Charlie & the Chocolate Factory Part 1
CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is way cool! I really liked it. I don’t think it’s depp’s or burton’s greatest movie, but still, it was fun. Tim Burton is still so imaginative and Johnny Depp is just so weirdly awesome.
Johnny Depp’s Wonka, to me, is a more realistic portrayal than the original movie’s Gene Wilder. Don’t get me wrong, Wilder was really good at being Wonka, but I just liked Depp’s performance better.
Willy Wonka in this movie is less purposeful and less logical than expected, but there are subtleties that hint to something else going on behind his purplish eyes. Depp’s Wonka is socially inept and awkward, with childish quirks and mannerisms. Like every recluse, he is uncomfortable in the presence of other people; touching and shaking hands. He even needs notecards to help him read what he’s supposed to say at a certain moment.
But these are all possible, considering his self-imposed reclusiveness and years of paranoia. He’s been cooped up in a factory with only the company of strange little people, the Oompa-Loompas. Combine that with a childhood and father that traumatized him into who he is today…of course he’s gonna be weird!
So what we get is a candy-making genius who’s a little like Howard Hughes and a little like Peter Pan in his childisness.
But aside from that, you’re never sure if he has a plan or if he’s just going with the flow. Is he purposely trying to punish children for their brattiness, or is he just a mischievous child-man, delighting in the misfortune of rotten children? the latter seems more realistic. because he seems to think up stuff on the spot, and not think as far as what to do next.
This is true to the story and character, because he’s still a boy inside, wanting to do what he wants when he wants. But there are glimpses into what’s going on in this this chocolier’s head. And these subtle glimpses almost seem to contradict the idea that he’s purely childish because he seems well aware and he wants to show these children the marvels of the factory, while weeding out the baddies to find the One.
So, i think the awkward facial expressions, glances and subtleties from Burton are what saves the Wonka from being a very one-dimensional weirdo.
He’s a big kid trapped in a man’s body who is coming to grips with his getting older. He needs a child to run his factory and continue his glorious legacy of candy-making. What he doesn’t realize is that he really needs a family, someone to love and in return love him. blah blah blah.
The Chocolate Factory in the movie is more vast than previously imagined, but less candy-colored than the original movie’s factory. The whole movie and factory is still evidence of director Tim Burton’s touch. It’s a balance of wondrous imagination and creepy-sweet darkness. Always awe-inspiring to a smile, yet intriguingly dark to a shiver down your spine.
(like Wonka’s creepy “it’s a small world” -esque intro to a ‘psycho’ inspired scene, this Wonka kinda scares you while making you laugh)
But then again, Gene Wilder’s performance in the spinning boat scene from the original creeps me out all the time, in a funny way. So, it fits.
Moving On….
Even though the kids don’t have as much screentime as say Wonka, hey are all great in their roles. Little Freddie Highmore stands out as Charlie, the regular poor boy with a heart of gold, putting family first.
The Oompa-loompas are still cool, and the portrayal emphasizes that they are a “people”, not just weird little dolls. And i’m glad that the songs were limited only to the oompa-loompas, which are supposed to love to sing anyway.
Still, this one is about Willy Wonka more than anything in my opinion.
COMPLAINTS:
i thought it was a bit slow paced. whether it was the editor, director or both, it just didn’t move along quickly enough in the middle. (overheard from a college kid on the way outta the theatre: “it was kinda boring”)
Perhaps i was expecting a buncha singing? In the middle where no singing happens, I’m like, Okaaayy…what now? Or perhaps this time around Burton was just taking his time? Or maybe he didn’t know what to do with the middle and decides to show us more lovely eye-candy for fluff’s sake? Or maybe he or the studio wanted to let Johnny Depp have free reign over the character that Burton stepped back too far and allowed the pacing to suffer in order to allow Wonka to step forward? In any case, it’s a shorter story than i realized.
and lastly…
There might not be enough connection between Willy and the fact that this wondrous chocolate factory is his creation. The fact that all of the chocolate-churning waterfall, the edible meadow, the wacky concoctions of confection come from the strange mind of this man isn’t emphasized enough. In a sense, we have to fill in the gap - the bridge to the point of us seeing passed the creepy boy-man to genius behind it all.
but who cares? i’m not a reviewer. I loved it!
and Johnny Depp and Tim Burton should ONLY make movies together. oh and throw in Freddie Highmore - you got my money every time!
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PS:
The story is about Charlie Bucket, a poor boy who lives with his mom, dad and both sets of grandparents in a tiny, lopsided shack. They live in a town that is home to the world’s largest chocolate factory. A factory built and run by the world-famous, legendary chocolatier - Willy Wonka.
The reclusive Wonka, after years of silence and to the joy of the world, decides to open his factory’s doors after years of no one going in or out. He decides to hide 5 golden tickets in chocolate bars around the world, and the children who find them will be invited to a day at his marvelous factory, with one child winning a special prize.
When Charlie Bucket hears of this, he and his family are overjoyed. And after a couple of letdowns, Charlie actually finds a golden ticket, and it’s off to the factory.
Charlie and the other children are treated to a visual and tasty delight in a tour of the factory by Wonka himself. Along the way, the children are weeded out by their disobedience, gluttony, and selfishness. Charlie Bucket in the end remains, winning the special prize. But not without teaching Wonka a lesson about family.
There’s more to it of course, but that’s the basics.
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