The idea of movies being created from novels is one that is as old as film itself, but, to me, is a fairly polarizing idea. On one hand, you want to see the story that you read come to life on the big screen, experiencing the emotions of the novel through a different lens. However, on the other hand, there is always the fear that the film will butcher a story you already love, removing a number of elements that you felt made the novel shine or changing characters in ways you don’t deem fit. I have actually begun gravitating towards seeing a movie before I read the novel, as it is less common to have the novel not live up to its film adaptation. As is the case for me with Roald Dahl, whose children’s stories and novels have quickly become modern classics. I have never read a Roald Dahl work, but have seen a few films based on his movies and, in preparation for the adaptation of his novel The BFG set to release this Friday, figured it would be fitting to discuss them.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Based on what is arguably Dahl’s best known work, Willy Wonka is quite possibly the textbook definition of a classic children’s film. The movie follows Charlie, a young boy who lives in poverty, who lives in the same town as an old chocolate factory. The Wonka factory is riddled in mystery, being closed to the public for years, until it is announced that six golden ticket holders (tickets can be found inside Wonka chocolate bars) will be given a tour of the factory by Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) himself. After finding one of the golden tickets, Charlie and his grandfather, Grandpa Joe, venture into the factory with the other five winners, finding a place more magical than they could have ever imagined.
Willy Wonka is a rare film, in that it manages to maintain a level of whimsy and intrigue merely through its aesthetic. The world of the chocolate factory is so spectacular and imaginative that it is easy to get lost looking at the beautiful scenery. The movie uses this excellent setting to its advantage throughout the film, especially when the children first enter the factory and see the chocolate river in the first room. Like most Dahl adaptations, the imagination used to create the world is astounding, and the creative team that put the Wonka factory together deserves constant praise for their work.
The universe of Wonka’s factory is greatly enhanced by Wonka himself, and a lot of the credit for how interesting he is goes to Gene Wilder. Wilder’s performance is as crazy as the factory his character operates in, constantly switching between snide remarks and over-the-top antics. He keeps the audience on its toes constantly, keeping him as mysterious to the audience as he is to the characters. His nature is complimented by the aesthetic, and the aesthetic complimented by him in a way that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced. The movie does everything else excellently as well, but it is the way the movie fells (and makes you feel) that makes it a timeless classic.
Grade: A+
Willy Wonka is a rare film, in that it manages to maintain a level of whimsy and intrigue merely through its aesthetic. The world of the chocolate factory is so spectacular and imaginative that it is easy to get lost looking at the beautiful scenery. The movie uses this excellent setting to its advantage throughout the film, especially when the children first enter the factory and see the chocolate river in the first room. Like most Dahl adaptations, the imagination used to create the world is astounding, and the creative team that put the Wonka factory together deserves constant praise for their work.
The universe of Wonka’s factory is greatly enhanced by Wonka himself, and a lot of the credit for how interesting he is goes to Gene Wilder. Wilder’s performance is as crazy as the factory his character operates in, constantly switching between snide remarks and over-the-top antics. He keeps the audience on its toes constantly, keeping him as mysterious to the audience as he is to the characters. His nature is complimented by the aesthetic, and the aesthetic complimented by him in a way that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced. The movie does everything else excellently as well, but it is the way the movie fells (and makes you feel) that makes it a timeless classic.
Grade: A+
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The marriage of Roald Dahl’s whimsy and Wes Anderson’s charm creates one of the most original feeling children’s movies in recent cinema with Fantastic Mr. Fox. The movie follows Mr. Fox (George Clooney), a thief turned newspaper columnist who decides he wants to go back to his life of crime for a few nights, stealing from three evil farmers. However, his return to a life of crime has more repercussions than he could have bargained for, including a change in his relationship with his wife (Meryl Streep).
If any of you have ever seen a Wes Anderson film, you know pretty much exactly what you are in for. The movie has all the excellence of your standard Wes Anderson film: great dialogue, superb timing, a wonderful aesthetic and beautiful cinematography. These aspects are always present in his films, but are not always the most prominent aspects of children’s movies. Fantastic Mr. Fox’s biggest asset is that it feels like a Wes Anderson movie, not toned down for children. It never feels like it is talking down to its audience, and never feels like it was written with specifically children in mind. Other than having a lack of graphic violence and language, the movie is no different feeling from any other great Wes Anderson film, which is extremely refreshing.
The dialogue, like in many of his other films, is so interesting and well put together. The dialogue feels so natural and flows in way that sounds more like a normal conversation than the script to a film. That fact is even more impressive in this film, where the lines are coming from animal creatures who steal crops and livestock from farmers. When characters that could not exist in the real world can sound natural, the movie feels so much more real than it looks. The characters are far more relatable and interesting when the dialogue is natural, and Wes Anderson is one of the masters of this. Overall, what results is one of the most original feeling children’s movies I’ve ever seen, and an excellent edition to Wes Anderson’s already amazing filmography.
Grade: A
If any of you have ever seen a Wes Anderson film, you know pretty much exactly what you are in for. The movie has all the excellence of your standard Wes Anderson film: great dialogue, superb timing, a wonderful aesthetic and beautiful cinematography. These aspects are always present in his films, but are not always the most prominent aspects of children’s movies. Fantastic Mr. Fox’s biggest asset is that it feels like a Wes Anderson movie, not toned down for children. It never feels like it is talking down to its audience, and never feels like it was written with specifically children in mind. Other than having a lack of graphic violence and language, the movie is no different feeling from any other great Wes Anderson film, which is extremely refreshing.
The dialogue, like in many of his other films, is so interesting and well put together. The dialogue feels so natural and flows in way that sounds more like a normal conversation than the script to a film. That fact is even more impressive in this film, where the lines are coming from animal creatures who steal crops and livestock from farmers. When characters that could not exist in the real world can sound natural, the movie feels so much more real than it looks. The characters are far more relatable and interesting when the dialogue is natural, and Wes Anderson is one of the masters of this. Overall, what results is one of the most original feeling children’s movies I’ve ever seen, and an excellent edition to Wes Anderson’s already amazing filmography.
Grade: A
Check back every Wednesday for a new installment of This Week in Movies!
Last week reviews Roland Emmerich movies in preparation for Independence Day: Resurgence.
Last week reviews Roland Emmerich movies in preparation for Independence Day: Resurgence.
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