When I was looking at what to do for December, I noticed that I never actually did a old and new review of the two films based on Roald Dahl's
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Today I hope to rectify that. So when Roald Dahl's books were the most popular children's books around (alongside the likes of Dr. Suess and others), Hollywood were of course interested in making films based on those books. In the case of the
Chocolate Factory book, Paramount (later on Warner Bros.) were interested and partnered with Quaker Oats to create their first adaptation known as
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This one became the most beloved of the two due to a number of factors such as Gene Wilder as Wonka, the fact that it was largely a musical and that it gave us a world beyond imagination as the song would. However, despite the success it has had over the years, the Dahl family hated it as it became a betrayal of the book and as it is with Hollywood they changed the ending when it didn't need changing (such is the case with many book to film adaptations). So years past and eventually after countless discussions with the Dahl estate, Warner Brothers went about making another film, but giving the Dahl estate some control over its production such as the choice of cast and crew of which Tim Burton became director and Johnny Depp became Wonka. The film although not as impactful as the first, was also well received for its visuals and Depp's performance being compared to how Michael Jackson acts out. So enough talk, its time for my opinion on which one is sweet, tasty and full of sugar and which one is sour, bitter and poor:
Willy Wonka
Both films follow the same story in which Charlie Bucket (played by Peter Ostrum in his only ever film role), a boy who lives with a family of low income, one day takes part in a competition to enter and explore a chocolate factory owned and operated by a man known as Willy Wonka (played by the late Gene Wilder). In order to do this, he has to find a golden ticket and what's left in store for him, may change his and his family's life forever. So as I said, this film is a musical and it has a few good numbers such as "Pure Imagination", "Cheer Up Charlie" and of course all the Oompa Loompa songs. Gene Wilder is also surprisingly a good Wonka that is quite mad as a hatter, reminds me of a Bond villain and can be a bit crazy especially in the infamous boat scene which must have scarred a number of children who went to watch it. So yeah I can see why its as impactful as it was and still is but I just hate it when the film makers change a film too much that it differs from the book. Of course it paid off in the end, but it annoys me when Hollywood do that. Anyway, this film gets a 9/10.
Charlie
Again, its the same story as before but with a different cast, a different crew and the Dahl's have some creative control over it this time. Where its different is with some of the characters. Charlie Bucket (played by
The Good Doctor himself, Freddie Highmore) is treated as a saint this time around. The other children unlike the original film in a way, are more obvious as to what happens to them this time around. Wonka himself (played by Johnny Depp, a man of many roles) is quite immature and child like with a tragic past to do with his somewhat abusive father (played by the late Christopher Lee) but nevertheless is still Wonks in many ways. So that's the characters. As for the visuals, the film takes advantage of modern day technology thus allowing it to have a more fantasy feel than the original one and all the Oompa Loompas are played by the same person, the person being Deep Roy and the voice being Danny Elfman. As it is with most Tim Burton films, this is probably a darker version of the story, but I have to say that it at least tries to be as faithful as it can be to the book, even adapting elements of its sequel into it too, to make it feel like a film that comes full circle. Its great. 9/10
This one I have to say is a tough one because both films in their own way are great.
Willy Wonka has great musical numbers, a heartfelt story and a great Wonka.
Charlie meanwhile has great visuals, provides us with some background to Wonka that isn't mentioned much in the book and feels very much like a dark fantasy film. But where
Willy Wonka fails is the fact that it didn't become what Dahl wanted it to be and it just felt too much like a marketing film that didn't care what the original creator did. And as for
Charlie, not as impactful as the original, Charlie is seen as a saint over being just a lucky boy and it can rely too much on its visuals over everything else. Although I like both films and think both of them are great even though the title is a bit misleading as the first is spent more on Charlie and the second is spent more on Wonka, overall I think the newer one is the best one. Its a more faithful and accurate adaptation of the book directed by someone who is very capable of making a book like that into a film. Johnny Depp as great as he is, is a good Wonka though I think Gene Wilder's one is someone that I can go and have drinks with over Depp's immature and childish one. So yeah new wins this time.
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