Ranking Roald Dahl’s Films: Where Does The BFG Fit?
Roald Dahl is a legendary author and one of the world's greatest storytellers. Therefore, it's no wonder that most of his books have been adapted as films and theatrical experiences over the years. Dahl himself was interested in film as a medium, working on a project with Disney in the 1940's (the unproduced Gremlins project) and he co-wrote the screenplay for the Dick Van Dyke/Sherman Brothers classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. As a movie buff and Roald Dahl fan, I've compiled a list of the film adaptations of Roald Dahl's books and where I rank them. For other fans of his work, this should also help put into perspective just how wonderful The BFG is.
7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

6. The Fantastic Mr. Fox

5. The Witches

The Witches scared me a lot as a kid, but I also loved it despite some of the gruesome imagery. The scene where the beautiful witches peel off their skin to reveal the gross hags underneath is the stuff nightmares are made of. But the action with the mice riding toy cars was a fantasy I had often as a child. Who didn't want to shrink down to the size of their toys to play with them large scale? The only reason The Witches ranks towards the bottom of this list is that it doesn't have as much heart as the other films in this list.
4. James and the Giant Peach

Disney's adaptation is highly stylized with some elements that could even be considered "steam punk." Randy Newman wrote the music, fresh off the success of Toy Story. But the best part is that Disney's treatment remained very faithful to the book. Also look for Joanna Lumley as Aunt Spiker, who is back on the big screen this month in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.
3. Matilda

Matilda tells the story of a smart eight-year old girl whose lazy parents fail to see her talents. When her school principal, Miss Trunchbull, turns out to be a mean dictator who punishes kids often, Matilda develops special powers that help her punish the bad grown ups in her life while also helping her kind teacher, Miss Honey. The film deviates from the book a bit, but it all works to create a much better picture than a straight retelling ever could have. The book was recently adapted for the stage as a Broadway musical in a more faithful adaptation, which serves only to prove my point that the changes made for the film version were for the better.
2. The BFG
The BFG
Sophie is a young lonely orphan who loves to read late at night when everyone is sleeping. When she spots a giant in the streets of London, she gets taken to giant country where she learns that her giant friend collects dreams and turns them into new ones for children. But when their beautiful friendship is threatened by bigger, meaner giants, the two will set out on an adventure to put an end to their reign of tyranny.
1. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Gene Wilder stars in this musical version, which was initially a flop and later became a classic through frequent TV airings. When mysterious candy maker Willy Wonka inserts 5 golden tickets in random chocolate bars, the winners find themselves on a tour of his amazing factory. Coming from humble means, Charlie and his grandfather are the only guests that show a modicum of restraint during the tour, leading to a special surprise for them at the end.
Quaker Oats owned the film, which they later sold to Warner Bros. after the poor box office performance, which also hurt sales of their Wonka line of candy products (Nerds and Gobstoppers being the best sellers from the line). Fans should take note that Wonka's factory was designed by Harper Goff, one of the leading designers of Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. With amazing music and a wonderland of amusements throughout the film, it's easy to see why, like Matilda, Willy Wonka has also been adapted for the stage. And it should come as no surprise that this is the only film in the collection that is able to best the amazing storytelling in The BFG.