Roald Dahlis considered one of the most outstanding children’s authors of the 20th century. After serving as a fighter pilot in the British Royal Air Force in World War II, he began writing stories for adults and kids. Nowadays, his children’s stories are best remembered for their dark comedy, whimsical imagery, and warm messages.
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Dahl’s books have seen many adaptations over the years. He was known to be very critical of them for deviating from his stories, but most of them won critics and audiences with their creativity and heart.
Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 2017 (4.7 Stars)
This animated film is the first of many direct-to-DVD films featuring the classic cat and mouse duo making their way through classic films. This time, they chase one another while people around the world hunt for five golden tickets in order to get a tour of Willy Wonka’s fantastical chocolate factory. Tom and Jerry also get inside and interact with Tuffy, an Oompa-Loompa intern.
The biggest problem with this film is that it does nothing new. It’s just a straight re-telling of the 1971 film that occasionally cuts to Tom and Jerry doing their usual thing. The animation is also very weird and results in some strange facial expressions and character designs.
The Witches 2020 (5.3 Stars)
After the death of his parents, a young boy goes to live with his grandmother. After an encounter with a woman who tries to tempt him with a snake, the boy’s grandmother tells him that witches exist in the world, and they want to kill as many children as they can. Unfortunately, when they go to stay at a hotel, they choose the one that the Grand High Witch and her committee are staying in.
The Witchesrelies on poor CGI andAnne Hathawayspeaking in a goofy accent to entertain but lacks actual humor and clever writing. It alsodrew criticism for a bizarre decisionto give the witches three fingers on their hands, which could perpetuate stigma against limb differences like ectrodactyly.
The BFG 2016 (6.3 Stars)
One night, an orphaned girl named Sophie looks out her window and sees a giant with a trumpet and a suitcase walking down the street. Fearing that she’ll tell someone about him, the giant kidnaps her and takes her to Giant Country. There, he explains that he is a friendly giant who doesn’t eat humans, but rather creates dreams for them.
A combination of Disney magic andSteven Spielberg’sdirecting should be a match made in heaven, but sadly the film falls short of the mark. It’s well acted, and the story sticks true to the book, but the film relies too heavily on its motion capture and heavy CGI backgrounds. This results in uncanny valley moments among the giants and obvious instances where the human actors are talking to thin air.
The BFG 1989 (6.7 Stars)
Before Spielberg’s adaptation, Dahl worked to adaptThe BFGwith the British animation company Cosgrove Hall Films, best known for animatingCount DuckulaandDanger Mouse.It tells a very faithful adaptation of Dahl’s story: the largest change is Sophie’s design, which was altered to look like Dah’s granddaughter. It is reported to be the only adaptation of Dahl’s work that he approved of, and he gave the film a standing ovation.
It’s easy to see why Dahl enjoyed this film more than others. Alongside the faithfulness to the story and characters, it also keeps the whimsical and dark tone of the book. The voice cast is also wonderful, withDavid Jason’sportrayal of the BFG being the obvious standout.
James and the Giant Peach 1996 (6.7 Stars)
After the death of his parents, James has to live with his cruel aunts who treat him like a slave. One day, a magic man gives him a bag full of magic crocodile tongues, which James spills all over the garden. This causes his aunt’s peach tree to grow a gigantic peach, and several bugs to develop human-like personalities.
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This film was directed byHenry Selickand produced byTim Burton,the duo behindThe Nightmare Before Christmas.This film has the same charm and detail put into its puppet characters, and they even snuck in a Jack Skellington cameo. The songs are composed byRandy Newman,and are just as fun as what he was making for Pixar at the time.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 2005 (6.7 Stars)
Charlie Bucket is a hard-working and kind boy who can’t even afford a bar of chocolate. One day, the local mysterious candy maker, Willy Wonka, announces that he’s released five golden tickets in his Wonka bars. Whoever finds them will be allowed to tour his factory and win a lifetime supply of chocolate.
Tim Burton’s adaptation does everything it can to separate itself from the 1971 classic. It includes more details from the books and uses the original songs. However,Johnny Depp’sportrayal of Wonka is more unsettling than whimsical, and too much time is dedicated to him than Charlie.
The Witches 1990 (6.8 Stars)
Nicolas Roeg’stake on Dahl’s tale about witches trying to murder children is the last film released in the lifetime of Dahl and puppeteerJim Henson,who worked on the film’s practical effects. Alongside a stellar cast, they have helped the film develop a strong cult following.Anjelica Hustonin particular steals the show with her truly wicked portrayal of the Grand High Witch, withRowan Atkinsoncoming in a close second as the hotel’s manager.
Despite the film’s strengths, Dahl nearly went to war with Henson and Roeg over the ending, which they wanted to change from a bittersweet message about mortality into a traditional feel-good ending. They shot two versions, and Dahl was reportedly moved to tears when he saw the book’s ending play out. Unfortunately, they chose the feel-good one for release, so Dahl demanded his name be removed from the film.
Matilda 1996 (6.9 Stars)
Matilda Wormwood is neglected by her parents, but develops her mind by reading books. Her parents eventually agree to send her to Crunchem Hall elementary school, where she befriends the kind, Miss Honey. However, the school’s principal is an ex-athlete who hates children, to the point of locking them inside a closet full of smoke and nails.
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While the film makes several deviations that would have had Dahl seething, it’s still a fun and strange film. DirectorDanny DeVitouses a lot of wide-angles and close-ups to help sell how messed up the world is, especially when seen from a child’s perspective.Pam Ferris’portrayal of Miss Trunchbull is up there as one of the most effective villains in a children’s film thanks to her threatening and over-the-top temper.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 1971 (7.8 Stars)
The first adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was not a major success on release. While it was praised for its music and an iconic performance byGene Wilderas Willy Wonka, it failed to turn a profit and was forgotten about until a resurgence in the 80s. The film is now seen as a classic andone of the greatest fantasy films.
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Despite these praises, Dahl hated the film for a number of reasons. His biggest complaint was the decision to put Wonka’s name on the title when the story is about Charlie. He also despised the film’s original songs, which replaced original songs from his book.
Fantastic Mr. Fox 2009 (7.9 Stars)
Mr. Fox is forced to give up his life as a farm burglar when his wife tells him she’s pregnant. However, he soon finds himself tempted back after moving to a home located between three wicked farmers named Boggis, Bunce, and Beans. His thieving prompts the farmers to unite, threatening the Fox family and any animals who aid them.
There is so much to love about this adaptation. The film’s stop-motion models are stylized to help the animals feel more alive, and the voice cast includes big names likeGeorge Clooney, Meryl Streep,andWillem Dafoe.It was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Animated Feature, though it lost to Pixar’sUp.
