Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie and Chocolate Factory was a really hard sell for me. I am big a fan of the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder. The major difference I see between the two movies is that I find Johnny Depp’s Willy Wonka uncomfortably weird where as Gene Wilder’s Will Wonka was at times quite scary and other times very down-to-earth but sad. I own both versions and have watched them back to back to see the differences and though Johnny’s Wonka has grown on me it is really Charlie’s Bucket’s family and the use of colour in the factory that stands out for me.
Freddie Highmore does an excellent job as Charlie and Helena of course shows up as mom. I am also not so big on the Oompa-Loompas in this version as they just come across too computer generated. What I really like about the movie is the overly vivid colours and the superrealism of the images inside the factory. These images really standout in comparison to the drab open scenes of the dreary town. It also stands out in sharp contrast to the outside of the factory which, in the opening scenes, reminds me of the movie Metropolis. Seen from the air, the factor grounds also made me feel uncomfortable as they are very reminiscent of the layout of a WWII German concentration camp.