Wes Anderson has brought four of Roald Dahl’s stories to the screen, adding, of course, his signature style to them. This compilation of shorts creates an extraordinary experience. It’s the perfect entertainment for any viewer with about an hour to spare and hunger for some fascinating, peculiar content. Both Anderson and Roald Dahl are known for their originality and eccentric storytelling, which makes the combination of their artistic expressions something worth beholding.
Additionally, all the stories have some background information that pulls the cinematic representations even to their original author, as well as featuring the author himself, portrayed splendidly by Ralph Fiennes.
The rest of the main acting ensemble: Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel, Richard Ayoade and Rupert Friend; are equally exquisite in their portrayal of several characters through the different short films, incorporating Dahl’s and Anderson’s vision for their characters sublimely.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Synopsis
A rich man by birth, Henry Sugar doesn’t know what to do with his life until he finds an unorthodox way to become even richer. This path will lead him to an unexpected career path.
Source: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Wes Anderson, 2023).
Review
Unsurprisingly considering its director, this narrative is perfectly paced and beautifully curated. The signature popping colours and fast monologues make a forty-minute experience feel like a five-minute spectacle, nothing is redundant nor amiss, every element interacts as it should with the rest to make a perfect composition. The acting is impeccable and the choreography of movements flawless. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is, without a doubt, one of the most gorgeous pieces of entertainment of 2023.
The Swan
Synopsis
A little kid is bullied by two bigger children who, taking advantage of their physique and a rifle, force him into deadly situations and scar him physically and psychologically for life.
Review
While this tale is a lot sadder than the first one, it is not any less remarkable. The story showcases an example of bullying and how it can wound a person for life, which is a theme that sadly most people can resonate with. The presentation of the narrative is both advantageous and detrimental.
Source: The Swan (Wes Anderson, 2023).
On the one hand, seeing the adult version of the bullied child diminishes the tension and can make it slightly less triggering. On the other hand, the continuous appearances of random people behind the narrator and actors is very distracting and some of the movements or actions are confusing since the reason behind them is unclear. One never knows if they are relevant, hidden messages, or nothing at all. All in all, The Swan is a fantastic story with a very important message that regrettably won’t be out of fashion any time soon. It is bittersweet and hard, but Wes Anderson makes it slightly lighter with his quirky style.
The Rat Catcher
Synopsis
A rat-catcher goes to a petrol station to get rid of the rodent infestation happening on the other side of the road. During his visits, he explains and demonstrates why he is so good at his job.
Review
The Rat Catcher is quite a morbid tale. Both the exposed and the hinted events are devised to make one uncomfortable and reflect on the human condition. The story is portrayed to perfection by the cast, especially Ralph Fiennes, who plays the main character, the rat-catcher, and the recurring Roald Dahl, featured in all the short films.
The use of imaginary props brings the film closer to the written text by encouraging the viewer to act like a reader and use their imagination to fill in the gaps of what they are seeing with what they are hearing, enhancing the feelings of disgust and uneasiness by fuelling the spectator’s imagination with a personalised version of the incidents described. It’s a clever narrative astutely brought to the screen.
Poison
Synopsis
A man named Harry is stuck laying down on his bed due to a krait snake that has crawled onto his stomach and fallen asleep there. He asks his friend for help and a doctor tries to save his life.
Review
Poison is positively nerve wracking. Not even Anderson’s carefree style is able to ease the situation, and the cast’s marvellous acting does nothing to calm the spectator.
Cumberbatch is especially great in this short film. Acting with only his eyes and mouth during most of it, he manages to convey all the emotions that his character, Harry, is feeling through the whole ordeal, absorbing the viewer into his predicament and sharing his stress and fear with them.
Ultimately, we discover that he is poisoned by something other than snake venom, which is what the whole story is about. A not surprisingly ingenious ending that feels like the cherry on top of the whole experience that is watching four of Roald Dahl’s short stories through Wes Anderson’s unique cinematic lens.
Source: Poison (Wes Anderson, 2023).
Advice to take from these short films:
- Money gives happiness until you have more than you can spend.
- Do NOT, under any circumstance, give a kid a weapon as a present. They are not toys, therefore, they shouldn’t be treated as such.
- If a stranger is unsettling, don’t get surprised when the result of a bet with them is alarming.
- A lot of times, problems look worse in your head than they are in reality, it’s important to try and keep a clear head.
Source: Poison (Wes Anderson, 2023).
What’s your take? Which of the short films did you enjoy the most? Why? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, in my contact page or through my Instagram! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀
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