Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Roald Dahl’s most delectable children’s book has been Burton-ised. One of my all time favourite directors, Tim Burton (Edward Scissor Hands, Sleepy Hollow), has adapted his own unique, quirky style to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Released in cinemas just in time for the up and coming school holidays, this movie will delight and amaze absolutely everyone, no matter what age they are, and even if you don’t like chocolate.
Marilyn Manson was rather keen to play the role of the most famous Chocolateer in the entire world, Willy Wonka, but this movie is rated PG so thankfully Johnny Depp won the part instead. This is the fourth time Depp and Burton have teamed up together, and every single time they do, it’s something just that extra bit special. And speaking about teaming up together, Johnny Depp was so impressed with Freddie Highmore’s performance as Peter in Finding Neverland, he made sure Burton cast his in the role as Charlie Bucket - and what an amazing job this boy did.
For those of you who haven’t seen the 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder, or read the book (what have you been doing??) it’s the story of Charlie Bucket, a poor young boy who lives in a broken down shack with his parents, played by Noah Taylor and Helen Bonham-Carter, dining every night on cabbage soup, and both sets of grandparents confined to the one bed. After closing down his factory to the public and firing all his workers, Willy Wonka has never let anyone set foot in his chocolate factory in years, until now. Five golden tickets are hidden in Wonka’s chocolate bars. Whoever finds the tickets wins the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit the factory. You probably guessed by the name of the film that Charlie finds a ticket.
We learn what Wonka has been doing for the past few years; stumbling on a race of cocoa bean-worshiping Oompa Loompas and trying hard to repress memories of his over-bearing dentist of a father. The story of Wilbur Wonka (played by Christopher Lee) was written especially for this film to help give a back story to, well, try to explain why Willy is the way he is. If you were stuck in a head brace that looked a lot like something out of Edward Scissorhands and was told that you were allergic to chocolate even before you’d even tried it, you probably would have felt the same.
Bring on the brats - Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Veruca Salt and Mike Teavee, four children: spoilt, rotten, and just plain rude! Thankfully, they all get their comeuppance in some delicious way or another.

I just have to say though; the movie owes so much to one little guy... In the 1971 film, there were dozens of actors playing the Oompa Loompas, in this film, there’s only one, Deep Roy. After having to perform each scene many, many times over, the final result is brilliant. After each of the brats is ‘disposed of’, out come the Oompa Loompas, with new songs and super cool costumes. At times, it is hard to hear what it is they are singing, but once you see them in silver jumpsuits, you just sit back and laugh. The music is by another long time working partner of Burton’s, composer Danny Elfman (Big Fish, Sleepy Hollow).
It’s vibrant, funny, good enough to eat, (look out for a hilarious tribute to Stanley Kubrick). Depp just keeps on delivering with his recent spate of eccentric characters like Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, Agent Sands in Once Upon a Time in Mexico, although he denies that he based Wonka’s character on Michael Jackson (the resemblance is quite eerie…). Not as dark as the other version – no shots of chickens getting their heads cut of – it scarred me as a child… Look out for Burton’s next film later this year, The Corpse Bride, an animated film a bit like Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. Depp lends his voice as Victor, a man who ends up with a corpse for a bride (hence the title) and is joined again by Helen Bonham-Carter, Christopher Lee, Danny Elfman, and even Deep Roy.