The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, a new film by Wes Anderson, is now streaming on Netflix. The film is the first in a quartet of short films adapted from the works of British writer Roald Dahl.

Anderson previously worked with Dahl on the animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox, but The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar was a more challenging project for the director, who wanted to create a film that was as close as possible to Dahl's world of imagination. This required Anderson to wait years to find the right style.

In the end, Anderson chose to make The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar a short film, and he paired it with three other Dahl stories: The Swan, The Ratcatcher, and Poison. All four films share Anderson's signature cinematic style, as well as the same cast of actors, who play multiple roles throughout the series.

Anderson's decision to include Dahl himself in the films was a way to bring the author's voice to the screen. British actor Ralph Fiennes plays Dahl in the films, and he appears at the beginning of each one to introduce the story.

The four short films all explore the theme of self-discovery. In The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, the protagonist, Henry, discovers a way to see through walls. He uses this ability to cheat at cards, but he eventually realizes that he has become a better person through his experiences.

In The Swan, a young boy named Peter Watson is bullied by a group of boys. He is forced to wear a pair of swan wings, and he eventually learns to fly.

In The Ratcatcher, a ratcatcher named Mr. Snuggles tries to impress his clients with his skills. He eventually turns into a rat himself.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is a family-friendly film that appeals to audiences of all ages. It is a gateway into the world of Roald Dahl, with its fantastical stories and moral messages.

Wes Anderson's Cinematic Style

To understand the development of Wes Anderson's cinematic style, it is helpful to watch his films in chronological order. In his early films, such as Bottle Rocket and Rushmore, Anderson explored themes of identity and family. He also developed a distinctive visual style, with its use of bold colors and symmetrical compositions.

In his later films, Anderson's focus on visual style became even more pronounced. In films such as The Royal Tenenbaums and Moonrise Kingdom, we see the same visual hallmarks that would become even more pronounced in his later films, such as:

• Symmetrical compositions
• Flat camera movement
• Limited color palettes

Since 2014, with the release of his critically acclaimed film The Grand Budapest Hotel, Anderson has begun to experiment with more unconventional storytelling techniques. For example, in his 2022 film Asteroid City, he used a nested narrative structure to tell the story of a television play, the making of that play, and the writing of that play.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is a return to Anderson's earlier, more traditional storytelling style. However, it is also a departure in terms of its visual style. The film is set in a fantastical world, and it features the bold colors and symmetrical compositions that are Anderson's trademarks.

Anderson's use of actors in his films is also distinctive. He often casts the same actors in multiple roles, and he sometimes asks them to play against type. For example, Ralph Fiennes plays Henry Sugar in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, but he also plays the role of Roald Dahl himself.

Anderson's style is not for everyone. Some critics find it too stylized and artificial. However, there is no doubt that Anderson is a talented and innovative filmmaker. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is a further example of his unique vision.