Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Years ago I read a review of “Willy Wonka” that said it was the kind of movie that parents love to drag their kids to and then both of them, kids and parents, get bored. I highly doubt it. I’ve never met a soul who didn’t like this children’s fantasy, kid or adult. Since its release in 1971, it has become seamlessly institutionalized in society, now as famous as such films as “The Wizard of Oz.” It contains that element of warmth and adventure that was missing in 2005’s Tim Burton remake, and actually feels like there is a moral to it. Plus, there could not have been a more perfect actor to play the big man himself than the great Gene Wilder. “Wonka” is a textbook case of what being a true American classic entails.

The film is, of course, based on Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” book. “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” captures the spirit of Dahl’s children’s literature, which mixed typically bright and cheery flights of imaginative fantasy with unexpectedly dark and bizarre undertones. However, there were many places where this film strayed from the original storyline, the most memorable of which being the sort of 60s psychedelia scene in the scary tunnel and the rival candymaker who wanted to steal Wonka’s formulas. Another bonus to this picture is the famed musical side of it. Such numbers as the “Oompa Loompa Song” or “The Candy Man” are excellent and have spawned an endless number of references and spoofs.

“Wonka” is highly reminiscent of “The Wizard of Oz,” though it is not quite at Oz’s level. A child goes on a magical journey filled with laughter, adventure, fantasy and song and learns a valuable lesson along the way. In the film, these elements mesh perfectly to create the ideal family movie, the kind that brings that warm fuzzy feeling inside. There wasn’t even a semblance of that feeling in the remake. There was no clear moral to be derived from it. It was dark and unlovable and just created a nauseous feeling.

The best part of “Willy Wonka” is, well, Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder did a fantastic job portraying the complex character that is he, especially when compared to the anti-social freak with a severe case of arrested development that is Johnny Depp’s version of Wonka. Wilder’s bright blue eyes and wide smile give him the appearance of a pleasant and appealing adult; thus, when his eccentric qualities show through, it becomes much more shocking, and interesting.

“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” is a fabulous movie with a terrific blend of family film qualities and an amazing actor for Willy Wonka himself, both of which the remake sorely lacks. This is a classic worth owning, and it earns 9 out of 10 stars.