Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I went to see this with a close friend who was really pumped. She had enjoyed the 1971 version (staring Gene Wilder and titled Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) and because she's a big fan of Johnny Depp she could hardly imagine a movie she wanted to see more.

Both versions are based on a Roald Dahl story. Roald Dahl writes children's stories with an edge. While other authors have lovable fluffy lambs and huggable bunnies, Roald Dahl stories explore the dark and creepy side if the children's imagination. Despite bucking the cutesy trend of children's literature, Dahl's books, such as George and the Giant Peach and The Witches, both of which have been turned into movies, are among the most loved books in contemporary children's literature.

Dahl's books are beloved by adults as well, because many aspects of his stories go right over kids' heads.

The new version seems much more like a Roald Dahl story than the older one, probably because it was directed by Tim Burton, who of all modern directors might be described as most in tune with Dahl's dark brand of insanity. The production design of most of Tim's movies already look like they've been influenced by Roald Dahls illustrations.

Let me say right here that this in easily my favorite Tim Burton movie. It's also the best looking movie in quite a long time.

Tim Burton is himself something of a production designer because his movies so frequently have a certain creepy, decadent, rundown look (some more than others, witness Planet of the Apes, Mars Attacks!, and Big Fish, which have less of a stereotypical Tim Burton look than most). The production design here is as good as it gets.

The world is a dismal place in this film until, that is, we enter the giant gray Wonka chocolate factory. We discover, then, that on the inside it's a decorated with a rainbow palette.

I digress. Let's lay out the plot.

The story's hero, Charlie Bucket, lives with his family (mother, father, and all of his grandparents) in a ramshackle house virtually in the shadow of the huge and monolithic Wonka factory, which, strangely, manages to produce chocolate totally without employees.

Willy Wonka, founder and owner, announces a contest in which five tickets will be randomly distributed in his chocolate bar shipments. The holders of the tickets will (along with an adult escort) be allowed to tour the factory.

In short, Charlie is one of the lucky winners.

The moment when they enter the factory is one of those scenes, like the scene in The Wizard of Oz, where a dully colored movie transforms to one rich in color in an instant. Once inside the factory, the vividness of color is almost overwhelming. One feels almost like someone pigging out on candy as one enjoys the almost overwrought colorfest of the factory interior.

According to Wonka's offer in the film, one of the five would receive an unimaginably special award, the nature of which isn't described. Which of the five will it be? Gee...can't you guess?

Depp is very good here as Wonka, although apparently he's given a bit more of a back story here than in the previous movie or the book. He's a bit of a sad figure, overseeing a factory that packages chocolate using robots and South American pygmies known as Oompa Loompas, played amusingly by an actor named Deep Roy.

I should mention here that the production numbers featuring Deep Roy are among the major highlights of the movie and are extremely entertaining, and this coming from someone who really can't stand traditional musicals of the 1920's-50's.

One thing to watch for, if you're a movie nut like me, is references to other movies. (This is one of those aspects that goes over kids' heads.) You'll find references to 2001: A Space Odyssey and Psycho, among others.

Obviously, I'm recommending Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It may take a while for a more entertaining movie to come along. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.