Movie Title: Fantastic Mr. Fox
Released Date: November 13, 2009 (United States)
Tagline: “Dig the life fantastic!”
Runtime: 87 minutes
Director: Wes Anderson
Screenplay Written By: Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach
Based On: Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
Is it a remake?: No. It is the first feature film adaptation of the 1970 Roald Dahl novel.
Budget: Approximately $40 million
Box Office: Approximately $46.2 million worldwide
Main Cast:
- George Clooney — Mr. Fox
- Meryl Streep — Mrs. Fox
- Jason Schwartzman — Ash
- Bill Murray — Badger
- Willem Dafoe — Rat
- Owen Wilson — Coach Skip
- Michael Gambon — Franklin Bean
- Eric Chase Anderson — Kristofferson
Awards:
- Academy Award nomination — Best Animated Feature (2010)
- Academy Award nomination — Best Original Score for Alexandre Desplat
- Annie Award winner — Writing in a Feature Production (Wes Anderson & Noah Baumbach)
- Golden Globe nomination — Best Animated Feature Film
- BAFTA nomination — Best Original Music
Short Plot Summary:
After years of retirement from stealing livestock, Mr. Fox secretly returns to raiding farms owned by three ruthless farmers: Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. His actions place his family and entire animal community in danger, forcing them underground to survive. As the farmers escalate their attacks, Mr. Fox must use his wit and leadership skills to protect everyone while confronting his own restless nature. The film expands significantly on the original Roald Dahl story, adding family dynamics and existential themes.
Key Quotes:
- “I think I have this thing where I need everybody to think I’m the greatest, the quote-unquote fantastic Mr. Fox.” — Mr. Fox
- “We’re all different. Especially him. But there’s something kind of fantastic about that, isn’t there?” — Mrs. Fox
- “I don’t want to live in a hole anymore.” — Mr. Fox
- “You wrote a bad song, Petey!” — Kylie
Trivia
Director:
- Wes Anderson chose stop-motion animation because he wanted the film to feel handmade and imperfect rather than digitally polished.
- Anderson recorded many voice sessions outdoors instead of in studio booths to create a more natural sound.
Cast / Casting:
- George Clooney reportedly accepted the role after receiving a handwritten letter from Wes Anderson.
- Meryl Streep had never previously worked in a stop-motion animated feature film.
- Several recurring Wes Anderson collaborators appear in voice roles, including Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Willem Dafoe.
Soundtrack / Score:
- The score was composed by Alexandre Desplat and received an Academy Award nomination.
- The soundtrack includes music from The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, and Burl Ives.
Location:
- Production took place primarily at 3 Mills Studios in London.
- The visual style was influenced by Great Missenden, the English village where Roald Dahl lived.
Behind-The-Scenes:
- The puppets used real animal fur, which caused visible movement between frames during animation. Anderson liked the effect and kept it in the final film.
- The movie used miniature practical sets with real dirt, grass, and trees rather than simulated textures.
- Development on the film began around 2004 before production officially started in 2007.
Nostalgia:
- The film intentionally uses vintage-looking animation techniques inspired by classic Rankin/Bass stop-motion holiday specials.
- Many props and costume details were designed to resemble illustrations from older children’s books from the 1960s and 1970s.
Easter Eggs:
- The farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean closely resemble the original illustrations from the Roald Dahl novel.
- Ash’s outfit and athletic insecurity mirror themes commonly found in Wes Anderson’s live-action films about dysfunctional families and sibling rivalry.
Misc:
- The film includes the fictional cuss-word “cuss” as a running gag to avoid explicit profanity.
- Although critically acclaimed, the movie underperformed financially during its original theatrical release before gaining strong cult status.
- This was Wes Anderson’s first animated feature film.
Sources Cited:
- IMDb: IMDb – Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
- Wikipedia: Wikipedia – Fantastic Mr. Fox (film)
- Box Office Mojo: Box Office Mojo – Fantastic Mr. Fox
- Rotten Tomatoes: Rotten Tomatoes – Fantastic Mr. Fox
- TMDb: TMDb – Fantastic Mr. Fox
- Additional Sources:
