A girl gifted with a keen intellect and psychic powers uses both to get even with her callous family and free her kindly schoolteacher from the tyrannical grip of a sadistic headmistress.A girl gifted with a keen intellect and psychic powers uses both to get even with her callous family and free her kindly schoolteacher from the tyrannical grip of a sadistic headmistress.A girl gifted with a keen intellect and psychic powers uses both to get even with her callous family and free her kindly schoolteacher from the tyrannical grip of a sadistic headmistress.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 3 wins & 7 nominations total
Gregory R. Goliath
- Luther
- (as Goliath Gregory)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
'Matilda' is something of a guilty pleasure for me and I'm sure I'm not the only fully-grown adult who finds this film hilarious. It's a kids film through and through, but I've always found it very funny and can never resist putting it on when I see it flicking through the channels.
The main reason I find this film so enjoyable is the eccentric characters. Matilda's parents are hilarious but, like everybody else, my favourite is headmistress Miss Trunchball. She is without doubt one of the best and most entertaining characters in any kids/family movie.
'Matilda' is a classic kids film with a fun story and some ridiculously over-the-top characters. I can't help but find this film hugely enjoyable and would recommend it to people of all ages with a good sense of humour!
The main reason I find this film so enjoyable is the eccentric characters. Matilda's parents are hilarious but, like everybody else, my favourite is headmistress Miss Trunchball. She is without doubt one of the best and most entertaining characters in any kids/family movie.
'Matilda' is a classic kids film with a fun story and some ridiculously over-the-top characters. I can't help but find this film hugely enjoyable and would recommend it to people of all ages with a good sense of humour!
This movie is an absolutely wonderful fantasy. I totally loved it.
The dialog is brilliant. The humor is both bold, and subtle. The characters are archetypal.
Matilda perfectly captures what it is like to be an intelligent person, trapped in the body of a child, and surrounded by idiots who control far too much of your life.
The notion that bad people (even adults) deserve to be punished for their evil ways (even by children) is truly subversive. Any child who suffered through the countless typical abuses of unthinking, uncaring, and ignorant parents will truly love this movie. Those same unthinking, uncaring, and ignorant parents will probably hate this movie, unless they are wise enough to see the truth behind the fantasy.
Despite the difficulties Matilda faces, like all good fantasies this movie has a wonderfully happy ending. I wish the same for all.
The dialog is brilliant. The humor is both bold, and subtle. The characters are archetypal.
Matilda perfectly captures what it is like to be an intelligent person, trapped in the body of a child, and surrounded by idiots who control far too much of your life.
The notion that bad people (even adults) deserve to be punished for their evil ways (even by children) is truly subversive. Any child who suffered through the countless typical abuses of unthinking, uncaring, and ignorant parents will truly love this movie. Those same unthinking, uncaring, and ignorant parents will probably hate this movie, unless they are wise enough to see the truth behind the fantasy.
Despite the difficulties Matilda faces, like all good fantasies this movie has a wonderfully happy ending. I wish the same for all.
I am 33 years old while I am writing these words, and I must admit I am fully enjoyed watching this movie despite this movie was made for kids and despite my age as I referred in the beginning. every thing was perfect . the simple wonderful story , the great acting specially from MARA , that was amazing , that's a kind of movies we are missing these days . my advice to all go watch this , you will not regret.
7/10
7/10
I believe this film best represents the themes behind Roald Dahl's rather subversive children's literature. It follows the continuity of both "The Witches" and "James and the Giant Peach," casting repulsive Trunchbull into the roles of Grand High Witch and repulsive evil aunt, with a bit of the ogre (especially during the chase in Magnus House).
It's also pretty obvious that J.K. Rowling had read Roald Dahl long before she wrote the first of her Harry Potter books. I find it very odd how few people have noted Roald Dahl's literary influence on the spate of children's fantasy authors today. All the elements for Harry are here, in Matilda, right down to her unpleasant 'Muggle' family -- the Wormwoods -- and a brutish, Dudley-like brother.
And for the record, Mara Wilson does a good job!
It's also pretty obvious that J.K. Rowling had read Roald Dahl long before she wrote the first of her Harry Potter books. I find it very odd how few people have noted Roald Dahl's literary influence on the spate of children's fantasy authors today. All the elements for Harry are here, in Matilda, right down to her unpleasant 'Muggle' family -- the Wormwoods -- and a brutish, Dudley-like brother.
And for the record, Mara Wilson does a good job!
personally, i hate nauseatingly cute family movies, but this movie is great! I went to see it in the theatre because i had read the book, but i thought that it wouldn't even come close to it. But you know what? I enjoyed this movie more than the novel! I thought it wouldn't be faithful to the book and that it would have turned out to be one of those typical kids' movies, but there's nothing "cute" about mrs. Trunchbull! This has got to be one of my favorite films ever and it IS the best childrens' movie ever made. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone who has his heart in the right place!
Did you know
- TriviaMara Wilson's mother, Suzie Shapiro Wilson, died of breast cancer while the movie was being filmed. Mara honored her mother by bravely finishing "Matilda," dedicated to her memory.
- GoofsWhen Miss Trunchbull puts Matilda in the Chokey, she bumps into one of the nails sticking through the door and it shakes like it's rubber.
- Quotes
Agatha Trunchbull: I cannot for the life of me understand why small children take so long to grow up. I think they do it deliberately, just to annoy me.
- Crazy creditsNewts:
- Mr. Speaker
- Sir Isaac
- Wayne
- Alternate versionsFreeform, TBS and YTV airings strangely have the 1993 TriStar Pictures logo plastered with the 1984 Tri-Star Pictures logo. The 1993 logo remains intact on Cartoon Network/Adult Swim telecasts.
- ConnectionsEdited into Funny or Die Presents...: Fifty Shades of DeVito (2018)
- SoundtracksSend Me On My Way
Written by Michael Glabicki, Liz Berlin, John Buynak, Jim DiSpirito (as James Dispirito, James DiSpirito), Jim Donovan (as James Donovan), Patrick Norman, and Jenn Wertz
Performed by Rusted Root
Courtesy of Mercury Records
By Arrangement with PolyGram Film & TV Licensing
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Roald Dahl's Matilda
- Filming locations
- 15811 Youngwood Drive, Whittier, California, USA(Wormwoods' house; exterior)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $36,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $33,459,416
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,208,609
- Aug 4, 1996
- Gross worldwide
- $33,461,912
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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