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Better Than Old Version

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Category: Movie Review
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory


Agree or disagree, one favorite activity to celebrate summer is watching movie in cinema. No wonder why good movies are mostly premiered along the sunny season. Last Saturday was a nice day when we spent the evening watching a new version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Although we have seen the old version "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)", we were keenly interested to see a new one without expecting for better or worse .

The film is based on famously odd Roald Dahl's 1964 children's novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It's the story of a society that goes confectionary-daft when Willy Wonka, the enigmatic owner of a giant chocolate factory, announces that five golden tickets have been hidden inside random sweetie wrappers. Whoever uncovers them will win a guided tour of his top secret candy plant - and it's probably not giving too much away to tell you that one of the lucky winners is focus-of-the-film Charlie Bucket , a down-on-his-luck school kid whose family are so poor that their front room features a dirty great bed full of four grandparents sharing the same bed. Five children win special tickets entitling them to a lifetime supply of candy and a personal tour of the mysterious Wonka Chocolate Factory. But those who don't abide by Wonka's rules while roaming the halls of his top secret facility will pay the price.

Some different features I could point out from both movies are the Willy Wonka characters, the Oompa Loompas creatures, and the ending of the story. In my opinion, Willy Wonka starring Gene Wilder in the 70's looks quirky, weird and mysterious, while Willy Wonka played by Johnny Depp looks silly, funny, weird, and eccentric in his Jacko-pale skin, Cleopatra short-haircut and with his huge grasshopper sunglasses. I can't believe Johnny Depp played awkward like that..hihihi. I have to admit he is a true actor and able to completely morph into his onscreen personality by becoming the character whatsoever the story needs. Good job, dude!



Another different thing is the Oompa-Loompas creatures. Dwarf-like creatures with green hair and bright orange faces in old film is the most obvious difference with the diminutive knee-high Oompa-Loompa in new version. It's said in Dahl's book version that the Oompa-Loompas are pygmies from Africa who lived on a diet of caterpillars. At this point, the Oompa-Loompas of new version is relatively close to the book-creatures imagery. Anyhow, they both has part of song..Oompa Loompa, doompadee doo.


Lastly, the old movie drama ends up with Charlie accepting the keys to the chocolate kingdom whereas the new version shows Charlie refusing to leave his family instead of inheriting Wonka chocolate's factory.


Despite their different features, the storyline of both brings up the same message, particularly for kids, that getting away with bad behavior (four other children winners are described greedy excessiveness, immodesty, selfishness, cynicism) turns out horrible as what they get in the end. Well, this movie I would say is kind of a straight-forward fantasy-drama that we know exactly Charlie is a good and decent child who deserves to be a winner.



Both my husband and I agree definitely to say that the new version is far better than the old one. It's more faithful, full of comedy and musical territory, completely satisfying and enjoyable for children and adults. I recommend you not to miss this one. You got to see this wonderful movie!