fun and loveable characters, probably my favourites. There is a feast of enjoyable songs, one of which ('No one's Happier Than I') I often find myself humming, even to this very day. Unfortunately my Nan sold the video at a car boot sale ten years ago and I haven't found a copy since. It's a very rare find if you do. Your kids will treasure it.

it's strange when you find that you have the same story as so many other people. especially when something is so rare like this movie. but yes i must admit that i too got the chance to view an old recorded copy of this film when i was much younger, years and years ago. this was actually in a daycare i went to. and as i eventually left, so did my chance at viewing the movie. that is until like 10 years later when i searched and searched and managed to get my hands on an old rental copy. id never been happier.

this movie is insane. by insane i mean the presence it gives off when you watch it. the animation is brilliant and has a definite japanimation feel, yet is something unique. the characters and series of events are probably the most creative in any adaption of anything I've seen. and id forgotten how entrancing the music is until i finally watched it again after all those years. its strange when something actually sticks into your mind so firmly when you are so young. things usually just pass by and your attention isn't as focused. but there is just something about this movie really penetrates the mind. even when you're older. this movie honestly wipes the floor with Disney.

First saw this at the theater with a friend when I was like 12 yrs old or so, and for some reason it always stuck with me. The tune "No One's Happier than I" has also stuck with me all these years (over 25 years later), and I finally obtained a copy (a MINT copy!) for $25.00. Now I watch it with my kids, but beware -- there are many versions of "Jack & the Beanstalk" for sale. Just look down the list of the ones with the highest price tag....you can almost always be sure it's the Japanese (this) version.

This cartoon version of Jack and the Beanstalk creeped me out when I was younger. The music (Paper cut out people singing "Are You Happy?")was very eerie and insane for a kids cartoon. The guy who sells the beans...he was a couple sandwiches short of a picnic. The Witch and Tulip were about as psychotic a pair ever drawn. I especially love the part where he crushes her under his foot and she's made of clockwork...weird! As for the animation, it's very good and the story surrounding the original concept of JATB is pretty creative. They just don't make 'em like this anymore. I'll let my kids watch this before I subject them to the crap Disney's been churning out for the past decade or so.

It's funny how the film sticks with you. I've asked everybody I know if they remember it, but I always got blank stares, so much that I thought I'd imagined the film and the brilliant songs. How can I get a copy? If anyone has it, can it be put on the computer or downloaded?