10 books and films that will reveal the genius of Roald Dahl

Many of Roald Dahl’s novels have been adapted into films and even musicals. Chocolate Factory AND Matilda. Let’s discover them together.

James and the Giant Peach

Roald Dahl’s first really big success was James and the Giant Peach; The novel, published in 1961, tells the story of the many fantastic adventures of little James Henry Trotter, an orphan forced to live with two very evil aunts. The magical and whimsical animals that the protagonist meets while escaping from his relatives open the door to the writer’s most beloved themes: magic and its use to resolve family dramas or tensions in relationships with adults, and the importance of always believing in yourself.

Chocolate Factory

The success of the 1964 novel The Chocolate Factory was so great from the very beginning that
already in 1971 a musical film transposition was made, in which he also collaborated
Dahl himself as a screenwriter. Willy Wonka, eccentric manufacturer and…
the main characters of the book, in the film he is played by the brilliant Gene Wilder, who gives the viewer a gift
a fantastic character who is destined to remain in cinema history. De Fabrica
chocolate there is another excellent film adaptation by Tim Burton in 2005, in which
The role of Willy Wonka is played by American actor Johnny Depp.

Big crystal elevator

The little boy Charlie Bucket, his family and Willy Wonka, the main characters of The Factory.
chocolate, in the second episode of the story they find themselves traveling between space and outer space.
time thanks to the factory’s magnificent crystal elevator. In a fantasy world
Oompa-Loompas, fighting aliens or busy saving your grandparents from
too successful rejuvenation: we follow the characters in the most spectacular endeavors!

Smart, Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr Foxtranslated into Italian as Furbo il Signor Volpe, is a 1970 novel by Dahl.
which chronicles the adventures of Mr. Volpe and his large family. Mister Fox
a kind of Robin Hood, who in this case steals chickens, geese and turkeys from cruel farmers
to feed the poor forest animals. This story really struck the Texas director.
Wes Anderson, who directed the 2009 stop-motion film adaptation.
This is evident in the film, which is extremely faithful to the author’s story and very well made.
Anderson’s love for the text and its brilliant author is evident.

Danny world champion

Danny, motherless, lives with his father in the English countryside; two have one
a wonderful relationship, which, however, begins to crack when the child starts going to school.
school and meeting new classmates. Through contacts with residents of the city where
While studying, he reveals from his father a terrible secret, in his opinion: he is a poacher. After
However, after some setbacks, they become closer and their relationship strengthens even more.

The BFG

The BFG, the Great Gentle Giantthe main character of the book of the same name and one of the characters
Dahl’s own favorites. The book tells the story of little Sophia, who was kidnapped.
from the orphanage she is in, the BFG takes her to the world of giants, where she discovers
but that he is good and, unlike his cruel brothers and even larger than him, does not
eats people, but even takes care to bring dreams to children. Together baby
and his new friend decide to go on a journey in search of the Queen of England.
help them defeat the evil giants.

Witches

The main character of the story is a child who has just been orphaned and adopted
an eccentric and very smart grandmother who explains to him every day how to recognize
witches who hide in the real world. Two are taken from a 1983 story.
movie: Who’s Afraid of Witches? from 1990 with Anjelica Huston and the Witches from 2020 to
in which Anne Hathaway plays one of the cruel witches.

Matilda

Matilda (originally Matilda) is a lonely little girl who is trying to escape oppression.
about his brother and his very ignorant parents, he takes refuge in reading. When the baby starts
elementary school finds itself in a world of tyrants and hooligans who, starting
Miss Spezzindew, headmaster, they like to torture young people
more gifted students. However, thanks to the support of teacher Dolsemiele, Matilda notices
having developed powers that allow her to take revenge for the wrongs done to her and be able to live
finally free.

Agura-trat

However, Mrs. Silver’s neighbor, Mr. Hoppy, secretly loved her always.
conquering her offers a magic formula that will help her grow faster.
Alfio’s favorite turtle. Every morning he will have to recite the formula “Agura trat” (turtle
in reverse order); with this trick Alfio really starts to grow, but the magic
it may not be what it seems!

Boy

“Boy” – autobiography of Roald Dahl; in the book the author tells us his story, starting
from childhood, about summers spent with his grandparents in Norway, and about the many schools he attended.
studied in Wales until the end of the academic semester and early entry
in the world of work. “The Boy” is the perfect novel to enter into the world of Dahl and
understand the source and inspiration of fantasy stories and characters in his works. There
The first edition of the book dates back to 1984.