Why is Netflix acting all shy about it’s new short films, directed by the highly influential, Tik-Tok-memeable, seven-time-Oscar-nominee Wes Anderson? I’d heard Anderson was adapting some of Roald Dahl’s slightly more mature content, but was surprised to load up Netflix and struggle to find the four shorts. For a while I even thought there were only three, until I tuned into a podcast and heard them introduce the ‘four’ new Anderson works. Somehow, ‘the Swan’ had alluded me. Despite the matching typeface and similar aesthetic, the lack of famous actor, staring into the camera from the title slide, had hidden it from view. The celebrity appearances, I had believed, were central to the project, with stars like Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Ayoade, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes (as Mr. Dahl himself). So, after now (finally) watching all four shorts, here’s my take:
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
I watched the Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (WSHS from here on out) first, and for the most part was disappointed. The story is, in tone and pace, familiar in its similarity to Dahl’s childhood stories, and evokes a certain charm, but is predictable and lacklustre in comparison to its siblings. It takes fewer risks and creative agency, though the quirky faux stage production quality (used throughout the four) is cute, and completes Anderson’s symmetrical, geometric aesthetic. The story plays out like a cheesy Christmas tale, but perhaps I’m drawing too many similarities between Henry Sugar and Ebenezer Scrooge. Maybe this is purposeful. Among the four shorts, Anderson doesn’t very successfully engage with more sophisticated themes, but in this story he keeps things particularly lighthearted. Maybe there is a perfect order in which to watch these films, delving deeper into the mind of Dahl and exploring darker themes. WSHS introduces you to Anderson’s chosen mode of storytelling, with fourth-wall-breaks and layers of embedded narratives, as a starting point. And for that, I suppose it works.
Poison
Though I watched this short film third, let’s run with my ‘deepening narrative’ theory and choose Poison next. Poison’s concept alone is instantly more intriguing than WHSH – a man realises a deadly snake has decided to take a nap in his pyjamas, and must remain as still as possible while a friend and local doctor tried to save him. In reality, the result is simply an opportunity to let Benedict Cumberbatch flex his ‘face acting’ credentials, and I have to say, I was impressed. I believe he managed to captured the ‘I have a snake in my pants’ for the entirety of the short. Even so, it says something that Dev Patel stole the show. As the audience’s guide through this particular story, Patel is fast-spoken and engaging. The ending, which I will try not to spoil here, is not explosive, or abrasive, as I expected it, but quiet and lonely. It’s final scene is it’s best, and in one look Ben Kingsley earns his pay check.
The Rat Catcher
I can appreciate when films are good but absolutely not for me, and the Rat Catcher is among those. Perhaps the least interesting visually of the four, this one appears to me the most accurate to Dahl’s adult content; slightly bizarre and disturbing, with a wide-eyed narrator to guide us along. Richard Ayoade does, fortunately, get to shine in this short, and his character’s own distress at the events unfolding before him intensify Ralph Fiennes’ performance. I am convinced that Anderson is trying to say something by having Fiennes simultaneously play Dahl and the rat-munching rat catcher, but I’ve not quite worked out what. In any case, Anderson and Fiennes’ choices are dynamic, though at times overbearing, when portraying the rat, and by the end, the rat-catcher is nastier and more revolting than the rodent. Although I’m not sure I enjoyed the experience, images from the Rat Catcher are those that play back in my mind the most.
The Swan
My favourite of the bunch, and, as I’ve heard, the most likely Oscar submission by Anderson. Rupert Friend, recent child actor Asa Jennings, and Ralph Fiennes are the only faces in this short about a young boy tormented by bullies. The story is straightforward but well-told and Anderson’s use of staging is the most effective, and more self-referential, than the rest of the works. Friend is fantastic in the Anderson universe; he is deadpan but emotive, and his ability to switch between accents is impressive. Asa Jennings, though not credited in many other works to date, is similarly suited to the style, and together they bring Peter Watson to life. The development of events is tragic, and, although the inclusion of one piece of narration by Dahl perhaps detracts from the sweet melancholic tone of the finale, the stage production is highly effective to convey the message of the Swan.
So, do with my take what you will. Choose a story, or watch them all (in this order or any other) but these shorts will almost certainly be discussed as we head into Oscar season. They are classically Wes Anderson (though on the whole weaker than many of his other works) and engage with mature Dahl stories in a way that has been largely missing from many other retellings.
(P.S. I have decided that I am far too lenient with my star-awarding, and have resolved to pull myself together and accept that not every movie can earn 4-5 stars. With that said… 4 stars)
Reel Talk 