Roald Dahl movie adaptations to fall in love with

With Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory being a literary classic, a film adaptation was inevitable. The 1971 fantasy film, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, was mildly successful but reviled by critics at the time, and even by Dahl himself. Nevertheless, it is a classic with memorable characters, hummable songs, like The Candy Man and Pure Imagination, and a compelling performance of Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. His own take of Wonka balances out his questionable quirkiness and his sinister secrets, in a charming way.

Similarly, Matilda (1996) may have been a flop at its time, but it grew to become a cult classic.This film is based on the beloved 1988 novel about a mischievous but kind-hearted girl, who learns she has telekinetic powers that she uses to handle her ignorant parents and topple her cruel headmistress. As the titular girl, Mara Wilson plays her effectively with a right balance of deadpan and enthusiasm, and a supporting cast that includes Danny DeVito as the demeaning Mr Wormwood and Pam Ferris as the arrogant Ms Trunchbull is fun to watch.

While it is fitting for Tim Burton to work with Roald Dahl's macabre themes, it is surprising for Wes Anderson to capture Dahl's familial topics and character eccentricities. For that, Fantastic Mr Fox (2009),an innovative and wily adaptation, is a stop-motion animated film that balances out their styles. The 1970 story is about the titular Mr Fox (George Clooney), who must outwit a trio of cruel farmers to scavenge food.

The Witches, on the other hand, is prominently based on Dahl's childhood days being born to Norwegian parents and learning of various Norwegian folklore. This story is about a boy and his grandmother that discovered a coven of witches who thrive on their existence by killing children. It features Mai Zetterling, Rowan Atkinson and Anjelica Huston. This 1990 adaptation captures the darkness and weirdness of the Dahl story, accompanied by Jim Henson's puppetry and levied by Huston's great performance.

Moreover, producer Tim Burton and director Henry Selick collaborated on Disney's adaptation of James and the Giant Peach (1996),a stop-motion effort with Burton's signature quirks and creepiness that fits well for a Dahl story. It revolves around an orphan named James who enters a whimsical world hidden inside a peach and meets eccentric characters like Susan Sarandon's Miss Spider, Simon Callow's Mr Grasshopper and Richard Dreyfus' Mr Centipede. The animation advancements work to the film's advantage, since it meshes live-action and stop-motion to seamless effect.

Another adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory came to life by Tim Burton in 2005. Not necessarily a remake itself, it is another reimagining from the gothic auteur. Its distinctive difference from the 1971 crowd-pleaser is its faithfulness to the book, down to the songs and character traits. This film has an elevated production design as well. Nevertheless, its visual flair is contrasted with Johnny Depp's darker Willy Wonka.

Dahl's The BFG received a feature-length treatment, as a live-action adaptation in 2016, with Walt Disney Pictures and Steven Spielberg behind its creation. It is based on the story of a girl who encounters a humble giant, whom she names the BFG (Big Friendly Giant). Mark Rylance plays the titular giant, in this film filled with Spielbergian whimsy, signature Dahl eccentricity and crowd-pleasing performances.