In September, Netflix released four short films directed by Wes Anderson based on stories by the beloved children’s author Roald Dahl. The films are: “Poison,” “The Swan,” “The Rat Catcher” and “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.”
The first three of the films listed run for 17 minutes; “Henry Sugar” is the longest at 45 minutes. The films “Poison” and “Henry Sugar” are set in India during British Rule, while the films “The Swan” and “The Ratcatcher” take place in the English countryside. Between the four films, some of the same actors play different characters. These parallelisms are a unifying factor throughout the films.
One well-deserved criticism of the films is the lack of female appearances. There are a few women who appear on screen, but none are major characters or have many lines. While Anderson’s work isn’t known for passing the Bechdel test (a measure of female representation in film), it’s clear that there’s no effort to include women in the stories. However, the films do address other historical social issues, such as discrimination in India during the British rule in the film “Poison. “
Anderson’s aesthetic touch is very prominent and recognizable throughout the films. The director memorably uses symmetry, witty dialogue, pops of color and vintage props to unite nearly all his films; these are no exception. The Netflix shorts are fast-paced because of their use of seemingly constant narration from the different characters, as if someone is reading a story aloud. These narrations are straight from Dahl’s stories.
Another interesting part of the films is that they are set up to look like a play, with theater-like props and acting and cuts between different stages. Some of this stage-like acting includes the usage of invisible props and people coming into frame to hand items to actors. This is a characteristically Anderson-like artistic choice. Although, at the same time, these short films are created in a way that is unique, even for Anderson.
This is not the first time Anderson has reimagined the work of Roald Dahl. In 2009, Andersown directed and co-wrote the award-winning, stop-motion film “Fantastic Mr. Fox” based on the book by Dahl of the same name. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is a memorable film due to the warm-toned, perpetually autumn background throughout the movie and the clever scheming of the woodland creatures. Because of how well received and cherished this movie is, it seemingly paved the way for Anderson to work with more of Dahl’s writing.
I’m pleased to see Dahl’s legacy continue to live on after his death. Growing up, my mother would read his stories to me, and I fondly remember the playful sketched illustrations that unified all of Dahl’s children’s books. Quentin Blake was Dahl’s illustrator, and they worked together for 14 years until Dahl’s death.
“The Swan” was the short film that stuck out to me the most because it was one of my favorite stories growing up. As a child, these stories were not only interesting and funny; I also recall Dahl’s writing being my first introduction to more serious themes like bullying and the hard truth that not all adults are trustworthy or make wise decisions.
Although each of these four short films are peculiar in their own ways, the films are perfect for a short but thought-provoking break throughout the day. And all four films have the appearance of a narrator, who is apparently Dahl himself, speaking from his study. This addition to the films seems to be another acknowledgment of the writer’s legacy.
