>>ROALD'S DAHLINGS
As the Tim Burton / Johnny Depp publicity machine prepares to go into overdrive for their latest filmic collaboration, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charity Wilson explores the inspiration behind Roald Dahl's beloved children's books.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was first published in America in 1967. Not that Roald Dahl was American - in fact, he was born in Wales in 1916, the only son of Norwegian parents. Much like the hero of the book, Charlie Bucket, young Roald liked nothing better than the rich, creamy taste of chocolate. And both boys, though worlds apart, lived in the shadow of enormous chocolate factories, which belched out the thick, sweet, tempting, cocoa smell from morning to night. Unlike his imaginary counterpart, Roald did not stand longingly at the iron gates of Wonka's Factory.
No.
You see, he was lucky enough to live next to Cadbury's Factory, a very friendly place that often invited local school children to come and taste new and wondrous creations. Poor Charlie could only dream of the delights housed inside such a factory, and his chocolate craving was only ever satisfied once a year, on his birthday, when his whole family saved up and presented him with "one small chocolate bar to eat all by himself". And this is where the story begins…
Tim Burton's reworking of the favourite children's story is rumoured to be much more faithful to the book than the 1971 version, which starred Gene Wilder. Unpopular though the first film was with the author, this musical version developed a cult following all of its own, which won't be easy to replicate. But if anyone can better the original for style and vision, it's Tim Burton. The man who transported us to strange and wonderful worlds in Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow has once again teamed up with his favourite leading man to retell the story of the boy who unwraps a golden ticket and, with the promise of a tour and perhaps something more, enters Willy Wonka's amazing world. Johnny Depp, ever the chameleon, will no doubt deliver a sparkling performance as "the greatest inventor and maker of chocolates that there has ever been", although whether his onscreen entrance is as memorable as Wilder's remains to be seen. One thing, however, is certain: under the brilliant direction of a master of fantasy and with a cast boasting British favourites Helena Bonham Carter and Christopher Lee, this movie is guaranteed to be a chocolate box of delights.
The BFG (1984) Roald Dahl grew very tall. Not just quite tall, but very tall indeed. At his tallest (which was usually first thing in the morning) he was six foot and six inches, which is about two metres. Such a very impressive height was he, that Roald had a somewhat unique view of the world, which would help him to think of very exciting stories for children from every nation. The BFG (or Big Friendly Giant) tells the story of a little girl called Sophie, who makes friends with a dream-catching giant. Sophie, incidentally, is also the name of Roald's granddaughter. Though not quite as tall as the BFG himself, Roald knew something of what it was like to crouch down to the level of a child and see the world from a different perspective. "If you want to remember what it's like to live in a child's world, you've got to get down on your hands and knees and live like that for a week. You'll find that you have to look up at all these giants around you…"
Matilda (1988) Even though Matilda's parents are stupid, she is not. Matilda is, in fact, a genius. Roald Dahl was a genius too… and this is why (if you haven't guessed): having realised that the best way to write for children is "conspiring with (them) against adults", he wrote some of the most influential and entertaining children's literature of the last century, selling one million books in the UK every year. And if that isn't enough, he was also a keen inventor (having designed a real, working tortoise-catcher, just like the one in Esio Trot). But that is not where the similarity ends between Roald and Matilda. Their tough school experiences and a spiteful matron (or headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, in Matilda) made reading an appealing pastime to satisfy their young minds, and, for Matilda, a love of books brings about a special power. Roald's special power came later in life, but it is still in effect today: it is the ability to make children love books. He once described his greatest literary challenge: "Children's books are harder to write… a child doesn't have the concentration of an adult. The child knows the television is in the next room. It's tough to hold a child, but it's a lovely thing to try to do." The Roald Dahl Foundation (www.roalddahlfoundation.org) continues his legacy to promote literacy.
The Witches (1983) Stop! You are going too far now. You have claimed that Roald Dahl was like Charlie Bucket, the BFG and Matilda. You can't possibly be about to suggest that he was also a witch. In fact, if you do, I don't think I'll bother to read this last bit. I only glanced through the rest of it anyway. Well, I'm not, as it happens. The inspiration for this book came from Roald's mother. You mean? No. Her name was Sofie and Roald wrote all her goodness and heroism into the character Grandmamma. This is how he described writing his characters: "I find that the only way to make my characters really interesting to children is to exaggerate all their good or bad qualities, and so if a person is nasty or bad or cruel, you make them very nasty, very bad, very cruel. If they are ugly, you make them extremely ugly. That, I think, is fun and makes an impact."
Roald's Marvellous Movies
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Gene Wilder brought method to his madness as Willy Wonka. Even the funny bits contribute towards the suspense.
The BFG (1989)
Cosgrove Hall, the animation house that brought us Dangermouse and Count Duckula teamed up again with David Jason for a whiz-popping feature-length film.
Matilda (1996)
Danny DeVito directed and starred with real-life wife Rhea Perlman. Their class (or lack of it) is superbly matched by child star Mara Wilson.
The Witches (1990)
Genuinely frightening. Anjelica Huston heads a mainly British cast in a film that will either put you off mice or soup or men in dresses.
James and the Giant Peach (1996)
The first Roald Dahl adaptation to be made using stop-frame animation. The result is a visual feast.
Fantastic Mr Fox (2006)
Currently in pre-production. Wes Anderson will be directing, and it is supposed that the film will be animated.