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Roald Dahl is one of the most prominent writers and illustrators in the history of British children’s literature, although some children are introduced to Dahl’s works through the films in which they were made. The 1971 “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” is a classic, and Danny DeVito’s Americanized “Matilda” is a millennium touchstone. Dahl’s art style leaned toward caricature (his villains were always ugly inside and out), and to capture this, some Dahl adaptations opted for animation, like the latest, “The Twits.”
Based on the 1980 novel, “The Twits” stars the eponymous couple (Margo Martindale and Johnny Vegas). They’re a few idiots who want to make everyone (including each other) unhappy. The latest work from “Wreck-It Ralph” director Phil Johnston, “Twits” is animated in 3D, but with an appropriate grime, rather than the Disney-meets-video-game sheen of “Wreck-It Ralph.”
Like the book, Mr. Twit is drawn with a bushy beard; “The Twits” sometimes feels like Dahl’s lesson on the importance of shaving; the very first chapter of the book is titled “Hairy Faces” and the book encourages young readers to view bearded men with suspicion and revulsion (Chapter #3 discusses all the ways beards accumulate crumbs and dirt).
The film is rightly filled with crude humor, but it also deviates and softens the nastiness of the book. Speaking to Cartoon Brew, Johnston explained:
“[Dahl’s book is] really a series of sketches; Twits are horrible to each other and to animals. So for me, the fun was taking these two fantastic, hateful characters and building a world around them. It’s really more inspired than adapted from the source material.”
Thus, the film introduces a central conflict (the Twits’ opening amusement park, Twitlandia), a young hero in orphan Beesha (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and musical numbers.
Netflix’s Twits soundtrack unites two rock stars
“The Twits” has sparked mixed reactions, and neither the humor nor the sincere moments are always there. If there’s one remarkable thing about the film, it’s the songwriting talent of its soundtrack. David Byrne, lead singer of the Talking Heads, wrote the songs sung in the film, such as the Twits’ duet “We’re Not Like Ev’ryone Else”. The end credits sequence song, “Open the Door”, was co-written by Byrne and Hayley Williams of Paramore, who provides lead vocals. (Williams has done end credits songs with Paramore before, such as in “Twilight.”)
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Johnston said Byrne came up with the idea to recruit Williams. This is far from the first Talking Heads/Paramore mash-up; Williams is a fan of Talking Heads, and the band was a key influence on Paramore’s fifth album, the ’80s sad-pop “After Laughter.” In 2024, Paramore was featured on a tribute album to Talking Heads’ 1984 concert film “Stop Making Sense” with an electrifying cover of “Burning Down The House”.
Appreciation goes both ways; in 2024, Byrne also released a cover of Paramore’s “Hard Times” after learning that Talking Heads had inspired him, and had Williams collaborate on his new album, “Who Is The Sky?” Byrne and Williams recorded conversations and performed live together. Writing “Open the Door” is the next chapter in their partnership.
How is the song itself? It’s gentle and melodic, showcasing the film’s themes about found family (e.g., “Family isn’t just who you’re related to, it’s also who you love and care for you”). The lyrics may be saccharine, but Williams’ singing convinces you of their truth. In that way, it’s a step above the film it accompanies.
“The Twits” is broadcast on Netflix.
