Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Review)

Posted by ad on Jul 13, 2005 in Film | 0 comments

This post originally appeared on Screen*Play.

I happen to be the only person I know who is not obsessed with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (let the hate mail begin). I also happen to be the only woman I know who doesn’t really eat sweets. I’ve always explained the former using the latter. Because I don’t like sweets, a film about a chocolate factory is somewhat lost on me.

purist (n.) one who desires that a particular item remain true to its essence and free from adulterating or diluting influences.

I attended a screening of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Warner Brothers Pictures) tonight with a Willy Wonka purist, my neighbor Elisa, who has seen the original movie a dozen times and read the book more than once.

WARNING – SPOILERS AHEAD
The opening is sheer Tim Burton, beautifully choreographed to Danny Elfman’s music.  Subtle references to his previous works can be found throughout the first 30 minutes, my favorite being Depp’s early appearance with a pair of scissors.

The story stays true to the original until the children arrive at the Chocolate Factory. Following a disturbing puppet show that involves fire, Willy emerges clad in top hat and coat, bobbed red hair and Elton John sunglasses, looking like a rockstar. This isn’t the same Willy Wonka.

Purist or not, one can’t deny Gene Wilder’s brilliant performance in the original. That Wonka is in touch with his child side, yet very much an adult, which allows him to deliver the moralistic messages of the story and the Chocolate Factory becomes a magical place to visit.  In this incarnation, Willy Wonka is psychologically stuck in his childhood, somewhat undermining Roald Dahl’s book. What happens to the children during their journey with Willy comes off a little sadistic and the Chocolate Factory is more like a carnival.

The jury is still out for me on Depp’s turn in the title role. I’m not sure if it was too over-the-top or just how Burton chose to tell his version. While discussing it later, we considered that Burton likely let Depp run with the character to make it his own.

I loved and hated the Oompa Loompas. Burton cleverly expanded their role in his film but cast one actor to play them all, Deep Roy (Big Fish). It felt like I was watching Deepak Chopra as an Oompa Loompa, which made me laugh at first, but then became distracting for the remainder of the film.

Can you do this to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and keep purists happy? I’m not so sure. I can appreciate what Burton tried here, but for me, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was less about a little boy named Charlie and more of a freak-show about a candyman named Willy.