When I was about 9 years old, I was given a box set of Roald Dahl books as a present. I started reading about 8pm on Christmas Eve while waiting to go to Midnight Mass. I read non-stop, actually I couldn't stop. George's Marvellous Medicine, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and of course, one of my all-time favourites, Fanstastic Mr. Fox.
The story of the clever and cunning Mr. Fox and his battle with the three greedy farmers Boggis, Bean and Bunce had me glued to my seat. I literally cheered with glee when Mr. Fox scored a victory and cowered in terror when the farmers chased him and his family. Roald Dahl had a special gift for children's stories.
Now Wes Anderson has bought the exceptionally Fantastic Mr. Fox to a bigscreen near you using fantastic, imaginative stop-motion puppetry to bring the characters to life. George Clooney is on form as the smooth, aspirational Mr. Fox while Meryl Streep acts as his supportive, tolerating wife.
The puppets dance lightly through sets stuffed full of retro quirk (it's got a real 70s feel) occasionally breaking into a dance. The juxtaposition between the wild animals and the domestic, urban life works brilliantly. While traditionalists might have baulked at the thought of the americanisation of this quintesentially British tale, rest assured, it does not detract from the magnificent, super, Fantastic Mr. Fox.
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