Roald Dahl’

Roald Dahl’s family apologises for his antisemitism

~ Michael Stevenson ~ Leave a comment

THE HOBBLEDEHOY was so very disappointed to have this revealed about one our favorite authors, Roald Dahl. In this piece from The Guardian: “Shortly before his death, Dahl received a letter from two San Francisco children that read: “Dear Mr Dahl, We love your books, but we have a problem … we are Jews!! We love your books but you don’t like us because we are Jews. That offends us! Can you please change your mind about what you said about Jews. Love, Aliza and Tamar.”

Statement on author’s official website says his views caused ‘lasting and understandable hurt’

The family of Roald Dahl has apologised for his antisemitism in a statement buried deep in the author’s official website.

Dahl, who died 30 years ago, is described on the site as “the world’s No 1 storyteller”, whose books – including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and The BFG – have entranced children since the 1960s.

But Dahl was also an antisemite. In an interview with the New Statesman in 1983, he said: “There is a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke animosity, maybe it’s a kind of lack of generosity towards non-Jews. I mean, there’s always a reason why anti-anything crops up anywhere.”

He added: “Even a stinker like Hitler didn’t just pick on them for no reason.”

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Netflix announces plans to adapt Roald Dahl stories

~ Michael Stevenson ~ Leave a comment

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory among titles snapped up by streaming giant

Beloved Roald Dahl classics including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Esio Trot; the Twits and The BFG are set to get the Netflix treatment next year, with the streaming giant and the author’s estate announcing a slew of animated adaptations and plans for a “story universe” that would go beyond Dahl’s published work.

On Tuesday, Netflix confirmed it had secured the rights for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; the sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator’ The BFG – most recently adapted by Steven Spielberg in 2017 – The Twits; Matilda; George’s Marvellous Medicine; Boy: Tales of Childhood; Going Solo; The Enormous Crocodile; The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me; Henry Sugar; Billy and the Minpins; The Magic Finger; Esio Trot; Dirty Beasts; and Rhyme Stew.

Not included in the deal are novels such as James and the Giant Peach; Danny the Champion of the World; or Fantastic Mr Fox, which was most recently adapted in an animated film by Wes Anderson in 2009 [ . . . ]

Matilda 20th anniversary – 9 fascinating facts from Miss Trunchbull actress Pam Ferris

~ Michael Stevenson ~ Leave a comment

It’s been 20 years since Matilda was released in cinemas – TWENTY! As an excitable seven-year-old I pottered along to see the big-screen adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book; somehow two decades have flown past and I’m an even more excitable 27-year-old interviewing the great Pam Ferris. The British actress was, of course, the formidable Miss Trunchbull in Danny DeVito’s film – a performance that’s gone down in film history. But despite the passing of so many years, Ferris’s memory of the shoot remains razor sharp – as I found out when I quizzed her on what really went on behind the scenes of the 1996 flick.Here are my findings […]

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