NoFace for Film

Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Year: 2005
Director: Tim Burton
Starring Cast: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore
Rated: PG

NoFace for Film Rating: 5 out of 7

About a year ago I caught Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on TV, and when I watched the 2005 incarnation of this movie recently, it’s hard not to compare the two, especially since I ended up liking one more than the other.

For those who don’t know, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is based on the book by Roald Dahl. It’s about an impoverished boy named Charlie who gets the deal of a lifetime by winning a contest that allows him and 4 other children (with an adult guardian) to take a tour of the ultra-secret but supercoolio chocolate factory owned by the one and only Willy Wonka. Once inside, Charlie and the other children discover the true magic behind Wonka’s candies. They also learn a few life lessons- as in, what happens to spoiled, disrespectful children who disobey the rules.

Compared with the 1971 movie and book, the basic plot is exactly the same, and the fate of the children is the same. However, there are some additions in the newer version. The most significant difference between the two films is that the 2005 version adds a small subplot- the relationship between Willy and his father, who was a dentist (played by Christopher Lee, the scariest looking dentist I’ve ever seen in my life). We see what propels Willy to become a candy maker through a series of flashbacks. Through flashbacks, we also see how Willy met the Oompa Loompas as well.

The second thing that was different was that Tim Burton’s version was not a musical. Yes, the Oompa Loompas still had a smug little song for each child as he or she was taught a lesson in humility, but Willy doesn’t sing, thank goodness. Can you imagine Johnny Depp singing?

Speaking of Depp, I thought that he was fantastic as the oddball Willy. On the one hand, his Willy is strange, sarcastic, and amusing; on the other hand when you see his flashbacks regarding his father, he has the most sorrowful look on his face, even if only for an instant. I know that Depp is one of Tim Burton’s favorite actors to work with and has appeared in a lot of his films, but I can’t really think of anyone else who could have played Willy. A straight out comedian -say, Jim Carrey- would have been overkill. No, they needed a Willy who can actually act but be unintentionally funny. And as we know from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Depp is great at being funny by not really trying.

Granted, there are loyal followers who will stubbornly say that the 1971 version is better, mainly it’s because this is the version they saw as a child. Therefore, when they think Willy Wonka, they think of Gene Wilder. And let’s not forget the Dahl purists who will argue that neither movie does the book justice. Well, everyone’s got an opinion- and mine happens to be that I liked this newer version either. There wasn’t really anything wrong about the original version, except for the irritating 70’s psychadelic scenes whenever the Oompa Loompas would sing. Man, those swirly colors could trigger an epileptic fit. Well then again, the fact that the older movie was titled Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory always bothered me, because the focus was not supposed to be on Willy, but on Charlie. After all, the book is called “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. But that’s just me. The thing is that I think that the 2005 version was more developed- in plot, characters, the special effects, etc. And although it’s not in the book or the original movie, I liked the addition of Willy’s past. It adds depth to his character. He’s not just some weirdo. We understand why he acts like an overgrown child- it’s because he IS one, so to speak.

Overall, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a great movie. Another job well done for both Burton and Depp.

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