
The third remake (or re imaging) in Tim Burton’s canon of work and based on the original book of the same name by Roald Dahl. This is an entirely new take on the 1971 original. And save your is it better/worse than the original please! Accompanying Danny Elfman’s sublime musical score, a brief narration follows the opening credits and straight into a short backstory on the history of Willy Wonka and his world famous chocolate.
The premise is well known: Five Golden Tickets have been inserted into Wonka chocolate bars, with the resultant winners granted a tour of the most famous chocolate factory in the world. Now mainly sealed from the outside world, both the factory itself and a reclusive Willy Wonka, the competition to find the golden tickets seem to be the ultimate prize.
Immediately you’re drawn into Tim Burton’s world, from the saturated grey colour of present day, to the full colour of the numerous flashbacks and especially when inside the chocolate factory itself. Both worlds are distinct from each other, the cold, grey dilapidated home Charlie shares with his family which extends into the outside world, to the zesty colours and opulence of living within the factory. Both worlds are equally as bizarre and surreal as each other, and the juxtaposition between the locations is key. A house riddled with holes and seemingly on the verge of collapse is set against a towering factory, of chocolate rivers, endless chocolate and a maze of delights and treats.
Similarly, the juxtaposition of the characters themselves are key, beginning with “Charlie” and a triumph of a performance from Freddie Highmore. Happy and blissfully content to spend time with his family this is juxtaposed to a reclusive and unhappy “Willy Wonka” brought to life with seeming ease by the masterful Johnny Depp. Whereas Charlie is eloquent, straightforward and at peace with life, Willy Wonka is uneasy, detached and speaks in a regimented riddle style, unable to fully engage. Their scenes particularly drive the film, and are its heart and soul. In supporting roles, Charlie’s family are brought to life expertly, especially David Kelly (and his mad dance!) as “Grandpa Joe”, Noah Taylor is superb as ever, this time as Charlie’s Dad “Mr Bucket” and Helena Bonham Carter returns to her husband’s films, as “Mrs Bucket”. Charlie’s fellow golden ticket holders are under developed, but deliberately so, as this is a dominant tale of Charlie and Willy Wonka, but AnnaSophia Robb, Julia Winter, Jordan Fry and Philip Wiegratz bring their respective characters of “Violet”, “Veruca”, “Mike” and “Augustus” to life well. Cameos are vast, with standouts from James Fox as “Mr Salt” and Missi Pyle as “Mrs Beauregarde” but two key cameos follow.
The (in)famous “Oompa Loompas” are brought to life with just one actor, and brilliantly so by Deep Roy. However for me, this is the only part of the remake that doesn’t resonate well. The portrayal is excellent, but the repeated use of just one character to cast across numerous Oompa Loompas may match the surreal nature of the film, but it just doesn’t work. A minor criticism. However, Christopher Lee’s albeit small cameo as “Dr Wonka” does resonate, is expertly played, and continues the theme of juxtaposing characters. A driven, detached Father to a reclusive, detached Son.
A true Tim Burton imagining of a film, it is a delight to the eyes and ears alike. Surreal and bizarre, even downright strange at times, but a joy nonetheless. Continuing themes of detachment, of isolation and of Father/Son relationships abound. But it’s the heart of the story that appeals.
And a glass elevator!
What a joy!
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” can also be found within my 7 volumes of “Essential Film Reviews Collection” on Amazon with each and every volume free to read should you have a Kindle “Unlimited” package. All 9 of my self-published books can also be read for free on Kindle (but go on, treat yourself to a paperback or hardback version!) and should you watch my short Youtube video linked in the middle of this article you’ll also find links to my Patreon and Buy Me A Coffee and other ways of supporting my work as an independent writer.
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Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.