The BFG (1989)

THE BFG is the first adaptation of the famous Roald Dahl novel of 1982. It's a straight animated version of the story that was originally shown at Christmas on TV when first released. Comparisons will obviously made with the big budget live action version recently released to cinemas, and I think both versions are of a comparable quality.Obviously, this one is much cruder in terms of animation, and made on a fraction of Spielberg's budget. However, it's just as warm-hearted if not more so, and it seems to capture Dahl's essence in a more convincing way; there are no tacked-on action bits as in the Hollywood version. David Jason is a more endearing protagonist than Mark Rylance, too. The rest is fun, a bit childish in places, but good for Dahl fans.

This film is a real 80's delight. I rediscovered it while watching it with my kids. It's so much of it's time. There's an innocence in the animation and story. Nobody questions why a big creepy giant would want to hang around with a little girl. Which is is great!! The times we live in are so paranoid this film makes us remember why we all need a granddad figure of out own.David Jason's performance as the BFG is remarkable. At first I didn't realise it was him. I think he gives it that extra something that really shines through.The beginning was really Richard William's like, with the cloaked giant running through the streets. It makes me realise how good Cosgrove Hall could be. It would be fun to check out more of their stuff again. Especaily Danger Mouse.

Following from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Danny the Champion of the World, this was the third feature length adaptation of one of the works of the great Roald Dahl, and the first to be a cartoon, from the creators of Danger Mouse and Count Duckula. Basically young orphan girl Sophie (Amanda Root) is taken from the orphanage, run by cantankerous and abusive Mrs. Clonkers (Myfanwy Talog) by a cloaked giant she sees blowing a trumpet into a bedroom window across the street. Sophie is taken to Giant Country, and into the cave of the giant (Sir David Jason), he tells that all other giants are eating children, but he is a nice giant, he is the Big Friendly Giant, the BFG, he will only eat the disgusting tasting "Snozzcumber". The BFG explains that he took Sophie to stop her telling others that she saw a giant, they are suddenly interrupted by the Bloodbottler Giant (Don Henderson) who overheard talking, he is eventually repelled from the cave by being tricked into eating Snozzcumber, Sophie hiding in it is almost swallowed before he spat her out. While cleaning herself, the BFG tells Sophie about his job of blowing dreams into the bedrooms of children, when she asks for a drink he treats her to a taste of fizzy drink "Frobscottle", its bubbles go downwards, causing the drinker flatulation, or "whizzpopping" as BFG says, and to soar. The next morning, the BFG takes Sophie to Dream Country to catch more dreams, on the way the other giants torment him, notably by the Fleshlumpeater Giant (Don Henderson), the largest and most fearsome. In Dream Country, the BFG shows his skill for dream-catching, Sophie joins him floating, but they are forced to go back to his Dream Cave when he catches a nightmare, or a "Trogglehumper", his cave is surrounded by hundreds of colourful dreams, all labelled to be mixed together to make stories for children. The BFG demonstrates his dream-blowing duties, Sophie watches with joy as children are made happy with their dreams, but they are interrupted and hide when the Fleshlumpeater has come to eat children, the BFG runs, leaving the giant to devour a child. Hearing that the giants have been talking about eating children in a school, Sophie comes up with a plan for the BFG to make a dream to blow into the bedroom of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Angela Thorne), following the nightmare the Queen meets Sophie, meets the BFG, and believes their story. Following a meeting with the Head of the Army (Ballard Berkeley) and the Head of the Air Force (Michael Knowles), a fleet of Chinook helicopters to follow the BFG to Giant Country to capture the nine giants; also including the Manhugger, the Meatdripper, the Childchewer, the Butcher Boy, the Maidmasher, the Bonecruncher and the Gizzardgulper. The Fleshlumpeater is the only giant left loose, he attacks the BFG, before going after Sophie, he is stopped by the BFG blowing a nightmare dream, about Jack, the famous giant killer, cutting down his beanstalk, this is the only things giants, including the BFG himself, fear. In the end the giants are dropped into a large metal pit, and will be forced to eat Snozzcumbers from now on, Sophie has the opportunity to live in Buckingham Palace where they will create a new home for orphaned children, while the BFG must return to blow dreams, but Sophie wishes to remain with the BFG, and they go back to Giant Country together. Jason gives a great light-hearted voice with plenty of "gobblefunk" (his language with mixed and muddled words) to the lovable gigantic friend to the sweet little girl voiced by Root, and it is animated well enough, it does have it's slightly slow spots, but for the songs "Whizzpopping" and "Sometimes, Secretly", the adorable friendship and the nice simple story, it is good fun for all the family, a very pleasant animated fantasy. It was nominated the BAFTA TV Award for Best Children's Programme (Entertainment/Drama). Worth watching!

I had just finished reading the original Roald Dahl novel (which I thought was brilliant), and at the video store I found the DVD of an animated version. Curious to see if it would be as good as the book, I checked it out.I can't say I wasn't a little let down with it. The animation bothered me a little in some scenes (jerkiness, etc.), though in general it wasn't too bad (I really liked some of the backgrounds). And it could have done without the songs, which really got on my nerves. Thankfully there's only two, so it could have been worse.I thought the BFG was very much in character, but the Queen and Sophie were a bit more interesting in the book. The evil Giants also had a lot more to them in the book, and were even more sinister, yet a bit funny too. That was lacking in the cartoon adaption.All in all, not a terrible cartoon, just not very good. I very highly recommend the book, and once you've read it, you might want to check out this cartoon, but you may be let down (or you may not. No one has the same tastes). I just feel something's missing here.