Asia: Wes Anderson’s latest production “The Amazing Story of Henry Sugar”, like “Fantastic Mr. Fox” from 2009, is based on Roald Dahl’s text. The author who is probably best known for his novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” represents, in my opinion, the best possible approach to children’s literature. He treats young readers seriously and offers them a magical world, but not without problems, fear and suffering. Dahl helps you understand and tame these emotions. And what is important – it does not idealize adults. It shows that not every adult deserves to be an authority and exposes the cruelty of the world that children observe. That’s why film adaptations of such stories can appeal not only to the youngest.
“The Astonishing Story of Henry Sugar.” Wes Anderson adapted Roald Dahl’s story into a film
Justyna: And Wes Anderson, in an interview accompanying the premiere of “An Amazing Story”, said that he had wanted to film Dahl’s story for 20 years, when he visited the writer’s family home. But he had no idea how to do it then, because what attracted him to the author’s work was not only the content of the plot, but also the way it was told. So he wanted to present an interesting story and at the same time remain as faithful to the original narrative as possible.
Asia: Which he succeeded brilliantly in many respects, e.g. by paying attention to details, such as the color of the hero’s pajamas. It seemed like nothing, but I smiled. And the film definitely has the dynamics of prose, but closed in a theatrical, but non-dramatic convention. There are no dialogues here, the characters describe in words the tone of their own voices, moods, emotions, and weave in stage directions. The set design and the actors’ characterizations are changing before our eyes. It’s not even breaking the fourth wall, here the wall between the viewer and the artists seems to be completely non-existent.
Justyna: Because Anderson came up with the idea of doing something like a television theater with a box narrative, in which the main “storyteller” talks about a character who is reading someone else’s story about yet another character. So formally it’s like “A Diary Found in Zaragoza”, but much shorter. And thank you, because I can’t stand this convention any longer. I admit that when I read that you wrote “this is unwatchable”, my inner pixie came out and had to check why someone who loves Benedict Cumberbatch as much as you is so merciless towards his new project. I turned it on, watched these 39 minutes of eye-catching pictures and understood everything.
“There’s an idea here, there’s a style here, but does it serve the story?”
Asia: Because this movie by Benedict Cumberbatch is very limiting, and as a devoted fan, it hurts my heart. I believe that Benek is the best actor not only of his generation, but also one of the best that has ever happened to cinema, and I do not invite you to a discussion. I can confidently say that I owe my growing fascination with cinema to his roles, which I had not had for years. He is a man who can achieve amazing things. He can play with just his voice, just his body, his face, his gesture. Here, apart from just a few seconds, he simply recited the contents of the book like a robot. There is an idea here, the director’s inimitable style is there, but does it serve the story? If I didn’t know the source text, I have the impression that I wouldn’t get much from this story.
Justyna: I admit that I didn’t read the story and I quickly felt bored with what was happening on the screen. For a non-English-speaking viewer, the convention is hermetic, not to say clumsy. And I really like Anderson’s aesthetics and storytelling, somehow the way he creates the world in his films touches my heart.
Asia: I always had the impression that the characters in Anderson’s films spoke in such a way that it was easier for me to read their words than to listen to them. It’s a completely different dynamic, but Anderson clearly went a step further this time and gave us 200 percent Anderson within Anderson.
“Anderson is a master of precision, colors and frames”
Justyna: Given the “Asteroid City” formula [akcja filmu rozgrywa się w ramach teatralnego przedstawienia], I’m starting to suspect that Wes, instead of making movies in a theatrical format, maybe he should just direct a play? Maybe the boy didn’t think of it or something.
Asia: I think everyone would benefit from it, because unfortunately, apart from the brilliant “Grand Budapest Hotel”, the rest of the director’s films seem to be an excess of form over substance. However, it is worth emphasizing here that the form is perfect in many aspects. Visually, Anderson is a master of precision, colors and frames. His ability to evoke emotions solely through the use of colors or perfect symmetry is incredible and impressive. I appreciate the traditional format, which ties everything together, highlights and systematizes it even more, but for me it is not enough. Especially in the case of Henry Sugar’s story, which suffers from a film adaptation. On paper, the story is completely absorbing, but on screen, it’s tiring.
Justyna: It doesn’t help that almost everyone in “Amazing Story” seems to recite their lines on time. Most of them do not show any emotions and this is incredibly tiring. With all my love and sympathy for Ralph Finnes, Benedict Cumberbatch and Ben Kingsley, I must admit that it was difficult for me to process them in this arrangement. And I really like television theater quite a bit.
Asia: I, on the other hand, don’t like theater. However, interestingly, I have the feeling that in Polish theater actors often “act out”, while in Anderson’s theater, as you have already mentioned, they are devoid of emotions. So bad and so bad.
“Playing with convention is one thing, but the form should not obscure the message”
Justyna: Kingsley was the best at this, as he retained some lightness and breath in the narrative, but Dev Patel, on the other hand, delivered lines like a cannon. It’s just exhausting. How can I enjoy the beauty of language and narrative when the actor has a straight face and barely pauses for breath? Playing with conventions and reaching the meta-level is one thing, but the form should not obscure the message.
Asia: The critics who saw the film in Cannes had a different opinion than ours. Due to Cumberbatch in the cast, I counted down the days until the premiere, and I refreshed the page on Rotten Tomatoes at least once a day, and from what I remember, right after the premiere, the production recorded 100 percent on the freshness scale. Today, the rating has dropped to 98 percent from critics and 85 from viewers. And I would really like to react as enthusiastically and watch this film three times a day (I was hoping it would be like that!), but unfortunately I can’t.
Justyna: I’m starting to suspect that the Polish theater school and Polish actors have made us miserable, because it’s basically because of them that I now expect lively emotions even in the case of such formal games. Something that, apart from nice decorations, costumes and frames, will seduce and captivate us. Seriously, I don’t think our common disappointment is just a matter of the language barrier and being in a different cultural environment. We all know that there is a universal set of means of expression with which actors and filmmakers can captivate viewers without saying a single word.
Asia: Probably you are right. Finally, it must be said to Anderson that he was faced with a task that was not as easy as it seemed. A film adaptation of a children’s story sounds like something nice to bring to the screen, but the superficial information about its characters in Dahl’s prose makes their creation difficult. On paper, it is easy to engage the reader with a colorful description and fast-paced action, but in the form of talking heads, which the director chose, in order for us to actually want to listen to these heads, we must know their history and motivation. That’s what’s missing here. Among the Cumberbatchs lying in the bathtub on Fridays, I definitely choose the one from the TV series “Patrick Melrose”. Who knows, knows. And now I’m starting the countdown to Saturday, when Anderson’s next work with Doctor Strange in the main role will be released on Netflix. It looks more promising, or I’ve simply lowered my expectations.
Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘The Amazing Story of Henry Sugar’ Netflix / promotional materials
The production “The Amazing Story of Henry Sugar”, available from September 27 on Netflix, is an adaptation of the popular story by Roald Dahl. The author is famous, among others, from such cult children’s books in the English cultural circle as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, “Matilda”, “The Witches” or “The Marvelous Mr. Fox” – each of them has had a Hollywood adaptation. Wes Anderson’s latest production tells the story of a rich man who learns about the existence of a man with a unique talent. Thanks to the secrets of yoga, he gained the ability to see without using his eyes. A rich man decides to master this art in order to cheat in gambling games.
On Saturday, September 30, another film interpretation of Roald Dahl’s story will be available on Netflix. This time, Wes Anderson will focus on a story called “Poison” about a man who discovers that a poisonous snake is sleeping in his bed. The short preview of the picture looks promising.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
