5 of the Most Magical Roald Dahl Movie Adaptations

Happy Roald Dahl Day! Not only is this a day to celebrate one of the most inspirational children's authors that ever lived, but it's a day to honor his creative work in literature and adaptations into film. I may be biased because I'm obsessed with everything involving this man, but here are a few of my favorite film adaptations from this wonderful fella.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Directed by Wes Anderson, Fantastic Mr. Fox has a funky vibe with loads of sarcasm, so it's just great. It keeps relatively close to the original plot of the novel, with Fox and his wife living under a dangerous tree near a farm. Their son, Ash, is an adorable ball of emotions, and his new pal Kristofferson makes his sullen personality shine. I always loved this rebellious, snarky tale of Fox taking on the man, which was the Berk's Squab Farm, and George Clooney does a flawless job bringing Fox's personality to life. There are other Wes Anderson regulars who lend their voices to different characters in the film, with Bill Murray voicing Badger, Josh Schwartzman as Ash, Owen Wilson as Coach Skip, and Wes Anderson even plays the part of Stan Weasel. If you loved Dahl's book, you will get a kick out of this adaptation. 

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

If you haven't seen this movie, you never had a childhood. That's right, I said it. Roald Dahl's Charlie & the Chocolate Factory is a classic story of a young boy whose dreams of touring a mansion filled with candy, chocolate, and small, yet judgmental men were answered in a golden ticket. While there was a more recent adaptation done with Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka, I much prefer this version. Gene Wilder is Willy Wonka. The actor is the embodiment of the inner child that is Wonka's character. Don't lie, that tunnel scene gave you nightmares. 

Matilda

This movie is everything. Being a 90's child, I clearly associate it with my childhood. When reading this book, and then watching the movie, I felt such a connection to Matilda. She's a young girl who is bold and doesn't care what people think of her. Her family looks down on her for her love of books, but she continues to learn anyway. Dahl taught all young children that reading can not only be an escape, but can bring people together. The classic book and movie was recently adapted into a play, which I would die to see. Last, but certainly not least, Trunchbull is the worst. 

James and the Giant Peach

Although this movie has a sullen tone, the songs get stuck right into your head and the characters are lively. I absolutely love that this adaptation starts out live action, and when James eats the peach, the world is magically transformed into animation. Also, all of the bugs from the beginning part of the movie have come alive and are living inside the giant peach with James. It's a wonderful tale of adventure and friendship, and how important love is over violence or greed. 

The Witches 

By far one of the strangest books, and adaptations from Dahl, but it's a movie you'll never not watch when it's on TV. Anjelica Huston slays as the Grand High Witch, leading her gaggle of cackling witches in a quaint little English town. My all time favorite part of the book is when Luke, the main character, sneaks into the witch's meeting and sees that all of the things his grandmother told him about witches are true. Slowly but surely, we see the witches go from beautiful women to disgusting witches. They take off their wigs, and shoes, which reveal the true nature of their feet: completely square. While it's an incredibly silly scene, I always loved how imaginative Dahl was in terms of the witches, and how Luke's grandmother was right all along. 

Happy Roald Dahl Day! Be sure to celebrate this magical author's work by either reading his tales or watching any of these great adaptations! What's your favorite adaptation?