Dahl's fantastic Fox hits the big screen
Updated on 13 October 2009
Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox opens the London Film Festival tomorrow night. Stephanie West reports.
Nearly two decades after Roald Dahl died, his books still sell a million a year, and directors still clamour to turn them into films.
But mindful her husband was reluctant to let his stories to be told on screen, his widow Liccy rarely gives permission.
She did give her blessing to the American director Wes Anderson, who wanted to put Dahl's story, Fantastic Mr. Fox, onto the big screen. She also allowed him to write the screenplay on the Dahl estate.
Stephanie West interviewed Liccy Dahl and Wes Anderson. The writer and director said that Fantastic Mr. Fox was probably the first book he had read as a child and that it had inspired him ever since.
"I loved the character of Mr Fox. I loved the farmers and I think especially I loved the digging. All this tunnelling was very fascinating to me," he said.
Liccy Dahl said that she had given Anderson permission to make the film after realising his potential.
"The first time I met Wes I realised instantly that his understanding and passion for the book had come from a very early age and had sustained that passion in him," she said.
"I knew it had to be developed and if anybody could understand the essence of Dahl and the essence of the book it was Wes."
Mrs Dahl went on to say she deliberately tried to immerse Anderson in Dahl's life so he could understand the world behind the book.
"I put one of Roald's waterproof hats on Wes's head and his gun boots on his feet and thought well that might inspire him," she said.
