Steve Reviews: The BFG (1989)

This week I take a look at one of my childhood classics, The BFG. A film I remember fondly as a kid, along with it having some pretty messed up moments too, but does this gem still hold up when given another viewing after many years...
Twitter: / reviews_steve
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[@snowangelnc]

At the point where Sophie understood the threat, went straight to the authorities, and the military was sent out and took care of the problem; the first time I read the book I remember thinking "I can't believe it, it never works that way!"

[@fds7476]

I loved that 'twist'.

[@mrrp405]

To be fair, the BFG himself is pretty decent proof

[@mr.jazzhandz1697]

She really just said “I’m just a kid, what am I suppose to do if you won’t help”

[@chippy2023]

I guess this was a common occurence or something. :P

[@Hektols]

The authorities actually being useful. I guess that as a children's book it should include some of lesson for them and calling the authorities when a crime happens instead of solving the problem yourself is a good advice.

[@pyrrhusofepirus8491]

The giants were scary in this film, they weren’t silly, childlike or funny, they were terrifying. Unlike in the live action Spielberg one.

[@beasty909]

but they was meant to be scary, how else was you suppose to know they like to EAT CHILDREN ALIVE RIGHT out of their BEDS?.....bad folks, no matter how big or small, they always get their comeuppance, always :) lol x

[@pyrrhusofepirus8491]

@@beasty909 I didn’t mean it as a bad thing, I love it

[@t84t748748t6]

so sad the wer not in spielbergs movie i rather see some child eating gaint monsters than giant morons afraid of water

[@masterknife8423]

Dude they were silly in the book. It is a kids book after all...

[@PelinalDidNothingWrong]

I prefered the more intimidating giants

[@thetruehispanicchipmunk690]

In the book, the BFG actually keeps dreamcatching, just that he lives in England and has all his dream bottles transported there. The queen also appoints him as England’s official dreamcatcher and he fixes his broken English, writing a book based on his adventures under a different name which is then revealed to be the BFG book itself.

[@psifla99]

It’s my favourite ending of the three. It also fulfils The BFG’s desire never to eat snozzcumbers again, something which I don’t think is addressed in the ‘89 film.

[@sethleoric2598]

I love how Sofie and the giant don't go on a crazy adventure to fight the giant king or something, they just alert the authorities and the military actually handles it lol.

[@AStoryteller-for-fun]

​@@yourbabyteeehh, it is true ngl. The BFG is just skinny compared to many other giant.

[@asherz2]

god, i remember my english teacher reading the book to us in 6th grade, he'd do voices for the characters, read the most intense parts of the chapters and left us on cliffhangers, which just made us excited to read the next chapter, and even put on this movie for us, and we all heavily enjoyed it, next after this was the Hobbit which got me into fantasy and my love for DND, easy to say that my teacher, Mr. P, helped me find my love for literature, fantasy, story writing, and character creation

[@Logitah]

Wow! My mum was our teacher during primary school and she used to read to us too! She was really good at keeping the whole class on their toes due to cliffhangers. I actually got into reading out loud (as in audiobooks) because of her! Reading teachers are the best!

[@ranjira7893]

I had a Math tutor who used D&D to teach. he also introduced me to RWBY way back when the Red Trailer first released.

[@macethemaniac346]

This reminds me of when my aunt, who was my 3rd grade teacher, read us the BFG. The opening chapter scared the heck out of me and she had to reasure me that it wouldnt be scary. And, one time, when she had to leave for an emergency teacher meeting, i think that was the reason, right before it was time to read it, my gym teacher stepped in to read it for us. And, like my aunt, he tried doing voices for the characters. Its a memory i always look back on with pure joy.

[@joshuamattingly1232]

My math teacher would read this book to my class back in fifth grade and as a kid who already loved create stories and characters, it was a book and film I very much remember and enjoy.

[@ostrich3335]

Man it’s so great to have inspiring teachers

[@eeveestar6826]

This book, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Fantastic Mr Fox were my favourite books as a child. They all got their own movie adaptions, but I'm only now discovering that they made an animated movie of The BFG?!

[@Anna-po1sb]

I never heard of those books :’( as a kid, I was reading Tom Sawyer, White fang, and uh treasure island!

[@keiviroque5666]

The BFG also got another movie adaptation a couple years back, by Disney. Though I don’t exactly hear amazing things about it

[@SubbieNautica]

Roald Dahl just has that special place in my heart, I’m now 16 and I’m still reading his books. My first RD book was George’s Marvellous Medicine, that was my favourite until I got The BFG.

[@thing1thing2themediamaniac43]

You forgot James And The Giant Peach

[@SubbieNautica]

@@thing1thing2themediamaniac43 Yes!

[@ripleyandweeds1288]

I can't get over how the Queen is so much more realistically drawn compared to the other characters, like its actually hilarious how much she sticks out.

[@toms.a.savage7232]

No joke, I busted out laughing seeing how the Queen was animated when she came to the balcony to see the BFG.

[@huntercoleman460]

@@toms.a.savage7232 I mean, this is a British movie. Of course they’ll make the queen stand out.

[@marcusblackwell2372]

Well, the army soldiers seemed relatively realistic. Not rotoscoped, but pretty realistic for what the style was

[@ibrahimihsan2090]

That is sort of cuz she is a hero and supposedly a role model in the story(as ironic as that sounds). I believe many cartoons of the time drew role models with realistic details.

[@nobody2996]

There's something hilarious about this magical, fairy tale kids film just going "Alright, call in the troops!" to solve the giant crisis.

[@valance10]

It's nice to see the military being somewhat competent in a film

[@THE-HORRORCHANNEL_V2]

269th liker

[@nobody2996]

@@THE-HORRORCHANNEL_V2 Thank you for your service.

[@Matteus2109]

I always loved how NOT condescending Dahl's books were to kids. People died in his books. People who you should have trusted turned out to be selfish, worthless, or just plain mad. I liked how he didn't speak down to kids in his books, all the while still having so much wonder and imagination.

[@fireknight0146]

The world is a big, scary place and they ought ta know it too. But after all is said and done, there is good in it, and you'll be alright in the end.

[@WobblesandBean]

Yup. Roald Dahl saw some ish in his day, and he knew that kids shouldn't be deluded into thinking the world is a safe, happy place. He introduced children to some very serious things without talking down to them. I really appreciated that now as an adult.

[@Oueenazolatigressgina]

@@WobblesandBean you aren't kidding cause he literally participated in the World War and ended up crash landing in Africa and got several spine injuries. Now that I think about it, Matilda is probably one of the most darkest books written by Roald Dahl which covers themes like child abuse, neglect

[@authornikkih8266]

@@Oueenazolatigressgina Africa is a continent so his plane was spread across the entire continent?

[@KawaiiStars]

That's because he himself felt that in boarding school, it was awful from the uniforms to the teachers, everything really

[@joshuahilliker2364]

“The BFG is a British-“ Ah shit, better dust off the list of nearby therapists again.

[@ssai90]

Doesn’t help that it was made in the 80’s either. The prevailing motto for kids’ films seems to have been “well, they’ve got to learn about their own mortality sometime”

[@vjpearce]

Fun fact: David Jason liked doing the voice to the BFG so much, that he named his daughter after Sophie in 2001.

[@alexconn7473]

That is so wholesome

[@beastmaster0934]

That is so sweet.

[@drewmatthews23]

My uncle worked on this movie, doing some of the music, and I always loved this movie and seeing the review I couldn't not watch. Hearing someone else's thoughts on it (and how they enjoyed the musical element) has made me smile today. Great video.

[@thebcplayer]

If you don't mind me asking, what was his name? There were two people who worked on the score of the film, Keith Hopwood and Malcolm Rowe.

[@JadeDolphin22]

The musical elements were fantastic as was the movie itself! Your uncle should be very proud!

[@jesusisherelookbusy]

Tell your Uncle he did an amazing job with the film’s score. I’m so glad that it’s now on Spotify.

[@3X3LR8]

Cap

[@GrifoStelle]

@@3X3LR8 for anyone not in touch with 2020 slang "cap" is the "crap" and "bull crap" from every other generation. As in "I do not believe this"

[@slakmansauce3390]

Fun fact! The illustrator for the original book based his illustrations of the BFG on Roald Dahl himself. Dahl liked it so much that he changed the description of the BFG to fit it.

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

Quentin Blake's (the illustrator who drew the illustrations of Roald Dahl's books and a close friend to him) illustration has some charm to it.

[@masterknife8423]

@@poweroffriendship2.0 It really suits Dahl's stories

[@MariusWales]

Now that I look at it, the book version does kinda look like Dahl. Can't believe I never noticed that. XD

[@watchforever1724]

He said it in the review though

[@greenhowie]

@@JazzStation95 pretty much. I think he regretted being a bad father.

[@svoloch125]

You are right, Queen is on point in this adaptation, so quintessentially British. "Oh dear, giant eating our country's children? That is dreadful indeed. Would you like crumpets or biscuits with your tea?"

[@hollowvolocaloid6062]

She didnt say I'll put the kettle on

[@funlover163]

@@hollowvolocaloid6062 she is the queen, that's what servants are for

[@hollowvolocaloid6062]

@@funlover163 yeah

[@shannonjones9455]

I’ve heard an idea before that the bfg is the last of a different giant group, one who smaller than normal giants but is more into helping kids with dreams. Can’t remember to much as it was long ago but I’ve always loved that idea

[@finelineguy8733]

Wonder what happened to the other Friendly giants then? According to the BFG, giants don’t kill other giants. so it couldn’t have been the mean giants that killed them

[@cardboardking577]

@@finelineguy8733 maybe they evolved out of existence.

[@beastmaster0934]

@@finelineguy8733 Maybe the other giants lied to the BFG about that rule, while in reality they killed all the other giants like him, because they believed them to be weak.

[@naturalist4life396]

8:24 - I think they were trying to say that the BFG was against eating humans, not meat. Or at least that's the impression that I got from the book. He actually says in the film that Snozzcumbers are the only thing that grows in giant country, and he's too honorable(?) of a giant to go stealing food from humans.

[@DJ_Mystic]

Exactly

[@ToxicBastard]

The fact that adults, authority figures and the Queen especially are actually competent and reasonable is refreshing. The film and book both also scared the crap out of young me, especially the line about the three men being eaten alive.

[@fireknight0146]

Also the generals' antics are just... Funny. Competent and reasonable, but why *shouldn't* you have fun with your job?

[@y0kian]

shes not anymore

[@cleonumber1]

IDK about them being alive. They could have died from the impact of falling into a huge concrete pit

[@kimberleyjanemcnab5343]

I think the BFG was supposed to look menacing to reflect Sophie’s fear and give us a “fear” of what the giant is going to do with Sophie.

[@winzigerflashendeckel6894]

That Sounds really true. Also i like the big fucking giant

[@titangirl161]

This is why I didn't like the remake. I literally cried at the end when Sophie is saying goodbye and says she wants to stay with him always, and when he hears it and asks her if it's true and if she really wants to come back with him and they leave together, they turned to tears of joy. I felt nothing/had no reaction to the new one. This one is always superior.

[@bettya.k.abetty8259]

I first saw this film in 1999 when my parents stayed in a cabin, near the Dublin mountains in Ireland, for a business trip in the summer. We bought a VHS copy at the airport before we left for back home in the U.S.A. I just remember this film so fondly as an eight-year-old all my friends and classmates loved this film when I brought it in

[@greenhowie]

Loved this as a kid - they did a great job of translating the horror in the book to images. It's a shame more of Roald Dahl's work hasn't been accurately turned into animation - kids need a bit of mild peril every now and then, The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me would have been a perfect Burton-esque kids movie, there's even a part where they all eat Wonka candy with magical effects..

[@turkishundelightful5382]

I'm thinking The Twits or Boy could be a good book to adapt. Maybe even Danny, The Champion Of The World.

[@nuclearcatbaby1131]

The Tim Burton Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was more accurate to the book. His widow said he would have loved that one.

[@isaacvitela5131]

there was also fantastic mr.fox

[@patrickmartin43]

I think Danny is already a film

[@psifla99]

Both Burton’s version and Mel Stuart’s version have their moments. I love the wisdom of Grandpa George in Burton’s film, when he’s advising Charlie why he should keep the Golden Ticket. But I also love the dark comedy in the ‘71 film, namely Tim Brooke-Taylor and the machine that’s a little too smart for him.

[@dannystavs2003]

If you remember this film adaptation, you deserve a veteran's discount.

[@somerandolad]

Does that mean I get one, too?

[@gonhunter3994]

But I didn't even knew this existed : (

[@gothicgloom232]

I watched this twice once as a kid after a found it on Netflix(13ish) one day and once when I was much older(14/15) and both times my brain just completely skipped over how dark it was. Guess I'm weird lol

[@watchforever1724]

Yeah

[@gothicgloom232]

@@watchforever1724 Yeah the BFG was dark af but I still love this movie

[@amanthy]

This was one of my absolute favourites when I was a kid

[@Shangori]

Same. This and disney's alice in wonderland. So wonderfully weird and strange. Gulliver's travels was another one, but less so. Those and asterix and obelix were the movies my grandparents had.

[@mmalinoff5290]

The film and the book are both such enjoyable stories, the animation especially the dream sequences and the way the BFG’s cloak looks as he’s sneaking around London. I love that Dahl’s stories always had very magical, dreamlike situations and made children not feel condescension from adults for the their young, impressionable age. Rest In Peace Dahl.

[@thing1thing2themediamaniac43]

That was the whole point of the scene where The BFG kidnapped Sophie to make him as scary as possible before he reveals his True Friendly Colors. I've seen The original animated BFG a million times since I discovered it accidentally while looking for The Spielberg Remake. That scene where Sophie sees him outside her window for the first time still gives me goosebumps

[@Robo-xk4jm]

i think he was just mentioning that the malicious smirk was out of character, he still couldve been scary with the cloak without showing a menacing smile

[@thing1thing2themediamaniac43]

@@Robo-xk4jm Still that scene still gives me goosebumps First time I watched the animated BFG I knew that it was him automatically because I read the book in 6th grade But that scene where Sophie sees him for the first time outside her window still gives me shivers

[@fionewatson4931]

I definitely agree, the reviewer's point seemed to miss the point. You could even argue that that scene is meant to be an interpretation of Sophie's perspective of the BFG: i.e. an ominous monster coming to kidnap her. And besides, that beginning bit is meant to be ambiguous and frightening. Same here, the whole beginning and all of the intense scenes give me goosebumps!

[@thing1thing2themediamaniac43]

I just want to state for the record that I REALLY FUCKING HATE THE SPIELBERG REMAKE OF THE BFG. (1) SOPHIE'S A TOTAL BITCH Everytime she was on screen I was praying that The Giants would either eat her or step on her. (2)The Giants just aren't scary. They act like Giant versions of The RugRats. I remember The BFG telling Sophie how scary and ferocious The Giants especially FleshLumpEater were. He's the biggest, meanest. scariest giant of them all. And than Flesh LumpEater comes running to The BFG balling his eyes out begging The BFG to pull a splinter out of his finger, which The BFG does. That took THE PISS OUT OF THE SCENE AND MOVIE It makes The Hero look stupid for not standing up to the villian and it makes the villian look stupid and weak.

[@fionewatson4931]

@@thing1thing2themediamaniac43 That is a ridiculously bad adaptation, it's baffling how certain Hollywood adaptations just flop with any sort of tension or nuance.

[@Venom_Mom]

There's just something about old colourful, fuzzy light effects that just hits me in the feels, this and NIMH I watched nonstop as a kid because they were just so pretty!

[@otisrulling1090]

Get out of my mind!

[@niamhlawson1941]

I wish we still animated like the 80s

[@liamn.7664]

It’s definitely one of my favourite animated movies I’ve ever seen. The animation, visuals, music and voice acting was absolutely incredible. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

[@absolutelyheretical7132]

Wow I remember watching this film as a kidd, it was great. However, the scene where the giant ate that boy really disturbed me for ages as a kid. I remember actually having nightmares about it.

[@bloke7127]

Never gets old seeing these old movies reviewed, always has good variety.

[@watchforever1724]

I 100% agree with you

[@MorrowindES17]

Yes I remember this movie!

[@ButterscotchMcBean1995]

Indeed.

[@marywallace3620]

I used to think that when authors don't like how ppl adapted their books into movies, they were being too narcissistic or something but after seeing The Cat in the Hat, I now understand why some movie adaptations of books are flipping hated....

[@georgew1466]

At least Dr Seuss died before that film ever released

[@williampulfer-melville8536]

@@georgew1466 true but his Widow absolutely hated it which led to live action adaptations of Dr Seuss books not being allowed to be made

[@metazoxan2]

It's not just book adaptations either. Some films based on IRL people or events are hated by those it's based on. Patch Adams is a film well known to be hated by the actual person as he considering the film a mockery of his work as a doctor.

[@shaydilane2172]

Yeah, I think most authors feel protective of their work. That’s their baby, so to speak. It’s a source of pride and a deep achievement to write a book, because it’s (usually) entirely up to a single person to arrange the world, story, characters, and so much more. It’s a massive undertaking and I sometimes feel like people forget that. It takes years and years. When movie makers come in and start peeling apart the story to fit the big screen... well, it can be very nerve-racking and even insulting to the author, who has to see their work being altered from it’s original meaning for one reason or another. Bad movies can change people’s perception of the story as a whole, and may make people think less of an amazing book just because of its lack-luster screen counterpart. I would be devastated if someone ever came in and started putting their hands on my book (aspiring writer, yes) to try and change it, because they don’t/won’t ever know the story the way I do, and more often than not, movie makers end up ruining books because of time-constraints, budget, pressure from producers, and just straight-up bad writing/story direction. Example being Eragon, Game of Thrones seasons 5-8, etc. Wait... what were we talking about? Oh yeah, The BFG-

[@jeant6502]

@@shaydilane2172 Then there's Stephen King hating Kubrick's The Shining although it was well made. but at the same time it's understandable since it's one of King's not-so-loyal adaptation.

[@irinaprotek]

''You can't just shoot a hole into the surface of the BFG!'' -Samuel.

[@jesusisherelookbusy]

*”WARNING! BFG 10,000 IS FIRING!”* 20:26

[@WobblesandBean]

5:30 I am perpetually impressed by how creative cinematographers can get with in-camera effects like this.

[@samiamtheman7379]

I've had the book read to me years ago. One of the things I remember is how the travelling between Giant country and the human world works. Basically the BFG just says that he walks in any direction for a while and he just kind of ends back up in Giant Country and vice versa. Sort of like how he doesn't exactly understand it himself, but doesn't really question it.

[@PlanetZoidstar]

That would explain how the pit works to keep the other Giants in. They can't walk far enough in one direction to return to Giant Country. They would just walk facefirst into a wall.

[@crimsondynamo615]

“When this baby hits eighty eight miles per hour, you’re gonna see some serious shit.”

[@sarahgray430]

I am very fond of Roald Dahl (as is my daughter) and cannibal giants and songs about flatulence are pretty typical for Roald Dahl (who was a bit of a weirdo) The animation is quite good for a children's cartoon from the 1980's, with a rather interesting muted pallette, and yes...if you are dealing with a supernatural threat like cannibal giants, it pays to alert the Queen because she is very old and wise and has powerful magic because she keeps the Elven ring Nenya in her purse.

[@rongusta11]

It’s no wonder the queen have lived this long. She’s a sorceress and royalty lol

[@AntediluvianRomance]

So that's how they rule the waves.

[@69SalterStreet]

Amazing comment

[@Draikinator]

beloved book of my childhood. difficult to reconcile the works that truly touched me in my formative years with the reality of the man that made them.

[@piretiris8223]

The Lion, The Witch and The Audacity of This Bitch-

[@ted_the_kazooman2]

This was one of my favourite films as a kid, my grandma had it on VHS and whenever I was ill and was at her house, I’d watch it with her, it’s really nice to know it still holds up to the standard I remembered

[@kaiser8659]

In Sophie's defense about getting mad at the BFG, She is only a kid.

[@fionewatson4931]

A kid who's just learned that giants eat children in the middle of the night and leave their bones everywhere: I would have lost my fucking mind.

[@trashman11]

I remember one particularly troubling bit of information in the book. The fact that childrens bones were being discovered under the window seals. That just freaked me out as a kid

[@brunobucciaratiswife]

Your fursona is adorable

[@trashman11]

@@brunobucciaratiswife awww thank you ^^

[@samsmith4242]

From what I remember, in the movie

[@absolutelyheretical7132]

Me too...I had actual nightmares about that scene as a kid lol.

[@MrOrcshaman]

That's how dhal wrote, he seemed to believe that children could handle darker stories then other authors allowed them too. I remember how some of dhals stories did scare me, but also intrigued me, it drew me into the fantasy more when something as horrible as the fleshlumpeater or the the grand high witch were foes the protagonist overcame

[@DanTheMan2150AD]

God I remember this film. One of the more faithful adaptations of Dahl's works and has an incredible musical score that I still remember fondly to this day.

[@fartdoodoostinkfart6864]

considering the fact he had only the snozzcumber to eat, he had to go vegetarian in giant land, but i imagine he wouldn’t shy to something that’s not child meat when given the chance

[@crimsondynamo615]

That was my interpretation for why he ate the bacon and eggs. That and he’s having dinner with the queen, it would be rude to deny a meal from her.

[@zoroearc2582]

There are plenty of people in real life who object to eating certain types of meat but not others. When the distinction is sapience, I think it’s a fair difference

[@peterklick2385]

Steve, please consider reviewing Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (1999). It's an incredible anime film in all aspects and examines some very heavy themes. I think you'd love it. It's often overlooked and deserves more recognition.

[@foolishsparky]

Jin-Roh is honestly so underappreciated.

[@amergingiles]

The entire Kerberos Saga franchise is underappreciated. Being a foreign radio drama probably has something to do with that, but Jin-Roh put it on the map for a lot of people.

[@akramgimmini8165]

Yes I watched it Reminds me hella of Wolfenstein

[@crustypaladin]

@@akramgimmini8165 yeah the heavy armor from Jin roh looks like the soldier armor from wolfenstein the new order

[@arkanizar]

I can't help but thinking about Doom everytime I hear BFG 🤣

[@skipperaurora912]

I watched this at my Grandma's house when I was a child, and I was staying the night there, when I went to go to sleep I was scared a giant was going to come reach into the window of the room and snatch me up and eat me, I think I even had a nightmare of it but can't remember, but still a pretty nostalgic film to me to this day

[@mrhappytommy5865]

I agree with you when you said, the giants needed more time on screen. We only saw Bloodbottler and Fleshlumpeater. I would love to imagine Meatdripper entering the Bfgs house. His design is epic.

[@MotleyNerd]

Steve: "'Uh, I dunno, let's go see the Queen, I guess?" like she's some kind of well-known superhero." Me, an intellectual: "Well yes. That's because she is."

[@MariusWales]

It's the most British solution anyone can think of. XD

[@LegitMan335]

Nananananana Queen Man~ !🎶

[@moodycowcrafts4862]

This was the movie we would watch when we went to our grandparents because it was the only children's VHS they owned. Our other grandparents had BaBar, Fantasia and Rupert the bear to choose from. Like the VHS/DVD days were wild - you were severely limited in entertainment options compared to nowadays where as long as there's an internet connection you can watch just about anything at any time.

[@Kitunae]

Fantasia AND Rupert the Bear. Envy. My paternal grandparents only had Fantasia 😭😭 Maternal grandparents had meerkat documentary, Empire Strikes Back (Han Solo was stuck in carbonite for a Long time for me til I saw full trilogy) and a few VHS of episodes recorded off the TV. (Edited for spelling errors)

[@finnsnow2495]

I always had a collection of VHS tapes. My parents had four kids before me so they were collecting. Honestly VHS was the iPad of today. My parents would just leave me to watch movie after movie as long as I stayed happy and quiet. I day movie after movie but really I just watched Disney's Hercules a million times.

[@kiplingwasafurry1108]

This brought back so many memories, I grew up in the 2000s but still had VHS’ from my family like Bambi and the Land Before Time. My grandparents didn’t have any kids movies at their house except for the DVDs of Nemo and Up I brought with me and accidentally left down there.

[@moodycowcrafts4862]

@@finnsnow2495 We still have a VHS bookshelf at home (you can tell which ones were our favourite childhood movies because the covers have been visibly chewed by infants)

[@finnsnow2495]

@@moodycowcrafts4862 I know I'm how old and still have most of our VHS tapes but a few I admittedly replaced by buying them in this stores because the originals were lost to time. I still have a VHS player to for whenever I want to feel nostalgic lol

[@JAProductions494]

I was today years old when I found out that Del Boy from Only Fools played the original BFG Thanks for telling us and great review

[@shayZero]

When I was at Uni, some friends and I got baked and talked about the subtext conspiracy theories for this book. It was around the time of the whole Jimmy Saville/Prince Andrew stuff and it got wild. Roald Dahl was ex military, rather stubbornly English, accentric and reclusive. A spy during the war, a knight of the realm etc. He had a rather unique insight behind the curtain of the British secrets of the nation and the high society. What if he was a self insert for the BFG, his granddaughter Sophie being her namesake and the other Giants being an allegory for Savilles, Glitter, Harris and Windsors. He had to protect her from certain predators until he writes them to go directly to the Queen to sort the problem. Then the ever present danger is sorted. Could of been a very thickly veiled whistleblow/wishful thinking for a solution on the sickness at the heart of the untouchable and holes in the child protective services, using the example of the one child who he held most dear to him to represent how anyone could fall prey to it if they weren't looked out for. It kind of changed the way I watched this childhood classic.

[@FoolishMortalLife]

The evil giants in this film gave me such intense nightmares for about a year as a kid and I refused to ever open my curtains (even in daylight) in case I saw an evil giant outside my window!! I only saw it that once and I think I was about 6 or 7 but the movie definitely stayed with me! Great review and watching this is brilliant way for me to help get over my trauma from over 20 years ago!

[@absolutelyheretical7132]

Me too..literally exactly the same experience I had.

[@ARedMagicMarker]

I saw this as a little kindergarten duckling in school in a room with the lights off, sitting on the floor with the other ducklings, and it actually traumatized me. Like, kept me up in the wee hours of the morning traumatized. Seriously, how horrifying it would be just to be eaten by a giant strolling in the night while you slept? You're a kid who probably had a good day at school, had a nice, good dinner. Family wind-down time was fun, you got all your homework done, looking forward to some event at school tomorrow, and you're having a good dream. Then because you're just that gawddam unlucky enough that some random giant out from nowhere from another plane of existence was hungry, you never wake up again. Never even known you were consumed just to become giant doo-doo, and you never got to grow up? And your parent's fears will come true, and they will always wonder what happened to you, hoping you're unharmed---- but absolutely nothing they could ever imagine would come close to what your fate actually was? Almost as scary as that crap-your-pants-spooky-as-all fark cloak that can turn you into stone from that Snow White Happily Ever After movie. Also, I always thought Sophie looked like a girl Arnold from the Magic School Bus.

[@MagillanicaLouM]

She really does lol

[@davidmaxwell4696]

So she looks like Janet? Lol

[@ARedMagicMarker]

@@davidmaxwell4696 Not to me she doesn't. Janet has a certain "meaner" face, 50's glasses, and plumper/fuller lips, so no. XD

[@WobblesandBean]

Oh hey, I was a duckling once, too!

[@ARedMagicMarker]

@@WobblesandBean Hey! Bee! :D

[@BaggyFTJ]

This was one of me and my mum's favourite films we used to watch together. I remember her singing the dream country song to me since I struggled sleeping. As an adult, the film's actually ok and I'm very surprised by that, most film's you watched as a kid can be a completely different experience when you're an adult. One thing I'm more surprised by is the score, it sounds amazing for a TV movie especially the helicopter flight to giant country, BFG taking Sophie through the vortex and the main theme. Really high quality and great to listen to.

[@crimsondynamo615]

Your mom singing the dream country song to help you sleep is just such a sweet thing.

[@thebcplayer]

Sophie was originally going to be animated using the rotoscoping technique, but then the studio found that Jean Flynn and Meryl Edge could animate her without needing the technique.

[@geardog24]

I found it hilarious that the Generals actually wanted to bomb the giants, only for the Queen to say no to it. The BFG I can understand because those are his people but come on Queenie, kids are getting snacked on.

[@retrogamelover2012]

Then again, considering the fate that waited them, I think many of them would be begging for someone to end them.

[@juancarlos-uv4lh]

good luck it wasnt on the US they would have benn blasted to smoking crater.

[@XSilver_WaterX]

Britan MUST always protect their pride, coming from a nation descended from mass-endophilliphic beserkers.

[@ssholum]

@@juancarlos-uv4lh Come on now, that isn't fair. If we blasted everything into a smoking crater, then the Taliban wouldn't have taken over Afghanistan... Because there wouldn't be an Afghanistan anymore.

[@26th_Primarch]

I do appreciate the older general going full blown Ork warboss...

[@Soul93Taker]

"Cats don't kill cats" A female cat of my own killed a neighbour's younger cat; she just bit the back of his neck and bam, kitty no more.

[@WobblesandBean]

.....Jesus.

[@Soul93Taker]

@@WobblesandBean yeah. She had kittens though, and that made her really aggressive towards other cats or dogs outside our house. The neighbour's cat was young and tried to sneak in and she, well... didn't like it much.

[@freaknr1]

I really dislike it when people spread the idea that "only humans kill their own" as it is blatantly untrue and only serves to spread unhelpful misanthropy. One could argue that since humans are the only creatures (as far as we know) that can reflect on their own mortality and that of others, we should be judged more harshly for ending the lives of others than animals are when they do the same, but claiming that animals do not do that AT ALL spreads a twisted vision of the world that could hurt children down the line when they realise that e.g lions kill cubs, dolphins rape each other etc. destroying their world view.

[@MoonLoonie69]

BFG hasn't read "Felidae"

[@naturalist4life396]

I think the impression he was trying to make was that humans kill each other en masse; guns and bomber planes can kill a lot more people that what animals are capable of doing..

[@AceNinjaViking]

A comparison of this to the live action would -definitely- be something we'd love to see!

[@gillianday4804]

i've seen this many times as a kid and i must say. This animated movie with David Jason as the BFG is much better then the Live-Action/Animation one with the music by John Williams. This film never gets old.

[@Julayla]

Yeah, the giant's voice fits him perfectly. He's got that Duckula/Mr. Toad charm after all (considering he did both of them in the 80s)

[@ashtonvickers928]

HE WAS COUNT DUCKULA?!!

[@Julayla]

@@ashtonvickers928 Yes, yes he was.

[@matveynoname7083]

This was my favorite animated side by side with ,,Cats Don’t Dance”.

[@DapperThorns]

For the longest time I thought that cats don't dance was some fever Dream because nobody ever knew what I was talking about and I couldn't remember the title. Now I'm just trying to figure out how to buy it lol (probably Amazon honestly)

[@maisydog]

I loved this film and the audio book back when I was a child. So glad it still holds up today :) I'll always adore those lighting effects for the dream world as well

[@guichabanaano27]

I loved the book as a kid. Even though I was never really a bookworm and hated reading Dahl's book still managed to peak my interest and helped me to better my reading skills. I've never seen this movie, but I did see the live action made a few years back and was disappointed in it. This on the other hand seems like a really good film and I love it's style!

[@robonaught]

Also it would have been nice to actually find out which giant is which as the only two we know who is who is Bloodbottler and Fleshlumpeater. The other giant's names are actually mentioned in the film and book: Bonecruncher, Childchewer, Butcher Boy, Gizzardgulper, Meatdripper, Manhugger, Maidmasher. But we don't know which one is which.

[@williampulfer-melville8536]

I like to think that Bonecruncher is the one with the eyepatch

[@eeveestar6826]

This movie doesn't have the scene from the middle of the book where the BFG unleashes the nightmare on ALL the sleeping giants and they start freaking out in their sleep that they're being hunted by Jack the famous giant killer. As in Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk.

[@skullluigi13]

Tbf they do somewhat use that plot point in the end of the movie, where sophie asks what the dream was about and the BFG explains that all giants fear jack

[@williampulfer-melville8536]

Plus in the films favour they were trying to be a stealthy as possible the nightmare part only came in when the Giants leader Fleshlumpeater was involved

[@benglasspool2166]

Fun fact: The voice of the army general is Ballard Berkeley ( the major from Fawlty Towers)

[@williampulfer-melville8536]

That's right and the other general was voiced by the late Edward Kelsey who is no stranger to Cosgrove Hall as he previously played Colonel K and Baron Greenback in Danger Mouse

[@franziskaschutz8291]

I really can't thank you enough for making this review. I was so in love with the movie back when I was a kid, but over the years I simply just seem to have forgotten about it. So thanks for the reminder. I'll watch it in a minute, when my download is ready and my cousin is here,because that brings back the best of childhood memories ♡♡♡

[@epicgamerbread]

Crazy how they did an entire movie about the gun from Doom

[@tomaibetter]

OH!!!! THIS JUST HIT WITH NOSTGIA! I use to watch the shit out of this as a kid! This, the snow queen (with Helen Miriam), the princess and the goblin and a monkey's tale were the animated films I would watch over and over again.

[@PsDnK]

Wish I could tell Steve how happy he makes me whenever he uploads

[@alec2733]

List of things you should watch: - fehérlófia - Alice (Swankmajer) - animerama trilogy (one thousand and one nights + kureopatra + belladonna of sadness) - 1001 nights (Yoshitaka Amano) - yellow submarine - allegro non troppo (expecially the bolero segment) - Heavy metal - Aliens, flamingos & ecstasy - cat cindarella (Alessandro Rak) - the art of happines (Alessandro Rak) - the breadwinner - atama yama - Fantasia - Azur et Asmal - kirikou and the sorceress - where the dead go to die - the Adventures of Mark Twain - fantastic planet - waking life - I married a strange person - cat soup + Nekojirou theatre (you should watch nekojirou theatre first) - genji monogatari - genius party beyond - robot carnival - son smeshnogo cheloveka - waltz with Bashir - Chico & Rita - where's my body - Samson and Sally - neo Tokyo - Yolo: Crystal fantasy - $9.99 - it's such a beautiful day - anomalisa

[@noxturne16]

great list! didn’t know yoshitaka amano made a short film, i’m gonna watch it ASAP, i’m such a fan of his artwork

[@HlootooThunderhammer]

YES FEHÉRLÓFIA! PLEEEEEAAAASSSE!!!! Kirikou, Robot Carnival, Alice and Yellow Submarine too!

[@lanapuffs]

Hey Steve! I think you’ll love this animated film called “Bread Winner”. It gets really dark and emotional at times but it’s overall a beautiful film.

[@musicaleuphoria8699]

I second this. Was lucky enough to catch this in the theatre.

[@MASTEROFEVIL]

What's it about?

[@tonymarchese92]

@@MASTEROFEVIL A young Afghan girl who must pretend to be a boy in order to provide for her family after the only man in the family (old enough to work that is) is wrongfully thrown in prison by the Taliban. It takes place in the short but turbulent time in Afghanistan just after 9-11 but before the United States invasion.

[@MASTEROFEVIL]

@@tonymarchese92 Is this it? kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKaacpSJZt6EnKM

[@desireemontalvo-dobao3411]

Sounds like the opposite of nickelodeons breadwinners

[@grumpysheep3710]

" Sophie stop trying to be a character " 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 damn

[@thezoster2631]

9:25 this is just perfection

[@xxxtakaji-kaixxx9016]

It’s not that bad or that horror it’s just super interesting seeing something made from an old 1980s and 1990s style animation where technology wasn’t that highly good that’s why I want to live in those times

[@watchforever1724]

Damn the animation quality in this film aged well

[@nediah]

Roald Dahl's books are defo absolute classics, BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr fox, Danny Champion of the world, Witches etc. Film's good too.

[@Le_Petomane]

The nostalgia is tremendous! As is the terror! Also the VHS became snozcumber as i watched it so often.

[@Scrinwaipwr]

8:50 I have no idea how Steve didn't recognise David Jason's voice, it's so distinctive and he was voice acting loads back in them days: Danger Mouse, Count Duckula and best of all Toad from Cosgrove Hall's film adaption and *amazing* sequel TV series of The Wind In The Willows (same company who made this film.) I could tell it was Jason when I was a kid in the 80s/90s, oh well.

[@darbling311]

Don't know how he doesn't know Established Titles is a scam. He lives in the UK: he should know how that shit works

[@Scrinwaipwr]

@@darbling311 he lives in England, a different nation in the UK with different laws to Scotland. I come from another country in the UK with its own laws too (Wales) and though it sounded like bullshit, I couldn't be sure because I don't live in Scotland. But the lack of proof the money goes to conservation and tree growing is even shadier than the unofficial nature of the titles sold - they were only meant to be a bit of fun like when people "get a star named after them."

[@am2382]

I read the Roald Dahl books during primary school, it was kind of compulsory back then 😂

[@666Vampirefromhell]

I never noticed the Danger Mouse poster in the child's bedroom. Now that's a clever Easter egg.

[@williampulfer-melville8536]

And fun Fact both the BFG and Danger Mouse are voiced by Sir David Jason

[@666Vampirefromhell]

@@williampulfer-melville8536 Indeed. As was Count Duckula, which was actually a spin off from Danger Mouse.

[@williampulfer-melville8536]

@@666Vampirefromhell that's right since Count Duckula first appeared as a villain on Danger Mouse where he has a voice similar to Daffy Duck

[@666Vampirefromhell]

@@williampulfer-melville8536 Yup. My favourite Sir David Jason roll, though, is still Rincewind from The Colour of Magic.

[@williampulfer-melville8536]

@@666Vampirefromhell and lets not forget that his other great voice role is Mr Toad

[@kayvaanmcsharrowkyn6901]

It's the early 1980s and I am in third grade and our librarian is reading this story to us and as Roald Dahl precedes to terrify the ever-loving hell out of me I then begin to appreciate things later on in life like Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and Monty Python so thank you Roald Dahl actually guided my life to where it is in the things that I love today and Giants eating children is Just A Life Lesson isn't it? LOL

[@sheer_coolness]

Can we just remember how good only fools and horses is.

[@antirambles]

18:55 Nice to see Nigel Thornberry's relatives work on such an important job

[@williampulfer-melville8536]

Smashin

[@greendemon905]

From what I remember, the BFG DOES use a nightmare on the giants in the book. One of them mentions a beanstalk, referring to Jack and the Beanstalk, wherein Jack defeated a giant.

[@kirkengstrom917]

He discusses that with Sophie here, too. You just can’t really hear it without subtitles, over the fucking helicopter choppers and background music.

[@alainali6010]

After all these years i think:"how much years does it actually take to dig a pit that is deep enough to contain all these giants if it where real life?" That's a lot of digging!

[@rdvgod1113]

This film is probably one of my all time favourites, glad you reviewed it

[@geminiamethyst7059]

The film was a huge part of my childhood. I’d always watch it. I used to stay up at night to see if I could see the BFG 😆 This movie will always have a special place in my heart. I liked the 2016 remake, and I recommend giving it a go. But the original will always be number 1 for me. Thank you for going over this film 💜

[@mshaffer967]

If you’re looking for a Dark Children’s movie, I highly recommend The Prince of Egypt, and watch the review by Josh Keefe as it offers a really amazing perspective on the film and its message!

[@MASTEROFEVIL]

Seen it. That movie was dark

[@MariusWales]

Cosgrove Hall Films deserves more attention for giving us masterpieces like this film!

[@NextMiyazaki]

When I was 5 we used to get this movie from the library all the time. I loved it, but the giant eating the kids scene definitely freaked me out at the time. Also I’d love to see you compare the two movie adaptations.

[@EgyptianShadowWolf1]

It's been years since I last saw this! Every clip was a smack in the nostalgia part of my brain, I remember seeing this soooo many times, i'm sure my mum hated it after a while lmao

[@laurena9563]

I loved the book as a child- this honestly seems like a pretty accurate adaptation- probably why Dahl approved of it.

[@mathieuleader8601]

the BFG being voiced by Del-Boy really showcases his versatility as an actor

[@caldw615]

He's done animated voice work before, most famously he was Danger Mouse

[@JoesAnimationHub]

@@caldw615 He was one of Cosgrove Hall's go to guy for voices... why I remember one of his last roles for Cosgrove Hall was "Father Christmas and the Missing Reindeer" which starred him, Jimmy Hibbert and the late great Susan Sheridan. All three icons of Cosgrove Hall under one project for the festive season in the early 2000's

[@mathieuleader8601]

@@JoesAnimationHub neat

[@eleanorhogan8643]

The Batman and Robin parody had me in stitches.

[@randominternetman8177]

I still go into adrenaline mode when I hear the letters 'BFG.'

[@dungcheeseMORK999]

I thought the BFG meant 'Big Friendly Giant', would've been an awesome nod if that were the case.

[@jesusisherelookbusy]

Snozzcumbers are temporary; DOOM IS ETERNAL!

[@MidnightDarkness666]

The tunnel scene used to scare me into hiding behind the sofa as a kid. The combination of the deep music and eeiry visuals were too much for me. This, Watership Down and lots of childhood trauma involving dead pets and my parents fighting is why I can pretty much handle anything scary as an adult.

[@jaqjynx]

The only part of this film I remembered was a scary arse giant stabbing a kid with his freaky long, dirty finger nail. Excellent video Steve! Always enjoy a nostalgia trip.

[@korymulanax3362]

I love your channel! Keep up the great work, and have a great holiday season

[@kindofanironfist]

I read this in primary school and I remember watching this on a VCR and sometimes it would play on TV here in 2000s Australia. Amazing how Australia gets the best and worst of both the US and British media especially classics like this being unknown to one side, but well known to another.

[@NuttersIncorporated]

I’ pretty sure the BFG continued to catch and give children good dreams in the book too. He just lived in England rather than Giant Country while doing that. Dream Country is the same distance from Giant Country as it is from England. You can’t find Dream Land on a map and you can’t be given directions, you just have to feel the right way to go and that’s how the BFG gets there

[@ANDCFC95]

That is true, giant country and dream country are in another dimension.

[@mr_charki6004]

THE BIG FRIGGIN GUN! 1989

[@BILLYBOBBYLADS]

Now this film was one my favourites as a kid. I really want to sit down and rewatch again.

[@Teag_Brohman15]

someone out there is having way too much fun watching those bath scenes... and the very fact that I had to say that is enough reason for why I'm moving to Pandora