THE BFG
US, 2016, 117 minutes, Colour.
Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Rafe Spall, Rebecca Hall, Adam Godley, Jemaine Clement, Bill Hader, Olafur darri Olafsson.
Directed by Stephen Spielberg.
It is only those who have not been readers of Roald Dahl’s stories who will not know what BFG stands for. This reviewer, who has seen film versions of Dahl’s stories but not read any, assumed that it meant Big Fat Giant – only to see Mark Rylance as BFG, not fat at all, rather the contrary, but enlightened by the young girl of the story, Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) who decides that she will call him BFG, the Big Friendly Giant. And so he is.
Roald Dahl was a novelist and screenwriter (for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and even for some Hitchcock television programs) and audiences who are familiar with films for children will have seen James and the Giant Peach, Willie Wonka, Matilda, The Witches, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Esio Trot… They will know that he has quite an imagination, often with bizarre touches, sometimes having children in peril but getting through their adventures to be their better selves.
And this is the case with The BFG. It opens in London with scenes of Westminster but then goes to backstreets and a sinister building proclaiming, rather largely, Orphanage. Perhaps experts in recognising cars and their vintage will realise that this is the 1980s – but it is only later in the film when Her Majesty telephones the Reagans in Washington, getting Nancy to wake up Ron, that we know we are definitely in the 1980s.
Sophie has insomnia and tends to read under the blanket at the orphanage. Hearing voices one night, she breaks her rules of getting out of bed, looking behind the curtain, going out on the balcony where she sees BFG – who is doing his best to hide in the shadows and disguise himself so that passers-by at the witching hour, 3 am, will not notice him. He takes Sophie with him, escaping far, far north, hopping over rocks and crags and seas to the Land of the Giants, to his rather strange abode, much of which looks like a ship.
Sophie is one of those lively and plucky young girls and, while sometimes afraid, confronts BFG and gets to know him – especially as he protects her from the other Giants, an ugly and motley lot of ogres, who have an appetite for children.
BFG it seems is smaller giant, collector of dreams, distributor and dreams – which leads to his and Sophie’s going back to London, exploring her dream. Suddenly we are outside Buckingham Palace, Sophie on the ledge, her Majesty asleep, woken by her servants only to be confronted by Sophie and BFG. Her Majesty has generally been a good sport and so invites them in, provides a lavish breakfast for the starving Sophie and masses of toast, eggs, and a huge bowl of coffee for BFG.
By this stage, we are well into the swing of Dahl’s imagination and enjoy what are rather outlandish adventures. It also means, adults having to return to childhood attitudes, for everyone, including the Queen and the corgis, drinking BFG’s special drink where the bubbles go down instead of up – which means that everyone does not burp, but you know what… And the results must be one of the biggest fart sequences in cinema.
There is some more action and special effects, helicopters and SAS types following BFG and Sophie back to the Land of the Giants and a huge roundup so that everyone is safe from the poor old giants. BFG is content and Sophie finds her dream coming true.
Since a lot of the adults taking their children to see The BFG will have read Dahl during their young days, it probably means that both younger and older audiences will be satisfied.
1. The popularity of Roald Dahl and his stories, imagination, the novels, his screenplays, television work?
2. Steven Spielberg, his long career, imagination, interest in entertainment for children?
3. The impact of the film for children, larger-than-life, Sophie and identifying with her, her adventures, dangers, success? The appeal for adults, and the appeal to the imagination?
4. The special effects, 1980s London, the orphanage, visual presentation of the Giants, the Land of the Giants? BFG’s home, in action, the big fart sequence, the finale, the pursuit of the Giants, the helicopters and rounding them up? Audiences involved in the action?
5. Sophie, in the orphanage, loss of her parents, the strict matron collecting the mail, Sophie and the mail, reading in bed, wearing glasses, the noises, getting out of bed, seeing the BFG?
6. The BFG, Mark Rylance and his performance, voice, his vocabulary and mixing up words? In London, collecting dreams, taking dreams, his taking children, orphans? Seeing him in the street, his disguise, appearance, hiding? His going home, leaping over the rocks?
7. The Land of the Giants, BFG’s home, like a ship, the food in the kitchen, the bedroom, ordinary life? The other giants, ogres, their appearance, the visit to BFG, the issue of food?
8. Sophie, her reactions, fear? Talking with BFG, wanting to escape, staying? The details of life in the house, the food, hiding the cucumber…, her clothes?
9. BFG, the audience liking him, his stories about dreams, catching the dreams, distributing them, having Sophie’s dream?
10. The visit to London, outside the palace, knocking on the window, the Queen waking up, her servants? Looking out the window, seeing Sophie, BFG? The Queen’s reaction?
11. Letting BFG in, the palace guards, putting down their guns? The commander, his role with the Queen and etiquette? Mary, service of the Queen? The huge breakfast? The
Queen and her manners, Sophie and the meal? BFG and the enormous amount of food, toast, eggs, cup of coffee – his eating, enjoying it?
12. The drink, the problem of bubbles going down, the consequence of not burping but farting? The rather spectacular fart sequence?
13. The decision to go to the Land of Giants, to prevent them taking children? The helicopters, following BFG and his leaping over the rocks and the sea? Going to the north? Confronting the Giants, their dreams and BFG distributing them, their being rounded up, their survival on the faraway rock?
14. The ending, BFG and his being happy? Sophie and her return to the palace and the care of the adults?
