With a glossily animated adaptation of The Twits set to hit Netflix on 17 October, now is the perfect time to reflect on the work of Roald Dahl.
The beloved (yet controversial) British children’s author has had many of his stories turned into films over the decades – and many of them are pretty darned good.
Every generation has its favourite Roald Dahl adaptation, just as every generation has its favourite Roald Dahl book. But for our money, these are the ten best.
We’ve narrowed the selection down by ruling out any series that have been produced of the great man’s works, as well as Dahl’s many screenplay contributions, if only to make our choice a little easier.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
There’s no beating the first attempt to adapt Dahl’s most popular book, as this list will go on to show.
However, this lavish 2005 treatment is far more faithful to the original, at least in terms of its core narrative. Tim Burton gives the film his usual dark fairy tale sheen, complete with strikingly realised sets and special effects.
Johnny Depp’s portrayal of reclusive inventor Willy Wonka leans a little too heavily into the oddball side of the character’s nature, but a young Freddy Highmore is perfectly cast as our sweet-natured hero.
Danny, the Champion of the World (1989)
Perhaps the most unassuming adaptation on this list – both in terms of the subtle source material and the low-budget nature of the TV production – Danny, the Champion of the World is nevertheless a low-key delight.
Jeremy and Samuel Irons play a father and son (as they are in real life) who wage an unorthodox form of war on a greedy landowner – one comprised of poaching and various subtle acts of kindness in the local community.
Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot (2015)
Another of Dahl’s low-key and sweeter tales, Esio Trot (that’s Tortoise backwards) concerns an older gentleman wooing the object of his affection. Hardly the stuff of dreams for a younger audience, admittedly, nor a slightly older one for that matter.
With that said, this overlooked 2015 movie is a surprisingly heavyweight production. It’s written by romcom don Richard Curtis, and it stars Dustin Hoffman and Judy Dench. The results are tooth-achingly sentimental, it’s true, but the film is not without its charms.
The BFG (2016)
Does it get any glossier than an adaptation by the king of Hollywood himself? Not when it comes to Roald Dahl adaptations, though there’s something of an imbalance here. While The BFG is one of the author’s A-tier stories, this 2016 cinematic adaptation is a decidedly minor entry to Steven Spielberg’s formidable oeuvre.
Still, the bar has been set remarkably high. It remains hugely entertaining stuff, with a compelling blend of live action and CGI, and a charming lead performance (in vocal form) from Mark Rylance as a kindly dream weaver who adopts an orphan.
Revolting Rhymes (2016)
This animated TV movie, based on a Roald Dahl poetry collection, covers five of the book’s six-mini stories. Each of them is worked into an amusing riff on Little Red Riding Hood, and each gently subverts classic fairy tale tropes with a cynical modern twist.
Not too cynical, mind – it’s all family-friendly stuff, with little of Dahl’s darkness or edge. It’s all executed with a decidedly cutesy animation style, too, making it the perfect Dahl adaptation for very young kids.
James and the Giant Peach (1996)
Back in 1996, Roald Dahl’s most out-there story was tackled with a corresponding level of charm and wit. Director Henry Selick, fresh off The Nightmare Before Christmas, managed this feat by using a spellbinding combination of live action and stop-motion animation.
It turned out to be the perfect way to bring the story of a young boy’s voyage with a crew of talking bugs on the titular giant fruit to life without naff CGI.
Matilda (1996)
Forget the hit musical, and its 2022 movie adaptation while we’re at it. Real Dahlheads (a term we’ve just invented, admittedly) know that the 1996 movie adaptation is the real deal.
Direct or Danny DeVito (who also makes a memorable appearance as one of the title character’s awful parents) wisely leans into the source material’s wicked sense of humour. Mara Wilson plays our plucky young hero, who uses her prodigious telekinetic powers to render delicious justice on her neglectful family.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
It’s something of an understatement to suggest that this 2009 stop motion animation isn’t a particularly faithful adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved fable. In fact, it feels very much like a Wes Anderson film – which is precisely what it is. The idiosyncratic director applies his own quirky tics and painstaking attention to detail to a rough outline of Dahl’s original story.
Meanwhile, a frankly unreal voice cast (George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe) acts like it’s performing a piece of indie theatre rather than an ostensibly mainstream kid’s film. The results are memorable.
The Witches (1990)
The modern generation might be more familiar with the starry 2020 adaptation of The Witches, but it isn’t a patch of this 1990 effort. In Nicolas Roeg (Don’t Look Now, The Man Who Fell to Earth), the producers found the perfect director to lean into Dahl’s darker, stranger side.
In Angelica Huston, meanwhile, they had the quintessential Grand High Witch – initially seductive before transforming into a genuinely repulsive creature, beautifully (or should that be horribly?) brought to life by Muppet master Jim Henson.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Has anyone bettered Mel Stuart’s 1971 treatment of Roald Dahl’s most enduring book? Dahl’s credit as writer is slightly misleading here – the author only supplied a vague outline before leaving the project over creative differences – but his spirit seems to have suffused the film regardless.
Dahl die-hards will understandably take issue with the various plot liberties on display, as well as the sidelining of Charlie in both title and story. But that just leaves more space for Gene Wilder’s Wonka, who evokes the mercurial mischief of Dahl’s original character with twinkly eyed brilliance.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
-
Women’s football gets the spotlight in FM26’s biggest update everA complete re-invention
-
Japanese sumo wrestling storms London with giant warrior athleticism, spiritual grace — and the most exciting 10 seconds of sport you’ll ever seeAn electric atmosphere filled London’s Royal Albert Hall for the kick off of The Grand Sumo Tournament.
-
Netflix just made a subtle branding change across all its original contentBye to the red "N"
-
Netflix adds one of the most thought-provoking sci-fi films of all timeA cerebral night in
-
New Peaky Blinders — everything coming up next for the Shelbys on TV and in cinemasGrab your flapcap and pour a whiskey
-
Netflix is turning your TV into a party game machineAre you ready to party — Netflix style?
-
Bean takes on Baby: Rowan Atkinson’s Man vs Baby finally gets a release dateHe's no Mrs Doubtfire
-
The Peaky Blinders are back for two more seasons — with a new generation running the showBy order of Netflix and the BBC
-
Cinema’s most excessive crime epic has landed on NetflixTime to dust off the white suit
-
Quentin Tarantino's martial arts masterpiece is now streaming on Netflix — and a third in the series could be on the way...Kill Bill volumes 1 and 2 have both landed on Netflix
