The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More

Four Roald Dahl adaptations by Wes Anderson gathered into a single programme: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison. Netflix released the compilation on 15 March 2024. The formal idea is the film. Anderson presents the stories as fictional telefilms broadcast on Channel 7 between 1978 and 1981. Sets and costumes change in front of the camera, moved by visible stage hands, while actors deliver the narration straight down the lens and play several parts each. The text is not just read; it is read while being performed. Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade and Rupert Friend rotate through characters across the four stories, with Fiennes also playing Roald Dahl introducing them. Roger Moore wrote that Anderson's deadpan approach puts Dahl's storytelling into its most entertaining cinematic form. Who it is for: viewers who love Anderson's formal games and are curious about Dahl's adult stories. Who it is not for: anyone looking for emotional attachment. The telling is deliberately distanced, and the four pieces are not equally strong, with Poison the weakest.