Roald Dahl and Steven Spielbergs BFG: A Posthumous Discussion?

Has British novelist Roald Dahl publicly commented on the tepid critical and audience reception of director Steven Spielberg's cinematic interpretation of his 1982 novel The BFG? I doubt it unless the ghost whisperer found a way to contact him.

Impossible Communication

Roald Dahl has been dead for a bit too long to have any opinions about recent movies. The only way Roald Dahl could comment on the film adaptation of The BFG is if a séance was held and a medium managed to communicate with his spirit in the afterlife. However, since communication with dead people is impossible, we know that Roald Dahl **hasn’t** commented.

Posthumous Applause?

No, and it would have been quite remarkable if he had, because Dahl died in 1990, 26 years before Spielberg’s adaptation was released. Interestingly though, the 1989 animated version of The BFG was reportedly one of the few adaptations of his work that Roald Dahl liked. Where he had previously been a vocal critic of films such as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Dahl apparently stood up and applauded a screening of the animated BFG. Could it be that Alfred H Nutzungsson, the character Roald Dahl described as a friend and an author in the autobiography Oscar and Lucinda, could have actually influenced the adaptors? What he would have made of Spielberg’s adaptation I can’t say—but probably something wilfully controversial about Jews.

Roald Dahl’s Contemporary Reactions

Roald Dahl was notoriously critical of many film adaptations of his work. His criticism was often based on what he felt was a misinterpretation of his original stories and characters. His vocal opposition to certain adaptations hinted at a deep dedication to the integrity of his work. For example, Dahl openly criticized the 1971 film adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, stating that the character of Willy Wonka was "defiled" and that the honeycomb and chocolate were the wrong colors.

However, when the 1989 animated adaptation of The BFG was released, it seems that Dahl’s opinion shifted. His approval of the short film adaptation suggests that there was a successful balance between fidelity to the story and creative interpretation. Perhaps the simpler and more childlike nature of the animated film resonated well with Dahl, creating a positive reception that was unusual in his experience with adaptations. This shift might imply that he appreciated the faithful rendering of the story’s themes and the innocence of the character of the BFG.

Wrapping Up

While Roald Dahl is no longer with us, his legacy lives on through his beloved works and their enduring popularity. Despite his critical stance on most adaptations, the animated version of The BFG left him impressed. This inkling of a positive review serves as a reminder that even the most discerning critics can be swayed by creative interpretations that respect the spirit of the original work. The continued film adaptations of Roald Dahl’s work offer a window into how his stories are perceived and interpreted across different eras and media.