charlie and the chocolate factory [B]

moviemcpeake snippet: Ah chocolate. Everybody loves it, except for me of course. Good thing there is more to Willy Wonka’s magical factory than just chocolate.

The remake of a classic is a daunting task. One that Tim Burton has failed and succeeded before. We go from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), but the title change is not the only difference. The latest version of this delightful story brings us to a much faster pace, techno thrill ride. There is a smaller musical quality to it, the void of music is filled with more story. Interestingly enough Charlie and the Chocolate Factory seems more focused on Willy Wonka than Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Johnny Depp shines again. Instead of recreating the legendary Gene Wilder performance, he creates a new Willy, a delicate man with a past, a boy trap in a fantasy world, yet no matter how peculiar, you become enthralled with his idiosyncrasies.

The children, besides Charlie seemed animated. Computerized. Unreal. It was an interesting effect that matched the crudeness of their beings, their actions. Charlie’s family was better represented and well acted. Burton delivered with his usual colorful sets, crazy backdrops, and wonderfully creative ideas.

So were did it go wrong? What did the original do better? The 2005 version is overdone, over-engineered. What happened to showing real chocolate, real candy? There is something about the first one that truly makes you believe this place exists. It made me wonder as a child when I ate Willy Wonka candy if there really was this factory. The remake does not capture this. Too much computer is not always a good thing. Not everything needs to be a special effect. The Oompa Loompa’s were better in the original. Some of my favorite memories of the original are the Oompa Loompa’s songs. In the remake you can barely hear the words over the techno music and there are less words to hear anyway.

But the remake is right in so many ways. The additional storyline, the squirrels, the extra time spent on the characters instead the cheesy “Cheer up Charlie” musical number. Ideally, the next remake will take the 1971 version and 2005 version and create the ultimate Chocolate Factory film. In the end, what better way to spend a hot summer night than in a theater watching Depp master yet another memorable character as he flits about a room where everything is edible?

recommendation: grab the milk duds and enjoy the show.