Revolting Rhymes Part One

"Revolting Rhymes Part One" was nominated for the Best Animated Short Oscar. In many ways it's nothing like the other shorts and seems more like a full-length movie cut in two...and we only got to see the first half. Considering it was also released with "Revolting Rhymes Part Two" in 2016, you almost wonder why the film wasn't considered for the Best Animated Feature award instead.

The plot to this story is an odd mashup of both "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Snow White"....but with many, many, many differences. This is apparently because the Big Bad Wolf is telling the story. Some of the changes are pretty funny, but parents might not want to let very young kids watch, as it is a bit violent and Snow White is a bit of a violent maniac.

The quality of the animation is about average. Some of it looks nice, other parts just fair. I enjoyed watching it but really can't understand what makes this one special enough to earn a nomination.

Decided to show my daughter some Roald Dahl. This came on as suggested. I very unwisely let her watch forgotting how dark the books were. By the time Red Riding Hood had got rid of one wolf, we were both hooked. There is a lot of anarchic unpredictability. The wolf being a great narrator. I love the way the story weaves back into the scene with the cafe at the end.

The Dahl story behind some of your favourite nursery rhymes (and their sinister sides). Lots of fun. Wonderful animation (if you can get a hold of the DVD, there is an excellent Special Feature/Behind the Scenes on The Making of...). Gifted voice cast. Nominated for a 2018 Oscar, this is all round fun. I give this film a 7.9 (really good) out of 10. {Animated Tales}

First, any intelligent middle schooler and any age above that will find the interconnected series of Roald Dahl poems unexpectedly funny; creatively twisty; a bit disturbing; and in the end perhaps morally instructional. Cinderella, Red Riding, Wolf, Pigs, Jack, Snow have their true (supposedly) now intersecting stories told. Second, the animations; compositing; modeling; renderings; voice acting and subtle background music all complete a well thought out first rate production. Third, the detailed subtleties/nuances in the characters and their actions (the awkward smile; the tilt of the head; the shifty eyes) keep you completely absorbed into that character.

With a rare and 'biting" sense of humor, this exceptional animated feature came as a pure delight.

Look for those small details, like Red's coat made from the brother wolf that she, uh, killed in a most dramatic way. Sure her wolf coat has those little wolf ears at the top of her red "hoodie, but the two legs and paws that Red uses as a sash belt...well, those are the small details that makes this feature a must see. And watch for the little piggy who owns the local bank! These two well told stories unfold in a perfect and satisfying way with the denouements being as refreshing as if you heard them for the first time.

The voices are tremendous and Dominic West as the Wolf is absolutely superb, as he adds an authoritative and nuanced "gravitas" to the role.

BRAVO, Roald Dah's clever and mature screenplay and and Quentin Blake's magnificent visual realizations!