| CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY |
 2005 - UK / USADirector: Tim Burton
- Reviewed by Jennifer
Thankfully, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have reclaimed this story for me with their version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I'll admit I was a bit worried when I saw Johnny Depp in the wig and the dentures with his face all powdered, but deep down I knew that two of my most favorite people could make Roald Dahl's classic into something magical again. I was not disappointed. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is fabulous. It's beautiful in the peculiar style of Tim Burton films—sort of Gothic with a dash of 1950's Americana thrown in. The colors are so vibrant that the first time we see Wonka's candy meadow, it's like arriving in Oz, when everything changes from black and white to Technicolor. It simply takes your breath away. Even though I knew what was going to happen at almost every turn, I still got chills at all the right times. As everyone probably knows by now, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the story of a poor, but sweet little boy (Charlie Bucket) and an eccentric chocolatier (Willy Wonka). They come together when Wonka opens his chocolate factory to five lucky children who find golden tickets hidden in the wrappers of their Wonka bars. A very special prize will be awarded to one child at the end of the day, and it's safe to say that the gluttonous Augustus Gloop, the greedy Veruca Salt ("I want it, Daddy!"), the destructive Mike Teavee, and the gum-smacking Violet Beauregarde will not be receiving it. The obnoxious children are eliminated one by one, but Veruca Salt's exit is my favorite. After attempting to grab one of Wonka's highly trained squirrels, the whole pack of squirrels pounce on her, deem her a bad nut, and carry her to the garbage chute. The scene is topped off hilariously with an Oompa Loompa song about the "different kind of friends" she will find in the trash, including fish heads, and a variety of other unpleasant things. The musical number is complete with props, and is so random that I was still laughing to myself long after the movie ended. Through the magic of special effects, Deep Roy plays all of the Oompa Loompas, and he's nowhere near as upsetting as those orange and green things in the first movie. He's just a little Indian guy who brings a Bollywood flair to the songs. Thank heavens! Tim Burton's faithful collaborator, Danny Elfman, provides the film's score, and actually does the vocals in the Oompa Loompa songs. Now how cool is that?! Despite Johnny Depp's strange appearance, he is absolutely brilliant as Willy Wonka. In fact, he's so darn funny that it doesn't really matter how weird he looks. Wilder's Wonka comes off as crafty and slightly sinister, but Depp's version is so self-absorbed and oblivious that he seems innocent by comparison. This man has obviously been hurt by life, and has a variety of childish self-protective habits. When one of the children informs him that his factory is full of pointless things, he retorts, "Well you're all short." The verbal sparring quickly descends into the absurd, but Wonka wears it well. Instead of seeming mean-spirited, he comes off as immature and incapable of handling criticism. This is certainly far more amusing than the notion that he is simply a quirky misanthrope. Purists will appreciate the film's adherence to the book, as the only real deviation is the addition of a back-story explaining Wonka's traumatic childhood. The poor kid's dentist father forced him to wear elaborate headgear and forbade all candy. Christopher Lee is great as the stern dentist, and the history is entertaining enough, but it seems unnecessary, and somewhat trite. It does however, explain Willy's super-straight teeth, and does not detract from an otherwise exceptional movie. DVD NOTESIf you're going to buy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, my money's on the two disc Deluxe Edition. Not only does it come with nifty collector's cards, it's packed with more fun than you can shake a stick at. There are all sorts of making-of shorts, featuring interviews with just about everyone involved with the movie. Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, and various cast and crew members (including Johnny Depp) all offer insight on everything from set design to composing the soundtrack. Other oddities include a segment on the training of the attack squirrels (scary!) and "Becoming Oompa Loompa". There are also a few surprisingly challenging video games (it's amazing how much a DVD remote is like the old Nintendo controllers), and even more DVD-ROM features. For Roald Dahl fans, the best part will undoubtedly be the BBC documentary, "The Fantastic Mr. Dahl". For those of us who love his books, it's a treat to see his family and his famous writing hut on film. This is one Deluxe Edition that's well worth the extra expense. |
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There's really no way to erase the damage that the orange-faced green-haired Oompa Loompas, scary songs, weird-looking sets, and icky characters in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory can do to a child. None of it is what I pictured when I read the book, and when I first watched the movie in 5th grade music class, a vague feeling of panic rose inside me. I wanted out of that stuffy portable with the bright colors and chanting imps, and I wanted never to think about them again. Apparently I have no choice in the matter, as it still holds a strange, hypnotic power over me. Like a Svengali, Gene Wilder sucks me in every time. It's just freaky.
