The Movie: No one has entered Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory for as long as anyone can remember, but wonderful chocolate keeps coming out, until one day Willy Wonka announces a competition where five children will win the opportunity to tour his factory. The children are overweight Augustus Gloop (Michael Bollner), over competitive Violet Beauregarde (Denise Nickerson), spoiled brat Veruca Salt (Julie Dawn Cole), television addict Mike Teevee (Paris Themmen), and Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum). Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) leads the children and parents on a wild, strange, journey through the chocolate factory. Hilarity Ensues as not everyone makes it through.
The DVD: The DVD contains a couple of good documentaries about the movie, but the true treasure is the audio commentary. All five Wonka Kids return to the studio 30 years after the movie to record the commentary track. You find out thinks like the two girls had a crush on Peter Ostrum and divided days in which they spent time with him. One day Julie Dawn got to spend time with him and the next day would belong to Denise.
The Experience: Seeing as I was one year old when this movie came out, I only have seen it on the small screen. The set designs in the factory are extraordinary, especially the chocolate room. As Willy Wonka says "Everything inside is eatable, I mean edible, I mean you can eat everything." (by the way, the reactions on the children's faces when they first see the chocolate room are real, that moment was the first time they had seen it.) This movie is actually pretty dark for a children's movie. Four of the five children meet untimely demises, although Wonka says they are unhurt and back to their old nasty selves by the end of the movie.
The Aftermath: Peter Ostrum never acted again and is now a large animal veterinarian in New York State. It is said Roald Dahl was so disappointed that he would not let his other book "Charlie and the Glass Elevator" to be made into a movie. On July 15th the new movie Charlie and the chocolate Factory opened starring Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka and directed by Tim Burton. It is not a musical and follows the book a little more.
The Score: 8 out of 10 Oompa Loompas, what do you think?
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14 years ago
1 comment:
I loved this movie and I'll always watch it again if I catch it on TV. I remember being scared seeing the kid get sucked up the plastic tube. I'm very curious to see how the new movie goes. I hear two thumbs up for the movie but Johnny Depp didn't do such a good job.
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