FANTASTIC MR FOX
US, 2009, 87 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwarzman, Bill Murray, Eric Chase Anderson, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Jarvis Cocker, Wes Anderson, Helen Mc Rory.
Directed by Wes Anderson.
Wes Anderson and Roald Dahl? Rushmore, Steve Zissou and Willy Wonka? Yes, Anderson has directed this version of Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox.
The animation is rather old-style and direct. The plot has been added to and amplified. The context is now the US and the cast, except, as usual for the villains, is American and American-accented. A bit off-putting despite the talent.
Mr Fox is a rather self-regarding chicken hunter (just ask Mrs Fox who is dominated by him). When they are caught by a trap which he dogmatically misunderstood, he reforms and becomes a journalist. Yes, it is that kind of world where the animals keep their identity but act in a human way. But, smart Mr Fox wants to be upwardly mobile and badgers a badger lawyer (Bill Murray) to buy a new tree house. Can a fox change its equivalent to leopard's spots? No. Mr Fox and his friend Kyle go on chicken raids against the tyrannical local human industrialists (the principal one voiced by Michael Gambon).
Oh, Mr Fox is voiced by George Clooney enjoying his self-regarding style. Mrs Fox is Meryl Streep.
The Fox son, Ash (Jason Schwartzman), tends to act like a spoilt brat and is jealous when the talented (martial arts, yoga and being articulate) cousin Kristofferson comes to stay.
Well, when Mr Fox is outsmarted by the humans, battle lines are drawn and Mr Fox gathers the local animals to resist. It doesn't all go according to Mr Fox's plans. He may be fantastic but he is definitely fallible. The crisis, however, does bring out the best in Ash which means that everyone can live happily ever after – as long as there is no more human intervention.
With Wes Anderson's rather wry style, the film is probably aimed at adults rather than at children.
1.The popularity of Roald Dahl’s stories, the film versions?
2.Dahl’s imagination, animals, animals like humans? Humans behaving brutishly? A film for children? Adults?
3.Wes Anderson’s offbeat films, his adaptation of Roald Dahl? The United Kingdom to the US? The American language, phrases? The insertion of the word ‘cuss’ to make PG swearing?
4.The visuals, traditional drawing, style, the animals, their size, appearance, talk, experiences? The animals as characters? As a group? In action?
5.The voices, the strong cast, their styles?
6.The musical score – Jarvis Cocker’s song?
7.The title, the focus on Mr Fox, the audience and their attitude towards foxes in real life? Foxes as shrewd and cunning? Hunting? Mr Fox being fantastic? In his own eyes? In his wife’s? In the other animals’ eyes? His character, talk, smart, clicking sound? His relationship with Mrs Fox, urging her to take a path that he wanted, getting things his way? His pursuit of chickens? He and Mrs Fox getting caught? Being wrong about the cage? Her announcing her pregnancy? The set-up for the story?
8.The use of captions? The time – human and fox time? The works of Boggs, Bunce and Bean?
9.Two years later, Mr Fox and his writing for the newspaper, reading his articles, cutting them out? Mrs Fox and her working at home? Ash, his lack of discipline, answering back, his anger, spitting, wanting to be considered an athlete? The family picture?
10.Mr Fox and his buying the tree? Not wanting to be poor, discussing poverty with his wife? Badgering the badger in his office? The badger as a lawyer, the argument, Mr Fox getting his way? Buying the tree, moving in, settling in?
11.Kristofferson and his visit, his ill father, arrival, Ash and his antagonism, their sharing the room, the bunk, Kristofferson and his sleeping on the floor? The tension between the two? Kristofferson’s place in the family? Kristofferson’s skills, fighting and martial arts, performing yoga? Mr Fox's favourable comments? Ash and his jealousy? With the other animals, with the coach, the cricket, their playing?
12.Mr Fox going on the raids, accompanied by Kylie? The raids on Boggs, on Bean, on Bunce? The different styles of each raid? The description of the precautions? Stealing, the chickens in the fridge? Being caught? Mrs Fox’s reaction?
13.The range of animal characters, their reaction to Mr Fox, the dangers from the humans, the meetings, the arguments, the discussions?
14.The men, tyrants, drinking, their behaviour? Their plan? Bringing in the machines? The pursuit of the fox? The guns? Their characters – especially Mr Bean, Michael Gambon’s voice, sinister?
15.The build-up to the confrontations, the animals burrowing through the earth, their success, coming up in the various properties, the cider flood, their escape?
16.The meal, Mrs Fox, Kristofferson being captured?
17.Ash, his mask, his going to Kristofferson’s help, unable to break the lock, breaking the cage, the escape?
18.The shooting, Ash being quick, enabling the rest to escape, the rescue? The meal, Mr Fox taking over, the toast?
19.Animals and humans, humour, issues, survival?
