When I was a kid, before graduating to books by authors like Stephen King and Clive Barker, I was an avid reader of Roald Dahl novels. Dahl’s books for children are full of the marvelous and macabre, never talking down to his audience or turning away from the unpleasantness of life. Dahl’s work provided a gateway into more gruesome tales, while also sticking with me well into adulthood.
The best movies based on Dahl’s books reflect that darkness, bringing it to life with energetic creativity. Several of Dahl’s most famous novels, including “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “The Witches” and “Matilda,” have been adapted multiple times, and his work keeps finding new fans as each generation of children discovers his stories for the first time.
With the animated adaptation of Dahl’s “The Twits” premiering this week on Netflix, here are my picks for the best Dahl-based movies to stream.
‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’
This 1971 adaptation of Dahl’s novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is still the most famous and beloved Dahl movie, thanks to Gene Wilder’s endearingly unsettling performance as the title character, the memorable songs, and the overall tone of gleeful mischief.
It makes sense that the filmmakers changed the title to highlight devious candy factory owner Willy Wonka, because Wilder gives the movie its unique spark, toying with the spoiled kids invited to tour his phantasmagorical factory while offering encouragement to shy, good-hearted Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum).
Director Mel Stuart captures Dahl’s mix of childlike wonder and fanciful malevolence, making the unfortunate fates of Charlie’s companions into satisfying moments of comeuppance. Children can revel in the fantasy of visiting a wondrous world of sweets, while adults appreciate the danger lurking under the surface of the delicious confections.
‘The Witches’
Director Nicolas Roeg traumatized an entire generation with his exuberantly grotesque adaptation of Dahl’s novel about a cabal of witches conspiring to transform all the children in the world into mice. Anjelica Huston gives one of her best performances as the Grand High Witch, a sinister diva who gradually reveals her horrific true appearance as she’s spied on by unsuspecting young boy Luke (Jasen Fisher).
With spectacular design by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, “The Witches” is a marvel of practical effects, and Roeg doesn’t hold back on the genuinely scary moments. At the same time, the story is grounded in the sweet relationship between Luke and his grandmother, and his noble quest to save his fellow children from a truly grim fate.
‘James and the Giant Peach’
Stop-motion animation genius Henry Selick (“Coraline,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas”) captures the twisted weirdness of Dahl’s novel about an orphaned boy who takes a fantastic voyage inside a massive piece of fruit, accompanied by magically transformed insects. Selick mixes animation and live action to tell the story of James (Paul Terry), who escapes from his evil aunts Sponge (Miriam Margolyes) and Spiker (Joanna Lumley) to find a new life in New York City.
The gloomy, oppressive live-action scenes of James being mistreated by his selfish aunts give way to warm animation as he joins his new insect friends on an adventure across the sea. Selick’s visual inventiveness is augmented by appealing voice work from actors including Susan Sarandon and Richard Dreyfuss, who make the lovable bugs into a welcoming surrogate family for James.
Watch on Disney Plus
‘Matilda the Musical’
Danny DeVito’s 1996 film is a solid adaptation of Dahl’s novel about a precocious young girl with telekinetic powers, but this 2022 musical version, based on the hit stage production, is even better. Alisha Weir is excellent as the title character, an intelligent, curious girl born into a family of ignorant boors. When her parents send her off to a dreary school run by the tyrannical Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson), Matilda leads her fellow students in rebellion, supported by the empathetic Miss Honey (Lashana Lynch).
The songs by Tim Minchin are catchy and rousing, enhanced by dynamic, vibrant direction from Matthew Warchus, who also directed the musical onstage. Warchus retains the intensity and nastiness of Dahl’s novel while delivering a colorful, crowd-pleasing musical that effortlessly charms both children and adults.
Watch on Netflix
‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’
Director Wes Anderson’s fastidious style is a perfect fit for stop-motion animation, and he expands on Dahl’s novel to give it his trademark stylized verbosity. Even in his live-action films, Anderson favors diorama-like shot compositions, and he takes full command of the frame with the tactile animation, giving weight to every tiny detail, down to the fur on each animal character.
The impeccable voice cast is led by George Clooney as the title character, an impulsive trickster who incurs the wrath of three spiteful businessmen after stealing from their farms. The bulk of the story involves the battle between the farmers and Mr. Fox, but Anderson creates an entire detailed world of animals around it, with some wry family drama for Mr. Fox. The movie finds the right balance between Dahl’s whimsy and Anderson’s deadpan.
Watch on Disney Plus
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