Roald Dahl on Film

A dazzling summer celebration of Roald Dahl on Film

Resources...

Brought to you by Film Hub Wales, Chapter and participating venues across the UK

Events and more

With support from the BFI (British Film Institute), which has awarded National Lottery funding.

Roald Dahl on Film

A dazzling summer celebration of Roald Dahl on Film brought to you by Film Hub Wales, Chapter and participating venues across the UK, with support from the BFI (British Film Institute), which has awarded National Lottery funding.

We’re also pleased to collaborate with the Roald Dahl Estate, which is marking the centenary with Roald Dahl 100, a year packed full of exciting surprises and treats.

We’ll continue to update these pages throughout the season with exciting news, fabulous film & education resources and most importantly, where you can find Roald Dahl on Film in your area…

Don’t forget to join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with #RoaldDahlonFilm

Film Hub Wales aims to bring more films, to more people, in more places

To celebrate the centenary year of Roald Dahl’s birth, Film Hub Wales and Chapter as Film Hub Lead Organisation, have developed a family-friendly film programme that will celebrate one of the world’s most magnificent Welsh authors.

Fans of all ages will be able to relive their most magical memories, as Roald Dahl’s films are brought to life on the big screen throughout the summer of 2016. The project coincides with the release of Entertainment One’s The BFG (July). The season runs from July up until the end of September, including Roald Dahl Day on the 13th September – 100 years since Dahl’s birth.

The season involves 36 partner organisations and 107 unique locations across the UK, with over 390 confirmed screenings between July and September.

A host of downloadable resources have been made available for particpating venues, including programme notes, blogs and reviews from young audiences, postcards, party packs and marketing materials.

There have also been a number of prize giveaways in partnership with organisations including John Lewis, Oxford University Press, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Rily Publications and EntertainmentOne.


The Roald Dahl on Film project is led, devised and developed by Canolfan Ffilm Cymru FAN BFI a Chapter… read more.

Please contact us here for all Roald Dahl on Film enquiries.

 

We are extremely grateful to have the support of the following organisations for this project:

BFI (British Film Institute)
Bydd BFI exists to promote greater understanding and appreciation of, and access to, film and moving image culture in the UK. VIsit website
Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
Chapter

Chapter(Cardiff) are an ambitious, multi-artform cultural space based in Cardiff, Wales that presents and produces international art, performance and film alongside a dynamic social space. They are alos the Film Hub Lead Organisation (FHLO) for Wales.

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Canolfan Ffilm Cymru

ByddRoald Dahl Literary Estate LLPmanages the copyrights and trademarks of author Roald Dahl and works with publishers, film-makers, theatre producers, merchandisers and other licensees worldwide.

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Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
BFI Film Audience Network (FAN)

The Network is made up of nine hubs across the UK. Each Hub’s Lead Organisation (FHLO) receives funding from the BFI to deliver audience development activity, research and training in their region. This activity also includes collaborative Hub projects across the UK.

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Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
Into Film

Into Film puts film at the heart of the educational and personal development of children and young people across the UK.

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Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
roughcollie

roughcollie specialise in animation,design and VFX for film/tv and digital media. They have created our wondrous Roald Dahl on Film trailer.

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Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
Literature Wales

To celebrate Roald Dahl’s centenary, Literature Wales has launched Invent your Event, a new outreach and funding scheme that will engage the whole of Wales in literature, creative writing and reading.

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Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
City of the Unexpected

The Welsh capital will become a place where reality is turned on its head, and where the laws of physics, logic and the predictable will give way to magic, fun, invention and the surreal, as if Roald Dahl himself is at the helm.

This epic weekend will involve a cast of thousands of performers from across the city and jaw-dropping spectacles. Immerse yourself in everything from large-scale events to intimate performances – all staged across Cardiff’s streets and public spaces, in shops and arcades, at iconic buildings and parks.

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Literature Wales
Oxford University Press

Oxford University Press (OUP) is the largest university press in the world and publishes in all academic fields, from multiple offices around the world.

OUP has recently published the Roald Dahl Dictionary – a unique dictionary containing all the words invented by Roald Dahl. The book explains where the words came from and includes rhyming words, synonyms and lots of alternatives for words that are overused. Five Roald Dahl Dictionaries were made available for Roald Dahl on Film audiences to win in competitions.

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Literature Wales
John Lewis

John Lewis is one of the UK’s leading department store chains. John Lewis Cardiff have kindly provided Roald Dahl on Film with a wide selection of Dahl-themed prizes to give away in competitions.

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Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
Rily Publications

Rily Publications is a family-run publisher of classic children’s stories in Welsh. Rily has recently released a series of Roald Dahl books translated into Welsh, and kindly donated five copies of The BFG (translated as CMM) to be used as competition prizes.

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Distributors

Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
Entertainment One delivers a comprehensive approach with access to a global network for sales and distribution, acquisition, and marketing and promotion.
film hub wales
Park Circusare a worldwide film sales and distribution company representing over 20000 titles for theatrical exhibition.
Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. is a fully integrated, broad-based entertainment company and a global leader in the creation, production, distribution, licensing and marketing of all forms of entertainment and their related businesses.
Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
Sony Pictures Releasing UK is the American entertainment subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc. Based in Culver City, California, it encompasses Sony’s motion picture, television production and distribution units.
Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
Pathé operates as a fully integrated studio and has a presence in France, the UK, the Netherlands and Switzerland. It is involved in all aspects of filmmaking, from development and production through to international sales, distribution and exhibition.

We are extremely grateful to have the support of the following organisations for this project:

Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
Arts Alive: Flicks in the Sticks hosted four screenings during Roald Dahl on Film Season for audiences in rural and under-served areas of Mid-Wales, the South West and the borders.  These were planned for the grown-ups, serving community audiences, although both Hitchcock and classic family titles were on offer.  Their outdoor screening in Whitchurch was particularly successful; they worked with two local organisations, Blackberry Fair and Whitchurch Allotments, bringing a storyteller and peaches and cream to make it extra special for their guests.
Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues
Broadway in Nottingham offered six screenings from the Roald Dahl on Film catalogue over August and September 2016. These were accompanied by four workshops inspired by Roald Dahl’s work.  Two drawing and making workshops were held following The BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, led by an experienced artist whom Broadway worked with on the ICO’s release of The Big Knights.  Two digital animation workshops followed James and the Giant Peach and Fantastic Mr Fox, led by lecturers in animation from Nottingham Trent University.  The workshops were suitable for ages 5-12 and the animation workshops were suitable for absolute beginners.
Canolfan Ffilm Cymru

Canolfan Ffilm Cymru FAN BFI a Chapter led the UK-Wide celebration of Roald Dahl on Film.  Based in Cardiff, Chapter kicked off the school summer holidays with The BFG.  Before the screening, they treated attendees to a wonderful pop-up photo studio, compete with handmade backdrops and vintage and hand-crafter props, supplied by Guest Who.  Chapter went on to run a retrospective of all the screen-based material across the season, from July to September, together with a venue wide campaign of engagement activities, in-house decoration and cafe bar tie-ins.  These screenings included Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda which launched at Chapter with audiences across a full weekend, and a return screening for Roald Dahl’s birthday.  Chapter also hosted a week-long Stinky Flicks workshop with 12 young people who produced and performed an immersive screening of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, creating props, fancy dress costumes and selecting smells.  Audience Feedback:  “It was incredible!”, “I really love the diversity of the Dahl Season.”  “Wonderful atmosphere.”  “Really enjoyed, please do more of these!”

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Cinemagic delivered 4 extremely successful film events in Belfast’s Queen’s Theatre, The Ulster Museum FAN BFI a Strand Cinema from July to September 2016, engaging with young people and the family audience.  Special events included a screening of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Veruca Salt Actress Julie Dawn Cole, Matilda Scratch ‘N Sniff, James and the Giant Peach with an animal and plant life workshop and The Witches with a storyboarding workshop.  They attracted much interest and media coverage and helped bring to life Roald Dahl on Film to new audience, allowing them to use the film as the vehicle to raise awareness of Roald Dahl’s work.  Young people were also given the opportunity to create a short film inspired by Roald Dahl’s work and storytelling entitled “The Great Homework War” and this was screened twice for public audiences over the course of the season

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues
Cardiff’s Darkened Rooms screened Fantastic Mr Fox alongside Moonrise Kingdomanother Wes Anderson film said to be inspired by Roald Dahl’s storytelling magic.  The screenings were held at the Norwegian Church were Roald Dahl was baptised.  The screenings were almost entirely sold out (with a waiting list for Moonrise Kingdom) and attracted audience members over a wide age range.  The venue was imaginatively decorated with figures and illustrations from the films.  They played The Carnival of the Animals and The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra and a portable record player before the features and gave “Khaki Scout” badges to everyone attending Moonrise Kingdom.
Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Filmhouse: Roald Dahl films formed the bulk of Filmhouse’s summer programme for families, with a theatrical run of The BFG and weekly screenings of other Dahl titles in the Filmhouse Junior programme.  Within this, the Scratch ‘n’ Sniff Matilda screenings were a notable success.  Once schools returned for the Autumn term, they worked with Into Film to host two screenings of Fantastic Mr Fox as part of a Scots language event.  The screening of the feature film was preceded by a reading from Sleekit Mr Tod by the Scots Scriever (Filmhouse) and Doric speaker (Belmont) and followed by brief exercises in Scots/Doric.

Audience Feedback:  “Great fun, great venue!”  “The film was fabulous.”  “Roald Dahl rocks!”

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

HOME, Manchester’s new leading cultural centre, delivered a programme for adults with the nostalgia-heavy screening of Tales of the Unexpected, and for family audiences with Scratch ‘n Sniff of Matilda, James and the Giant Peach FAN BFI a Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  Home also screened The BFG and arranged additional activities to accompany these screenings, including a Drop-in Roald Dahl Book Corner in collaboration with Manchester Central Library and four Storytelling Workshops.

“A lovely experience!” – Audience Member, James and the Giant Peach, 5th August 2016

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Llancarfan Village Hall was transformed into a chocolate factory, bringing the tastes and sensations of Willy Wonka to life with homemade props which included a chocolate fountain.  This special sell-out performance also helped to raise money for The Cerys Potter Foundation (through a raffle and concession sales) and members attended in fancy dress.  The venue emphasised the importance of events like this to small, rural communities, “Very few of our audience had seen it on the big screen. For many of our youngest audience members. it was completely unknown and provided a very different family viewing experience to contemporary films aimed at this audience.”

“What a joy to see the children enjoy a day they will long remember.”  – Llancarfan’s oldest audience member

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues
mac birmingham screened 5 films over 4 months and was successful in engaging many children, young people, unemployed people and senior citizens.  Events included a free off-site screening of Matilda at the beautiful Highbury Hall, which was preceded by a visual arts workshop which saw many families creating new pieces of art work in response to the themes of the film (working with poet Dreadlock Alien).  They also ran a relaxed screening of Fantastic Mr Fox FAN BFI a Willy Wonka for families with children on the autistic spectrum.
Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues
Macroberts Arts Centre at the University of Stirling have organised an array of storytelling sessions inspired by Roald Dahl’s classic books George’s Marvellous Medicine FAN BFI a Revolting Rhymes, and the films themselves of course!
Canolfan Ffilm Cymru
Based at Lancaster Library, Metamorphosis Open Cinema will be running workshops from late July into August. They’ll transform the community cinema space into a place where children and grown-ups can re-discover the books together before watching the films inspired by them. The season culminates in the city-wide Dahlicious Dress-up Day, raising money for Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity.
Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Visit the Paget Rooms for a fun filled day of Roald Dahl-inspired cinema screenings and interactive activities at the historic theatre. Immersive yourself in the magical library, secret chocolate factory and a fox-inspired storytelling den.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Nineteen Picturehouse Cinemas all across the UK accompany their school and kids’ club screenings with animal fancy dress, flipbook making, Scratch ‘n Sniff and study days exploring Roald Dahl’s influence on film.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Showroom, Sheffield’s much-loved independent cinema, housed in a former car showroom, presents a summer season of Roald Dahl films, screening a film every day though the school holidays and adult titles across the autumn.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Storyhouse – formerly Chester Performs, is an award-winning production house and cultural centre in Chester. As part of their open-air cinema season, Moonlight Flicks, there are exceptional outdoor screenings of Roald Dahl on Film coming up at three amazing locations:Castle Park;Frodsham,Chester Roman Gardens and Ashton Park; West Kirby.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

TAPE Community Music & Film: The Coastline Film Festival 2016 bring their blow-up air-screen to present the magic of Matilda at Ysgol Bryn Elian FAN BFI a Fantastic Mr Fox at Myn Y Don, with close-up magicians and extra fun and games.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

The Dukes – This 45-year-old independent cinema will run a season of Roald Dahl on Film screenings and children’s activities during August, linking in with Lancashire Reading challenge run by the Creative Learning Department.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

They Eat Culture are working on a programme of events across the city with local partners, including outdoor movie screenings, short films,  workshops, tie in events, and films programmed by their Young Programmers group.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Watermark, Ivybridge –  Choose from a full programme of Alfred Hitchcock, Devon summer reading challenge and an unexpected evening filled with a choir and murder mystery.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Watershed – Bristol’s leading independent cinema will have family-friendly Dahl screenings throughout the summer holidays, family-focused activities, young peoples’ programming and editorial facilitated by award-winning youth culture magazine Rife.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Wicked Wales:16: Wales International Youth Film Festival: The all new international youth festival taking place in Rhyl launches with a wonderful celebration of Roald Dahl! Not only will there be atmospheric screenings of Matilda FAN BFI a The BFG at Bodelwyddan Castle but young programming groups will be making extra special selections for the Rhyl Little Theatre in North Wales

Other venues taking part in the project

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

One of the UK’s last surviving video and DVD rental shops, 20th Century Flicks is a haven for film lovers. They’re screening several episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents written by Roald Dahl in their small cinema area.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

The Acorn is the southernmost voyage for Roald Dahl on Film and Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda, all the way down in Penzance, Cornwall.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

The Birks Cinema in Aberfeldy is a community-owned space on the edge of the Scottish Highlands, and they’re screening the Alfred Hitchcock Shorts written by Roald Dahl, as well as showcasing Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Scratch ‘n Sniff cinema has a sell out show in Blue Door Cinema in Great Missenden, the Buckinghamshire village where Roald Dahl lived for the latter part of his life, and where the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre is based.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Bristol’s Cube Cinema is one of the most fiercely independent, leftfield cinemas anywhere – Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda was right up their street.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Curzon Community Cinema is a purpose built cinema that dates back to 1912. It had a great mini Roald Dahl season with James and the Giant Peach, Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda and even the rarely-seen 2015 TV production of Esio Trot featuring Dustin Hoffman.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Dunoon Film Festival brings a “kino-ceilidh” of movies, music and guests at the town’s historic Burgh Hall, where Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda joins the other on-screen entertainment.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Empire Cinemas got involved with the fun of the Roald Dahl on Film season, screening Fantastic Mr Fox and James & The Giant Peach all over the UK alongside new release The BFG. Check out Empire Cinema’s guide to cinema etiquette for human beans – no whizzpopping!

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Falkirk Community Trust organised a Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda experience in Scotland’s oldest purpose-built cinema, the Hippodrome at Bo’ness.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Birmingham’s vibrant Flatpack Festival organised a run of pop-up Dahl screenings at Sandwell libraries during the holidays.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda was shown at Glasgow Film Theatre to celebrate Roald Dahl’s birthday.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Theatr Gwaun, a cinema since the 1920s in the historic West Wales town of Fishguard, ran a week of Roald Dahl films for schools during the day and off-duty kids in the evenings. The town’s Roald Dahl celebrations culminated in a sold-out Fictional Food Festival – a taste trail around Fishguard and neighbouring Goodwick with Roald Dahl inspired recipes along the way.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

On the beautiful Cambrian coastline of Wales, The Magic Lantern – established as a cinema in 1919 – delighted viewers with the multi-sensory magic of Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Penarth Pier Pavilion hosts a marvellous mix of movies and excellent extra events at its iconic waterfront locale, featuring The BFG, Fantastic Mr Fox, Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda, dementia-friendly screenings and a family picnic film feast, including cider and apple juice that’s even tastier than Farmer Bean’s!

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

The Phoenix Cinema at the Pickaquoy Centre is Orkney’s only digital 3D cinema, and the islands got to experience the sights and smells of Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

On one of Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda’s trips all the way down south, it reached an iconic listed building in the heart of Falmouth, where charity The Poly promotes engagement in the arts, sciences and Cornish history through film, live events, exhibitions, lectures and workshops.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Pound Arts in Corsham is the arts hub for north Wiltshire, offering a year-round programme of performances, workshops, youth theatre and exhibitions – now including Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Mareel is the UK’s most northerly music, cinema and creative industries centre, operated by Shetland Arts Development Agency. It’s also our most northerly screening of Scratch ‘n Sniff Matilda!

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

Showcase Cinemas across the UK will be screening a Roald Dahl film – chosen by public vote – on Saturday 17 September. Cast your vote on their Tudalen Facebook.

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Venues

The Scratch ‘n Sniff Cinema experience of Matilda visits the remote beauty of the Scottish Highlands, where Way Out West Picturehouse provide a much-needed and vibrant alternative to the nearest permanent cinemas, which are over an hour’s drive away.

.In the wildest, least inhabited part of Scotland, the intrepid mobile Driftwood Cinema links up with the much-loved community event, Wigtown Book Festival, to bring all the Roald Dahl-written episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents to Dumfries and Galloway.

Canolfan Ffilm Cymru FAN BFI a Chapter as Film Hub Lead Organisation, have put together a major, UK-wide programme designed to celebrate the most magnificent Welsh storyteller, Roald Dahl.

The programme will see an extraordinary array of film screenings and supporting activity delivered across the UK from the re-release of The BFG in July 2016, through to the centenary of his birth on the 13th September. Coming soon to a cinema near you.


 

Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl FilmsThe BFG

USA/2016/117mins/PG

Dir: Steven Spielberg With: Rebecca Hall, Bill Hader, Mark Rylance

A girl named Sophie has an encounter with a giant who collects dreams. Despite his scary appearance he is a kind hearted soul who refuses to eat little children like some of his people. Sophie is whisked away to the Big Friendly Giant’s land to help him stand up to the Giant Fleshlumpeater and bring peace between the two lands.

Distributor: Entertainment One.


Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl FilmsMatilda

USA/1996/98mins/PG

Dir: Danny DeVito With: Mara Wilson, Pam Ferris, Danny DeVito

The grouchy no-hoper Wormwoods are parents to a very sweet girl, Matilda, who also happens to be a genius. Ignored at home and left to her own devices, she soon digests the entire contents of the local library before being sent to Crunchem Hall, a nightmarish school headed by the sadistic Miss Trunchbull. It’s here that her abilities come to the fore, her brain power and telekinetic powers attracting the attention of sweet and warm-natured rose amongst thorns Miss Honey.

Image courtesy of Sony / Park Circus. Distributor: Park Circus and Filmbank Media


Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl FilmsCharlie and the Chocolate Factory

USA/2005/115mins/PG

Dir: Tim Burton With: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter

Reclusive and barking mad confectioner Willy Wonka has taken it into his head to allow five lucky children a peek at the inside of his world famous chocolate factory after decades of never allowing anyone near his palace of sticky enchantments. One of the chosen few is poor but generous Charlie Bucket, who only has enough money to buy one chocolate bar a year, on his birthday.

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. / Park Circus. Distributor: Park Circus and Filmbank Media


Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl FilmsWillie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

USA/1971/100mins/U

Dir: Mel Stuart With: Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum

The world is agog when Willy Wonka, for years a recluse in his factory, announces that five lucky people will be given a tour of the factory, shown all the secrets of his amazing candy and one will win a lifetime supply of chocolate. Nobody wants the prize more than young Charlie, but as his family is so poor that even one bar is a treat, his chances are unlikely in the extreme. But magic can happen as Charlie gets his chance, along with four other somewhat odious children.

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. / Park Circus. Distributor: Park Circus and Filmbank Media.


Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl FilmsJames and the Giant Peach

UK/1996/89mins/U

Dir: Henry Selick Voices: Paul Terry, Joanna Lumley, Richard Dreyfuss

James’ happy life at the English seaside is abruptly ended when his parents are killed by a rogue rhinoceros and he goes to live with his two horrid aunts. Daringly saving the life of a spider he comes into possession of magic boiled crocodile tongues, after which an enormous peach starts growing in the garden. Venturing inside he meets not only the spider but a number of new friends including a lovely ladybird and sarcastic centipede who help him with his plan to try to get to New York City. A fond and fruitful tribute to the cranky genius of Dahl.

Distributor: Fox and Filmbank Media, DCP available from Pathé.


Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl FilmsChitty Chitty Bang Bang

UK/1968/144mins/U

Dir. Ken Hughes With Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries

A down-on-his-luck inventor turns a broken-down Grand Prix car into a fancy vehicle for his children, and then they go off on a magical fantasty adventure to save their grandfather in a far-off land.

Distributor: Park Circus and Filmbank Media


The Witches 

US/1990/91mins/PG

Dir: Nicolas Roeg 

After his parents die in a car crash, Luke travels with his eccentric grandmother to a stark Cornish hotel. Also checking in is the annual ladies meeting of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Luke overhears a meeting only to discover they are actually a convocation of ghastly witches hell bent on turning every child in Britain into a mouse. With a deliciously wicked performance from Anjelica Huston and imaginative puppetry by Jim Henson’s creature shop, Roeg’s dark and witty retelling puts disturbing flesh on Dahl’s fancies like few other adaptation.

Distributor: Park Circus and Filmbank Media. Cinemas must contact Park Circus for rights to DCP for screenings from August 2016 onwards (date TBC). Screenings on DVD will only be granted by Filmbank for non-theatrical venues.


Fantastic Mr Fox

US/2009/97mins/PG

Dir: Wes Anderson Voices: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray

Wily and audacious Mr. Fox loses his tail to the loathsome trio of exploitative farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean, one fat, one short, one lean. Mr. Fox is no saint himself, having been a flourishing chicken thief until times grew risky, a secret kept from upright Mrs. Fox. Facing subterranean incarceration, he mobilises his fellow creatures under siege to rise up against the brutish farmers. Wes Anderson’s retelling visualises Dahl’s classic tale with wicked panache and psychedelic dazzle through idiosyncratic stop-animation and set design.

Distributor: Fox and Filmbank Media, DCP available from Pathé.


Tales of the Unexpected

UK/1979-1988/25mins/12

A selection of episodes from the classic macabre British television series, often told with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, based on the short stories by Roald Dahl. Episodes to be select through an audience vote.

Distributor: Park Circus. Only non-theatrical bookings taken, no admission to be charged.


The Night Digger

UK/1971/110mins/adv18

Dir: Alastair Reid With: Patricia Neal, Pamela Brown, Nicholas Clay

The dreary existence of middle-aged spinster Maura takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of young handyman Billy Jarvis, but there is more to Billy than meets the eye. Finding herself fascinated by his nocturnal forays, she learns to her horror why he spends so much time outdoors at night. An eerie Bernard Herrmann score ups the tension as Patricia Neal, then Dahl’s wife, provides sexual tension and a certain Gothic flavour.

Distributor: Hollywood Classics. This film must only show on a screen 4m diagonal or smaller.


36 Hours

USA/1965/115mins/adv12A    

Dir: George Seaton With: James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Rod Taylor

Just days prior to the launch of D-Day, the Nazis kidnap Major Jefferson Pike in Lisbon and transport him to Germany. They establish an elaborate ruse to convince him that it is actually 1950 and that the war is long over, telling him that he’s suffering from periodic memory loss in order to gain access to plans for the Normandy invasion. Once he realizes what is happening, he not only has to convince them that he was lying the first time round but also find a way to escape. A taut and suspenseful thriller based on Dahl’s 1944 short story “Beware of the Dog”.

Distributor: Hollywood Classics. This film must only show on a screen 4m diagonal or smaller.


Gremlins

USA/1984/106mins/15

Dir: Joe Dante With: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton

Seeking a unique gift for his son, an erstwhile inventor purchases a cute, fuzzy little Mogwai from a Chinatown shopkeeper’s grandson, warning him to never let it get wet, exposed to sunlight or feed it after midnight. Naturally, things don’t go to plan and the loveable critter mutates, unleashing an army of devilish monsters and panic in the streets. Loosely inspired by the creatures from Dahl’s story “The Gremlins”, this is an homage to B-movie monsters and both a Christmas and all year round classic.

Distributor: Park Circus and Filmbank Media.


Film Hub Wales - Roald Dahl Films

Alfred Hitcock Presents

USA/1962-1965/25mins approx./NC

Registered trademark of The Alfred Hitchcock Trust

A selection of invariably surprising episodes written by Dahl for the classic anthology presented by master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock:

  1. Mrs Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat
    USA/1960/25mins/NC
    Dir: Alfred Hitchcock With: Audrey Meadows, Les Tremayne

    A married woman receives a glamourous mink coat from a man with whom she had an affair. Hoping to sneak the coat into her home without arousing suspicions, she soon discovers her husband has plans of his own.
  2. The Landlady
    USA/1961/25mins/NC

    Dir: Paul Henreid With: Dean Stockwell
    Young Billy Weaver takes refuge in a seemingly cosy B&B whilst travelling, greeted by a talkative landlady. Slightly perplexed by the lack of guests in the guest book and her fondness for taxidermy, he begins to realise the tea tastes a little suspicious.
  3. Lamb to the Slaughter
    USA/1958/30mins/NC
    Dir: Alfred Hitchcock With Barbara Bel Geddes, Harold J. Stone, Allan Lane

    When Mary Maloney’s police chief husband is found murdered, the police investigate and have a hard time trying to find the murder weapon.
  4. A Dip in the Pool
    USA/1958/26mins/NC
    Dir: Alfred Hitchcock With Keenan Wynn, Fay Wray

    William Botibol is a compulsive gambler. While on a cruise he enters a betting pool to guess the number of miles the ship will travel in the course of twenty four hours. He deduces he’ll win if the ship is delayed a little – if, for instance, it has to turn back to collect a man overboard
  5. The Man from the South
    USA/1960/30mins/NC
    Dir: Norman Lloyd With Steve McQueen, Peter Lorre

    In a Las Vegas casino, an unpleasant little man hopes to use a young man’s wish to impress the young woman he has just met to pressure the young fellow into accepting a macabre bet.
    6. Poison
    USA/1958/26mins/NC
    Dir: Alfred Hitchcock With Wendell Corey, James Donald
    Harry Pope is lying in bed and discovers that there is a sleeping snake on his stomach.
    Distributor: Universal.

Porco Rosso

Japan/1992/94mins/PG

Dir: Hayao Miyazaki Voices: Michael Keaton, Susan Egan

In early 1930s Italy air pirates, bounty hunters and high fliers of all sorts rule the skies. The most cunning and skilled of these is Porco Rosso, a former ace cursed to look like a pig after his squadron was mysteriously wiped out. Defeated in a dogfight he takes refuge in a hangar near Milan, preparing to battle his rival once and for all. This Studio Ghibli classic has parallels to Dahl’s short story “They Shall Not Grow Old”.

Distributor: Studio Canal


Four Rooms

USA/1995/138mins/18

Dir: Alisson Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino With: Sammi Davis, Madonna, Antonio Banderas

It’s New Year’s Eve at a former grand old Hollywood hotel and things are awry. On his first night on the job, the bellhop is asked to help out a coven of witches, agrees to watch a gangster’s kids for him and referees a ghastly wager. Four interlocking tales in segments, in its entirety loosely based on many of Dahl’s adult short fiction writings.

Distributor: Park Circus and Filmbank Media.


You Only Live Twice

UK/1967/117mins/adv12A

Dir: Lewis Gilbert With: Sean Connery, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama

When an American space capsule is swallowed up by what they believe to be a Russian spaceship, suspicions mount and the world superpowers are hurled to the brink of war. The British government however suspect that other powers are at work. Bond must investigate the shady SPECTRE organisation with the aid of Japanese agent Kissy Suzuki in a race against the doomsday clock in this seminal 007 adventure with a screenplay by Dahl himself.

Distributor: Park Circus and Filmbank Media.


The Twilight Zone: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet

USA/1963/25mins/NC

Dir: Richard Donner With: William Shatner, Christine White

While travelling by airliner, Bob thinks he sees a gremlin on the wing. He tries to alert his wife and the flight crew to its presence but every time someone else looks out of the window, they see nothing. Growing desperate, he steals a sleeping police officer’s revolver and takes matters into his own hands. Loosely inspired by Dahl’s short story “The Gremlins”, this is a seminal Twilight Zone tale referenced in popular culture for the past 50 years.

CBS/Freemantle – no rights clearance on this title currently.


Merrie Melodies

USA/1943-1944/7mins approx./NC

A selection of classic Bugs Bunny cartoons largely inspired by Roald Dahl’s short story “The Gremlins”. Dahl is widely credited for making gremlins known worldwide, utilising eye witness testimonies of strange creatures tinkering with aircrafts in the air forces:

  1. Falling Hare
    USA/1943/8mins/NC
    Dir: Bob Clampett Voice: Mel Blanc

    Bugs is reclining on a piece of ordnance next to a bomber plane, idly reading Victory Thru Hare Power and laughing at the book’s claim that gremlins wreck American planes through diabolical sabotage. He then spots a gremlin experimentally striking the unfused nose of a bomb that he’s sitting on.
  2. Russian Rhapsody
    USA/1943/7mins/NC
    Dir: Bob Clampett Voice: Mel Blanc

    As Adolf Hitler personally flies a bomber on a mission to the Soviet Union, the gremlins from the Kremlin set about the stop him.

No rights clearance on these titles currently.


Esio Trot

UK/2015/88mins/PG

Dir: Dearblha Walsh With: Dustin Hoffman, Judi Dench, James Corden, Salo Gardner

Lonely bachelor Mr Hoppy lives in a London flat and has two loves in his life – his balcony garden and Mrs Silver, the widow in the flat below. Mrs Silver is too fond of her tortoise Alfie to respond. Noticing that she’s concerned about Alfie’s lack of growth, he hatches a plan to show how much he cares.

Distibutor: Endor Productions


 

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