Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I've never read Roald Dahl's book. I've only seen the 1971 Gene Wilder film, and acted as Charlie Bucket in a play version of this same story when I was nine back in South Carolina. And I must say, put me in Tim Burton's world over the other one anyday!

One of the most anticipated movies of the summer is a fairy tale, a whimsical, wacky mess-of-a-movie...yes...but what an organized mess indeed! "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is fueled by smile-bringing visuals, quirky cookie-cutter characters and yes the wonderfully weird and demented Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka. I realize people have been talking about how Depp is going to re-create or re-do Gene Wilder's fascinating work as Willy Wonka and skeptical of whether or not it should be even done....but it seems to me that Depp's performance---not only is it very entertaining and hilarious in a Napoleon Dynamite sort of way---is so realized and simple and brazenly "it" that I can't imagine Willy Wonka being anything but now. Think about it. A man that lives by himself in a chocolate factory with crazy little oompa-loompas running around all day long. And he's obsessed with chocolate. And spends all day figuring out new ways to eat candy and experience ephoria in the taste buds. And he's the son of a psycho dentist who never let him eat candy as a kid. Come on now! If normal with an edge is what you're expecting, go far far away. A guy like this is (of course) going to be this bizarre...this socially awkward...this not-so-smooth-with-parents-or-children. After all, he is who he is, so why try and change him?

The more I thought about this throughout the film, the more I appreciated Depp and Burton's direction. Willy Wonka shouldn't be some flashy, oooo-and-aaaaa, mainstream entertainer (as Gene Wilder depicted him to be)...he should be almost exactly how Depp fashions him to be.

Gene Wilder purists are hating me right now but I don't care. Even though I grew up watching the 1971 film again and again and love and admire it for other reasons, I still am so glad someone had the nerve to give this story a "go" again.

From the annoying yet oddly likeable musical numbers to the Burton trademark set designs to the "new" oompa loompas that are oh-so-very-creepy and funny and hip and shocking and Beatles-esque and pop culture savvy...."Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is probably one of the few movies of the summer that deserves to be seen on the big screen with a big audience (preferably with some children). Although it slips into almost science fiction fantasy in some moments (which is when it visually and emotionally becomes slightly disengaged and disconnected from the audience) it's overall a sickly enjoyable treat. And a film Roald Dahl (knowing how and who he is and what he was like) I'm sure is very happy with.

P.S. Even though the perfection of Charlie was a bit too overdone, I still think this 2005 version brings out the satire in the story and tounge-and-cheek humor out of this messed up and imaginative work of childhood art much much more. The story is a fairy tale, yes, but it's also a very bitingly funny satire. Burton takes advantage of this miracle from within the text, and allows it to critique and comment on the film and story and how it's all being exectued out on numerous occassions. And yes all, that is a very big compliment!