The BFG (film)
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| The BFG | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Brian Cosgrove |
| Produced by | Brian Cosgrove Mark Hall |
| Written by | Roald Dahl (book) John Hambley |
| Starring | David Jason Amanda Root |
| Editing by | Nigel Rutter |
| Distributed by | Cosgrove Hall Films |
| Release date(s) | December 25, 1989 |
| Running time | 87 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The BFG is a 1989 animated movie based on the book by Roald Dahl.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
Sophie is snatched from her orphanage early one morning by the Big Friendly Giant, whom she witnesses engaged in mysterious activities, and whisked away to Giant Country. She is soon put at ease, as she learns that BFG's job is to collect, catalogue and deliver pleasant dreams to children. She joins him that night, but the mean giants follow them, planning to eat the children. Sophie enlists the help of the Queen of England, by making up a dream for her, and with the backing of the armed forces, they defeat the mean giants.
[edit] Plot
One night when Sophie cannot sleep during the 'witching hour', she looks out of the window of her dormitory and sees a giant blowing something into bedroom windows down the street. The giant sees her, and although she tries to hide in her bed, he reaches through the window and carries her away to his home.
Fortunately for Sophie, she has been abducted by the world's only good giant, the Big Friendly Giant (or BFG). Operating in the strictest secrecy, the BFG catches dreams (which manifest themselves in Dream Country as floating blob-like objects) and at night, he blows his bottled dreams into the bedrooms of children.
The other giants are not so pleasant, and go out into the world to steal and eat children. There is little else for them to eat where they live; the BFG, because he refuses to eat people, must survive on a revolting vegetable known as a snozzcumber. Luckily he is also able to make a delicious drink called frobscottle, which is fizzy and infinitely more pleasant than snozzcumbers. It is also rather unusual in that the bubbles in the drink travel downwards and therefore cause the drinker to do a loud trumpeting fart instead of burping: this is known as a Whizzpopper.
Sophie and the BFG become friends, and Sophie persuades the BFG that something has to be done about the evil giants. Together they develop a plan to get the Queen of England to help them. The BFG mixes a dream which will show the Queen what the giants do; when complete, it is the worst nightmare he has ever encountered. They set off for Buckingham Palace and blow the dream into the Queen's bedroom. The BFG then leaves Sophie on the Queen's windowsill and retreats into the palace gardens.
When the Queen awakens, Sophie tells her that all her dream was true. Because the dream included the knowledge that Sophie would be there when she woke up, the Queen believes her, and speaks with the BFG. After considerable effort by the palace staff, the BFG is given a lavish breakfast, and the Queen begins work on eliminating the evil giants.
Eventually a huge fleet of helicopters follows the BFG to the giants' homeland. While the child-eating giants are asleep, the Army ties them up, hang them under several helicopters each, and fly them to London Zoo, where a special large pit has been constructed from which they will not be able to escape.
As punishment for their lifetimes of child-eating, the giants are forced to eat snozzcumbers for the rest of their lives.
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| David Jason | The BFG |
| Amanda Root | Sophia "Sophie" Clonkers |
| Angela Thorne | Queen Elizabeth of England |
| Frank Thornton | Mr. Tibbs |
| Don Henderson | The Bloodbottler The Fleshlumpeater |
| Mollie Sugden | Mary |
| Michael Knowles | Head of Air Force |
| Ballard Berkeley | Head of Army |
| Myfanwy Talog | Mrs. Clonkers |
| Jimmy Hibbert | Additional Voices |
[edit] Trivia
- The boy who dreams that he becomes invisible has a "DangerMouse" (1981) poster above his bed, which also starred David Jason and animated by Cosgrove Hall.
- When Roald Dahl wrote "The BFG", he named the lead child character Sophie, after his granddaughter, actress and model Sophie Dahl.
- According to Roald Dahl's wife Liccy Dahl, "The BFG" was her late husband's favourite book... and the movie version happens to be one of Brian Cosgrove's favourite productions!
- The character of the giant was actually based on a chap called Wally Saunders, who built Roald's writing shed in the garden of his house in Buckinghamshire.
- Sophie ressembles Velma Dinkley from the Scooby Doo series.
[edit] External link
- The BFG at the Internet Movie Database
