Known for his absurd humor and his often dark and macabre undertones, Roald Dahl is one of the most beloved children’s authors of all time. His books have sold over 300 million copies, been translated into 63 languages, and have been adapted into over a dozen movies. Almost all of his movie adaptations have been huge critical hits, but, interestingly (and for various reasons), most have failed to match that success commercially.
This could all be about to change, however, as Netflix has announced its acquisition of the rights to his works. The deal will see the streaming giant branching out across multimedia, with planned adaptations including both live action and animated features, games, virtual reality and immersive experiences, theatrical productions, and tie-in merchandise. On top of this, there is also an upcoming Warner Bros. movie Wonka, which will serve as a prequel movie looking at the eccentric chocolatier’s younger years. As we wait for these exciting to projects to be released, let’s take a look back at some of the greatest Roald Dahl movie adaptations.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
6 The BGF (2016)
Walt Disney Pictures
Directed by Steven Spielberg and co-financed and distributed by Walt Disney, The BFG surprisingly marks the first time the two entities have ever worked together. Unfortunately, the result wasn’t as groundbreaking as it could have been, and is definitely not the finest of movies either has put out. That’s not to say it’s a bad movie; the animation is extremely pleasant to the eye, and Mark Rylance provides a captivating voice and motion-capture performance for the titular giant. Taking a decidedly lighter tone to other often dark Roald Dahl adaptations, The BFG is a fun family friendly affair but unfortunately, albeit one that is rather forgettable.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
5 The Witches (1990)
Warner Bros.
While the recent remake certainly had its moments, it’s the 1990 version of this Roald Dahl classic that has made it onto this list. Based on Roald Dahl’s fantastically twisted children’s book of the same name, The Witches is one of the most enjoyable, yet thoroughly frightening children’s movies ever made. The witches in question disguise themselves as ordinary, everyday people, and they specifically target children. We’re told of one poor child who was cursed to spend the rest of her life trapped inside a painting, aging gradually until finally disappearing a few years earlier. The fear factor goes into overdrive, though, when the witches reveal their true form, thanks to Jim Henson for some disgustingly impressive prosthetic work. The long noses, rotting teeth, balding scabby heads and maniacal cackling is enough to give anyone nightmares.
4 James and The Giant Peach
Based on the 1961 Roald Dahl novel of the same name, James and the Giant Peach is a 1996 musical fantasy combining stop-motion animation and live action. The movie is directed by Henry Selick, who also worked on A Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline and produced by Tim Burton. Their trademark animation style and macabre edge is all over it. While arguably slightly lighter in tone than a lot of their other work, it certainly doesn’t shy away from the darker elements so common in Dahl’s work and is a pleasure to watch for both adults and children alike. Having said this, the animated segments are by far the movie’s strongest points with the opening live action segment coming across as mostly forgettable and unnecessary. James and The Giant Peach features a strong lead voice performance from Paul Terry as James, as well as standout supporting performances from the likes of Richard Dreyfuss and Susan Sarandon. Fortunately, the movie is getting a new lease of life on Disney+ after initially failing to set the box office alight at the time of its release.
3 Matilda
TriStar Pictures
Now a successful West End and Broadway production, Matilda the novel was originally published in 1988 and later became a feature length movie in 1996. The movie was directed and co-produced by Hollywood legend Danny DeVito who also acted as narrator and as Matilda’s father in the film. Played for laughs in what is possibly the straightest comedy Dahl adaptation, when examining the plot a little closer, there’s still a girl who is the victim of family neglect, and is terrorized by a teacher who locks disobedient schoolchildren in a closet lined with broken glass. The movie is tremendous fun, nonetheless, and much of this is down to the committed performances all round from the cast, including Mara Wilson as Matilda, Rhea Pearlman, Embeth Davidtz, and Paul Reubens, alongside DeVito. Despite much critical acclaim and praise aimed at the movie and especially DeVito’s direction, the movie, like many others on this list, performed disappointingly at the box office.
2 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
An adaptation of the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory tells the story of a poor child named Charlie Bucket who, after finding a Golden Ticket in a chocolate bar, visits Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory along with four other children from around the world. During the visit, some extremely strange and most unpleasant things happen to each of the children one by one. While the remake with Johnny Depp was an enjoyable ride, and Depp certainly made the character his own, it’s impossible to beat Gene Wilder’s original portrayal of the eccentric chocolatier. While the film did receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score, and Wilder was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, again, the movie was not really a hit at the box office at its time of release. It has, however, gone on to amass a huge cult following and enjoyed a resurge in popularity when later released on home video. The film has achieved such respect that it is, according to Variety, the only Roald Dahl movie to date to have been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry, cementing its status forever as a true classic.
1 Fantastic Mr. Fox
20th Century Studios
Fantastic Mr. Fox is a beautifully animated stop-motion movie about the titular Mr. Fox and his incessant thieving, which results in his family and community, being hunted down by three relentless farmers. Directed by Wes Anderson with his trademark sense of whimsy, combined with genuine emotion, and featuring a stellar voice cast — featuring Hollywood A-listers and Anderson regulars including George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe and Michael Gambon — Fantastic Mr. Fox is truly a beauty to behold. With enough wit, adventure, and heart to keep adults and children entertained, it never talks down to the children, but never gets too dark for comfort. Similarly, the humor is never too slapstick for the adults, but never takes itself too seriously. Playing to all the aspects of what make a Dahl book so enjoyable, Fantastic Mr. Fox is (for now) the greatest movie adaptation to hit our screens.
