Combine the wonderfully weird writing of Roald Dahl with the bizarrely brilliant directing of Wes Anderson and Netflix subscribers have a streaming treat on their hands, says “Streaming” columnist NICK OVERALL. 

FAMED filmmaker Wes Anderson, known for his work on “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, “Isle of Dogs”, “Moonrise Kingdom”, “Rushmore” and many more has lent his eccentric talents to four short films based on the lesser-known short stories of Dahl.

This quirky quartet is now streaming on Netflix and includes an all-star line up of acting prowess.

Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley and Richard Ayoyade all play an intriguing assortment of characters across these four flicks which run at about 15 minutes a piece.

While Dahl may be famous for his beloved children’s books (“Charlie and The Chocolate Factory”, “Matilda” and “The BFG” to just list a few) Netflix’s new short films are geared towards a more mature audience.

One of these curious tales, titled “Poison”, is set in colonial India and opens with a servant finding his master frozen solid and with a snake strewn across his stomach. The plot doesn’t delay thickening, with a doctor rushing to treat the seemingly comatose man only to discover no evidence of any snake at all.

Another, titled “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”, follows an uber-wealthy socialite who becomes obsessed with a reclusive guru who claims he can “see without his eyes”. It turns out the titular Henry Sugar wants to master this power so he can cheat at gambling.

One of the films is even based on a true story and could be considered Wes Anderson’s first foray into the horror genre.

“The Swan” is adapted from Dahl’s 1976 short story of the same name, was inspired by a newspaper article the author encountered years earlier and which he kept in his collection of ideas.

It follows Peter Watson, a man who recounts the traumatic day he was bullied by two older boys who managed to get their hands on a gun.

Actor Rupert Friend plays Watson and narrates this frightening tale. He’s not only the main character, but also voices all other characters in this recollection, making for a meaningful exploration of trauma and fascinating experiment in film making.

The fourth and final short is “The Rat Catcher”, starring Ralph Fiennes as an exterminator who uses his curiously rodent-like personality to win the trust of his targets before taking them out.

If one of these premises sparks your interest more than others, each can be watched in their own right, but together they make for a truly unique streaming offering that will only take up an hour of your day.

From diorama style sets to eye-popping pastel colour schemes to stop-motion animation, Anderson pulls out all the stops that have made his cinematic style one of a kind.

Of course, it’s not the first time he’s adapted one of Dahl’s works.

Anderson was also behind 2009’s charming animated feature “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, also available to stream on Netflix and well worth the time of kids and adults alike.

The new short films, widely being dubbed “The Henry Sugar Collection”, are a landmark success for Netflix after its purchase of the Roald Dahl Story Company for one billion dollars two years ago. 

That pricey handshake gave the platform access to an extensive catalogue of Dahl’s stories, including upcoming adaptations of “The Twits” and “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory”.

That’s not to be confused with the upcoming “Wonka” prequel starring Timothée Chalamet as the top-hat-wearing chocolate maker, which movie goers might have encountered the trailer for recently.

The “Wonka” film, releasing in December, is certainly not a Netflix production, but rather a prequel to Dahl’s book secured by Warner Bros. 

In the age where brand recognition sells tickets like hotcakes, it’s clear interest in Dahl’s works is at a renewed high.

With Netflix set to adapt another 12 of the author’s stories, the streaming giant thinks it has a golden ticket on its hands indeed.