This is the deal: I own around 350 movies on DVD and Blu-ray. Through June 10, 2015, I will be watching and writing about them all, in the order they are arranged on my shelf (i.e., alphabetically, with certain exceptions). No movie will be left unwatched . I welcome your comments, your words of encouragement and your declarations of my insanity.
Movie #47: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
I find that most people of my generation prefer the original, erroneously-titled movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but my personal leanings favor this one. The visuals are rich and gorgeous, the songs are catchy and fun, and Tim Burton’s aesthetic really suits the story well. Not only that, but Johnny Depp’s own eccentricities make him successful as a much more emotionally-stunted and socially-disabled eccentric Willy Wonka than Gene Wilder’s somewhat mean-spirited and vengeful one.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory also focuses on Charlie (Freddie Highmore) and his poor but happy relationship with his family as the heart of the movie. He’s not just an example to be compared against the other children, over-indulged and ungrateful as they are, he’s an example to be compared against Willy Wonka himself as well, for allowing his differences with his father to destroy their relationship.
In the movie, as in the book, Violet Beauregard (AnnaSophia Robb) is my favorite of the terrible children and is dispatched in my favorite way. Anyone who doesn’t spit out a piece of gum that tastes like freaking tomato soup deserves what she gets, as far as I’m concerned. Honorable mention, though, goes to Veruca Salt (Julia Winter), both for the biting suggestion that Blueberry Violet be entered into a county fair, and for being attacked by a hundred squirrels who deem her, quite literally, a bad nut.
And as I mentioned, Johnny Depp’s performance really works for me here, too. His delightful goofiness throughout wins me over time and again, from his desire to watch his introductory show rather than be in it, to his matter-of-fact way of shutting down most everyone’s comments, particularly his insistence that Mike Teavee (Jordan Fry) is a mumbler. In addition, he effortlessly pulls off both the knowing smirkiness that indicates he is aware all along how this tour will go, and the innocent uncomfortability with which he approaches social contact and affection — one of the reasons I really don’t mind the added flashbacks and storyline involving Wonka’s childhood and father. I even like the way Wonka pronounces the H in “heir.”
Let’s not forget the fabulous work done with the Oompa Loompas (all played by Deep Roy), either, who look much more real and varied and interesting in this version. They’re comedic and wonderful instead of distracting and weird, and the CGI work required to put them into the film is flawlessly done. It only adds to the film’s endless watchability, which is a good thing when you have children who want to see it over and over again.
Really, though, I could watch this movie just for the chance to get the lyrics “Augustus Gloop, Augustus Gloop, you great big greedy nincompoop” in my head.
Viable Option 