Roald Dahl museum helps Oscar-winning Netflix film

A Roald Dahl museum has played its part in Hollywood history after it loaned some of the author's items to a film production that won an Oscar.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar was adapted into a short film by filmmaker Wes Anderson.

It features scenes set in the author's writing hut, now located in the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire.

Museum director Steve Gardam said the crew studied the hut "meticulously".

The hut used to be located in Dahl's garden at nearby Gipsy House.

In 2012 the inside of the room, complete with Dahl's belongings, was transferred to the museum to go on public display exactly as he would have left it at the time of his death in Oxford in 1990.

Mr Gardam said producers took photos of the layout, his personal items and even noted the exact brand of knife the author used to sharpen his pencils.

He recalled: "We carefully loaned a couple of items from the table of curiosities that Dahl kept next time him.

"One item was an intricately carved box which they didn't think they could recreate.

"It's a tiny little bit of background detail that I don't even think you can see, [but] it's there for the satisfaction of the filmmakers and the authenticity of the film.

"The amazing people came and meticulously took measurements and reference photos that allowed them to recreate the sets."

On Sunday, Anderson won his first Oscar for his adaptation of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.

The 39-minute-long short film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel and Richard Ayoade.

Harry Potter actor Ralph Fiennes also appears playing Cardiff born Dahl during the story.

The Grand Budapest Hotel director picked up a golden statuette for Best live action short.

Following the win, Mr Gardam said the museum was "thrilled for the fantastic people we met working on Wes Anderson's production of Henry Sugar".

He continued: "The dedication and craft of the set and props team was plain to see and the Henry Sugar film looks duly amazing.

"The real writing hut at the museum is a magical, messy, shrine to imagination and we hope it inspires all the visitors to the museum to explore their own creativity, just as it helped to shape this award-winning film."

The museum was thanked in the Academy Award winning film's credits and ends with a dedication to the writing hut.

The tribute, which appears just before the credits roll, read: "'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar' was written by Roald Dahl in his writing hut at Gipsy House in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire between February and December of 1976."

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