Le cygne

I didn't realize that this was coming out so soon after Henry Sugar.

Shorts are a great way for the casual observer to get acclimated to Wes Anderson without overwhelming the viewer. Production design and set decoration are typically cool and quirky. Rupert Friend gives a fun performance.

I wish The French Dispatch would have been released the same way that these Roald Dahl shorts are coming out. It's much more manageable. They can be collected into one bigger film but they stand alone very nicely. Wes Anderson is clearly a big fan of Dahl and takes great care to present the stories in a way that honors both story and author.

This is another of the four part short collection of stories, presented on netflix, originally by roald dahl. This one is only eighteen minutes. About two no-goods who decide to torture a boy. It gets pretty dark, but it's mostly in words spoken by the narrator. Not a lot of blood and guts. Also starring ralph fiennes as dahl. With rupert friend. Lots of fast talking, which accompanies the amazing, short, advenure. Fun, clever sets. Some sadness, but according to the card at the end, it's partly based on an actual local news account. A bit darker than the others. Directed by wes anderson. And all over in eighteen minutes!

A young boy relentlessly bullied by two older boys finally finds the strength to escape his tormentors. The pair of cruel older boys, who enjoy shooting songbirds in the hedgerow and ultimately kill the titular bird while it's nurturing its young are so repulsive that they drift into caricature (as perhaps was the intent, as they are figments of the narrator's memories). Like Anderson's other recent Dahl interpretations, 'The Swan' is a stagy, borderline surreal, meta-production that puts style far ahead of content. The cast is great, as is the intricate imagery, so I enjoyed the short despite the disagreeable and mean-spirited cruelty that permeates the story.

Wes Anderson's "The Swan," a part of an impressive short film collection inspired by Roald Dahl's stories on Netflix presents viewers with a vivid adaptation of Dahl's tale resonating with Anderson's signature stylistic flair. Featuring a stellar cast including Asa Jennings as the young Peter Watson and Rupert Friend portraying the adult Peter the 17-minute narrative plunges into the unsettling account of young Peter's encounter with two bullies.

Throughout the film, Anderson's masterful touch is evident, blending live-action with animation seamlessly, giving life to Dahl's rich storytelling. Embracing a strong visual design, the film possesses Anderson's penchant for symmetry and direct camera engagement. Though the plot unfolds through narration, suggesting more of the cruelty than explicitly showcasing it, the experience felt immersive. Such is the potency of the narrative that at moments, it seems like a reading session of Dahl's story rather than a motion picture.

However, the film might not resonate with everyone, especially those unfamiliar or less appreciative of Anderson's unique style, which over the years has been refined and might come across as predictable to some. Nevertheless, for fans of Anderson and Dahl, "The Swan" stands as a testament to storytelling excellence, artfully presented and layered with nuanced details awaiting rediscovery upon subsequent viewings.

Beyond "The Swan," Anderson's other Dahl adaptations, notably "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" and "Ratcatcher," further cements his prowess in translating Dahl's universe onto the screen.

In essence, "The Swan" is a captivating piece, masterfully bridging Anderson's cinematic artistry with Dahl's narrative brilliance.

A young boy, Peter Watson, is harassed and essentially kidnapped by two vicious, heartless, gun-armed bullies. Peter is intelligent and a keen studier of wildlife, especially birds. His torment is heightened when the bullies turn the aim of their gun on a beautiful swan.

Another of Wes Anderson's four-episode short story-series, all adaptations of Roald Dahl stories. The others in the series are The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Rat Catcher and Poison.

Wes Anderson adapting a Roald Dahl story seems a perfect combination: the clever innocence of Dahl's writing, Anderson's whimsical, stylised direction. It's been done before, to great effect; 'Fantastic Mr Fox' (2009) was brilliant.

Here it works too, with Dahl's emotional story of innocence-meets-thuggery set to Anderson's clever backdrops and special effects and imbued with the usual Anderson whimsicalness and child-like atmosphere. Rupert Friend is great as the narrator.

Not perfect though. The film seemed set up for a powerful ending but this never came, just fizzling out. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar was similar - great journey, lacklustre destination. Hopefully this isn't a characteristic of all these films.