Years of Roald Dahl

14 centrespread centrespread 15 SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2016 SEPETEMBER 11-17, 2016 A Different Dahl Quentin Blake, Dahl’s fi rst paid piece of writing was not a children’s story. It was an article describing his experience of fl ying a Gloster Gladiator plane, which was shot down in the deserts of Libya during World War II. Titled “A Piece The Partner in Crime of Cake” (renamed “Shot Down Over Libya”), it was published anonymously in The Saturday Evening Post in 1942. His fi rst famous kids' book, James and the Giant Peach, was published nearly two decades later Inseparable from Dahl’s writings for children Years Of Roald Dahl are the accompanying illustrations by Quentin Dahl’s fi rst adult novel, Some Dahl worked on screenplays, The inspiration for the iconic Time Never: A Fable for including one for the James book Charlie and the Blake. Their working relationship began at the Supermen (1948), was Bond fi lm, You Only Live Chocolate Factory was publisher’s offi ce but it was with the third book panned by critics and has never Twice, written by his Dahl’s love for chocolates been reprinted in English. The wartime friend Ian Fleming. and his years at the public they collaborated on, The BFG, that they became poor reception was a blow He also wrote the script for school Repton, where he friends. This was despite Dahl's rejecting the to the author, after which he the Fleming fi lm Chitty and other children were fi rst two sets of illustrations for the book. They began developing his short Chitty Bang Bang. Both invited to test chocolate If he were alive, Roald Dahl would have turned 100 on September 13, dubbed Roald collaborated for 10 more books till Dahl died in fi ction, which was published in various magazines were box offi ce hits bars for Cadbury's Dahl Day. The much-loved children’s writer's weirdly wonderful books have 1990, but by then Blake was so familiar with withstood the test of time. The latest film adaptation of his book, The BFG (Big Friendly what the author wanted that he returned to the Dahl was named after Roald Amundsen, Norway’s well-known polar explorer. Both of Dahl’s parents were Norwegian and his mother told him stories of mythical Norwegian Giant), was released just this year. ET Magazine takes a closer look at the life and works of fi rst six books and re-illustrated them creatures. Dahl had said his mother was the primary infl uence in his life the creator of Willy Wonka, Matilda and a host of other unforgettable characters, who once described himself as “a person with one half of him that has completely failed to grow up” No. of copies sold :: Indulekha Aravind Dahl wrote & published Immortal Matilda Over Matilda might seem diminutive Characters but she is brave, clever and books, play a voracious reader who stories & scripts Charlie Bucket & devours Dickens by the 34 curated 5 and fi lm 200 Willy Wonka time she was fi ve. Her collections scripts Charlie Bucket appears in parents, though, couldn’t million care less. But Matilda the eponymous Charlie and Though he had been a scriptwriter himself, Dahl reportedly did not take too kindly to fi lm the Chocolate Factory and its sequel, is able to channel her genius to rescue her adaptations of his works. After his death, the interest in his books from studios continued Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. Like The Fantastic and the onus fell on his widow, Felicity, to take a call. Along with literary agent Michael many of Dahl’s protagonists, Charlie is beloved schoolteacher, Miss Honey. One of Dahl’s later Siegel, they decided that they would meet with passionate fi lmmakers rather than sell the the underdog — born in a poor family, Films stories directly to studios. Signifi cantly, the deal would not include sequels or spinoffs. works, Matilda was made into and living in a small house with parents Here’s the reel call of fi lms based on his books: and both sets of grandparents. But life a cult fi lm and a runaway hit changes when he gets a lucky golden musical ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s chocolate Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory, his favourite chocolate-maker Factory(1971) The fi lm, based on Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, was a middling hit, but enjoyed The BFG tremendous success on TV. Dahl disowned it, because of the casting of Gene Wilder Those of you who caught the Disney fi lm and Dahl fans would as Willy Wonka. (Wilder passed away last know that it stands for the Big Friendly Giant. A much-loved week.) It was remade by Tim Burton in character who makes his fi rst appearance in Danny, the 2005, and it was the most successful Dahl Champion of the World, he got to star in his own story in 1982 adaptation, grossing $475 million worldwide The Grand High Witch The Witches (1990) James and the Giant Matilda (1996) The witches, according to Dahl, live among us “Utterly appalling” was Dahl’s Peach (1996) Starring Danny DeVito, disguised as normal women but they detest response to the Hollywood Based on the story of an who also directed the children virulently. Leading them is The Grand version of his book, which orphan boy who climbs aboard fi lm, and Mara Wilson, High Witch, who comes up with a plan to eliminate did not do too well at the box a giant peach, this was the the fi lm is about a all the children in England, with her powerful offi ce either. But critics gave fi rst posthumous Dahl fi lm, brilliant little girl with Formula 86 Delayed Action Mouse-Maker. It’s up it a thumbs up, particularly to coordinated by his widow. It telekinesis. It brought to the Boy to stop her and her gaggle of witches, Anjelica Huston in the role of was made as a stop-motion in $33.5 million at the when they gather for their conference at a hotel in the Grand High Witch whose fi lm, along the lines of The US box offi ce but went Bournemouth performance is described as Nightmare Before Christmas, on to earn much more “deliciously wicked” on Rotten and the Dahl family was abroad, recovering its Tomatoes pleased with the result costs For Adults Only Fantastic Mr Fox (2009) BFG (2016) Though Dahl is known primarily as an author of children’s books, he has also penned several stories and books for Wes Anderson was interested Directed and co-produced adults. And, as Rupa Huq wrote in The Guardian, “his adult in making a fi lm about the sly by Steven Spielberg, with material is not for prudes”. Switch Bitch, his collection of fox since 1996 but it became a the screenplay handled by short stories, originally appeared in Playboy. The story, reality only after a decade. The ET writer Melissa Matheson, "The Great Switcheroo", is about wife swapping script departed signifi cantly from this is the latest Dahl work to the book, but the family still be on the big screen. Variety During World War II, Dahl was reportedly assigned to approved of it because it was “in magazine described it as push the British case with the Americans. One way the spirit of Roald Dahl”. George “ET the Extra-Terrestrial for the then 27-year-old Dahl went about this was by Clooney lent his voice to the title an all-new generation”, but sleeping with infl uential, older women, a duty he character while Meryl Streep the fi lm failed to set the box reportedly carried out with aplomb. His second voiced Mrs Fox offi ce on fi re wife, Felicity, says he was “The sexiest seducer in Washington…. A lot of women fell for him” Source: www.variety.com, www.roalddahl.com, www.bbc.co.uk, www.theguardian.com, www.thewrap.com.

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