By

Succubyss

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

This is a movie that is undergoing much scrutiny, since it is a modern remake of what many consider a classic.  I have to say, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have done an incredible job.  It turned out to be as twisted and engrossing as I would have hoped.  I’m not going to review the story because I’m making the assumption that those reading are already familiar with it. 

In developing the role of Willy Wonka here, it’s obvious that Burton and Depp were NOT trying to recreate the character as Gene Wilder played it in the original movie.  They get the tone of the book exactly right, but in such a different way.  At first you find yourself caught up in the comparison of the actors, but it doesn’t take long before your sole fascination lies with THIS Willy Wonka, who he is and how he got that way. His appearance alone pulls you in and then with his speech, facial expressions and mannerisms, he stops competing for what you already know, and instead becomes the only Willy Wonka this movie could possibly have.

Charlie is as poor and earnest as ever.  Grampa Joe doesn’t have as big of a role as in the original.  The other golden ticket winners are pretty much true to form.  Spoiled Veruca, piggy Augustus, competitive Violet and techno-violent Mike Teavee are all characterized as they were in the first movie.  Their likenesses to the original actors are rather eerie.  What HAS changed are the Oompa-Loompa lessons.  No more “Oompa-loompa-doompity-doo”.  Instead you have various musical genres played out in Vegas-style theatrics to learn by.  There is one particular Spinal Tap moment that had me rolling.  Burton has also utilized the book’s original squirrels to great effect, replacing the golden geese in the earlier movie version.

One of the things that was neither in the book, nor in the original movie, is the use of flashbacks to explain how Willy came to have the outlook and lifestyle that he has.  It’s done so tongue in cheek and campy, especially when Wonka himself tells us that he’s having flashbacks, that it plays off exactly right.

We even get some closure on the “bad kids” at the end.  But the end isn’t QUITE the end, which is another surprise and it seems to work well.

Technically, the set, the effects and the music are classic Tim Burton.  The darkness is punctuated by occasions of startling whiteness and primary colors that enhance the surreal situations of the story.

If you’re scared to see this because you don’t want your fuzzy feelings of the original tainted, don’t be.  It stands up on its own and it’s clear that the intention was NOT to compete, but compliment.  I would see this movie again, as well as buy the DVD.  I’d even watch the two back to back… not to compare, just revel in the belief that maybe somewhere, candy is made by tiny, magical men and one fabulous character that cares about nothing else.