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“Henry Sugar” Anderson’s Latest Masterpiece
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Asteroid City, and Moonrise Kingdom’s director is one of the most innovative directors out there – and he’s particularly fond of dreams, rear-screen projection, and fourth-wall-breaking tools. A nod to Roald Dahl’s collection.
And “Henry Sugar,” which premiered out of competition at the Venice Film Festival, is Anderson’s first of four Roald Dahl shorts, all of which he has directed. It features Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Sir Ben Kingsley, and Richard Ayoade, and it centers on a wealthy man who learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes and then sets out to master the art of deception. A gamble. David Ehrlich of IndieWire called it “37 minutes of pure delight.”
Anderson talked about his upcoming Roald Dahl films at the Venice Film Festival, where he received the Carter Glory to the Film Producer Award for his work. He said, “In the collection of ‘Henry Sugar,’ there is another one called ‘The Swan,’ which we did with Rupert Friend. We did a very old job called ‘Poison,’ which I always liked… And then we did a very strange job called ‘Ratcatcher,’ which is taken from a somewhat obscure Dahl book set in the east of England. It’s really a rural story, it’s a unique story. And they’re all weird. But really, I have nothing else in mind. I have some other things going on, but for now, it’s Dahl.”
Before this, Anderson had reimagined Roald Dahl with the double-Oscar-nominated animated favorite “Fantastic Mr. Fox” in 2009.
More from Ehrlich’s review of “Henry Sugar”: “Far from a disposable exercise that only exists because Anderson was offered a bottle of streaming money, it’s small – and, perhaps, the other three pieces, including the big project, which is included in it, are still another important chapter in a producer’s career-long passion for self-understanding in a feelingless world. Its presentation is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, not from Anderson or anyone else, but anyone who follows his work can’t be more familiar with its ethos.”
Below, watch the trailer for “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.” Netflix will release it in select theaters on September 20, followed by its streaming debut on September 27.