Old vs. New - Willy Wonka vs. Charlie & the Chocloate Factory
Hey guys, Chuck here. Okay, I know the Nostalgia Critic has a segment identical to this, and uses the same name as I'm using, but it's a catchy title. So, I'm starting my own version of his popular segment: Old vs. New. For the first one, I'm going to be covering one that the Nostalgia Critic has already done: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory vs. Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. However, one major difference is that I will be drawing comparisons to Roald Dahl's original book, as to understand why the newer version was made. As someone who has read the book, I feel that more people should understand why my opinion is what it is. so let's start with which movie had the better production design.
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN - Okay, this isn't wholeheartedly fair, as the original had such a limited budget, and major limits in filmmaking technology. However, I feel that some designs in the original, like the so-called Wonka-mobile, the boat that goes down the river into a tunnel of nightmare fuel, and so forth are really clever. Heck, even some of the things in the Chocolate Room looked really neat, like the whipped cream spots on the gigantic mushrooms. Not only that, the Wonka factory did look and feel like an actual candy factory in many places. However, things like the chocolate river, which was just brown water on set, do look pretty fake, and I felt that way as a kid. On the other hand, the newer version, while feeling like it's clearly something designed by Tim Burton, is more faithful to how Roald Dahl described the Wonka Factory in the original book. Everything from the Chocolate Room, the Chocolate River, having things in the inventing room like Everlasting Gobstoppers and Hair Toffee, and the not sorting room with the squirrels trained to crack open walnuts, as well as which nuts were good or bad. Plus, the boat that went down the chocolate river is directly from the original book, so kudos to Burton for that one. So, this round goes to the newer version. WINNER - Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.
BEST MUSIC - Now, this one is a bit tougher, because every song from the original is known the world over. And, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't sing along with the song Pure Imagination every time I watch the original, the song is that good. However, where I find myself leaning towards the newer version is in the Oompa Loompa songs, as the lyrics used by composer/songwriter Danny Elfman were drawn from the actual book. Seriously, Roald Dahl wrote the song lyrics into the book for the Oompa Loompas to sing, and the filmmakers of the original made up their own songs for the Oompa Loompas anyway. Plus, they hold off on the songs for the newer version until they get to the Wonka Factory, which is clever. Close call here, but I'm going with the original in this round, and it's because of the song Pure Imagination, which is truly iconic, to the level of great Disney songs like A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes. It's that great. WINNER - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
BEST CAST - Supporting - Again, this is a tough one, as both casts are fantastic. Jack Albertson as the grandfather in the original was a lot of fun, and the four kids were ripped straight from the book. However, as much as I like the original, I find that I like the newer one in this area just a bit more. Cleverly, the kids are updated, to where Violet is a competitor, not just a compulsive gum chewer, and Mike is a game junkie, who is also a bit cynical when it comes to finding his golden ticket. But three major standouts here are with Charlie's family outside of just Grandpa Joe, as in the original it was just Charlie's mother and Grandpa Joe who got some attention, whereas in the newer one, Charlie's father is around, and both parents and all four grandparents get equal focus in the movie. The second major one is the Oompa Loompas, whose design in the original is just as iconic as Wonka himself, but in the newer version, Deep Roy, who plays ALL of the Oompa Loompas, is more in line with how they were initially described in the book. The final deciding factor here is Charlie himself. Honestly, as great as Peter Ostrum was in the original (which is the dude's ONLY acting credit to date), I have to give this to Freddie Highmore from the newer version. Why? Because the way he acts in the film is closer to how Roald Dahl described Charlie in the book. This is the kid that Roald Dahl gave us in his original book. So, this round goes to the newer version. WINNER - Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.
BEST CAST - Wonka - Okay, now this is a really tough call, as on one hand, we have the iconic Gene Wilder, and on the other, we have the legendary Johnny Depp. Wilder's Wonka was mysterious, charming, suave, and quite clearly a demented psychopath. Depp's Wonka, however, is a reclusive oddball. Eccentric, but clearly a weirdo. Each one services the story of their respective films well, but this round goes to Gene Wilder, and it's because he's the one that automatically comes to mind whenever you hear the name Willy Wonka. WINNER - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
MOST FAITHFUL TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL - Okay, so this is the final deciding factor in this debate: which one got closer to Roald Dahl's original book? And in my mind, both versions have their ups and downs. Roald Dahl, who was involved early on in the production of the original film, publically disowned the film for several reasons, such as casting Gene Wilder as Wonka over Dahl's choice for Wonka: Spike Milligan, the Fizzy Lifting Drinks scene, which Dahl was completely disgusted by, making minor character Slugworth a spy so that the film can have a villain, and the emphasis on Wonka over Charlie. The newer version, in spite of a lot of its faults, is more in-line with Dahl's book, as the squirrel scene, which was replaced with the golden geese in the original film, is restored, and we see a lot more places in the factory that couldn't be made without the use of today's CGI. On top of that, the Great Glass Elevator, renamed the Wonkavator in the original, looks like an actual glass elevator in the newer one, which is cool. Plus, there's a sequence from the book that was featured in the newer film, and that was Prince Pondicherry, an Indian prince whom Wonka builds a massive chocolate palace for. However, there is one element from the book that hasn't' been in either film version: square candies that look round. These are square candies, with little faces drawn onto them, that turn around to face whomever is entering the room they are kept in, hence why they're called square candies that look 'round. I also like how, unlike in the original film, we get to see what happened to the other four kids after they disappear which is accurate to the book. However, one element that I didn't like with the newer version was giving Wonka a backstory where his father was a renowned dentist. Tough call here, but Tim Burton clearly understood Roald Dahl's vision from the book, and it shows. So, as much as I love the original, this round goes to the Burton version. WINNER- Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.
By a slim decision of 3-2, Tim Burton's Charlie & the Chocolate Factory wins this face-off for being much closer to the original book than the older film, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, was. However, I should point out that I still love the original for it's creativity and for it's Wizard of Oz-esque sense of whimsy, which I admire. Both films are fantastic, and for their own reasons. That's why I own both versions on Blu-ray. I do feel, however, that there is a perfect adaptation of Roald Dahl's book out there that rests in-between both films, and if the rumors are true, it looks like Netflix and filmmaker Taika Waititi might be working on such an adaptation. For now, this is Chuck signing off. See you guys next time. And if you can, try and find a copy of the Charlie & the Chocolate Factory book by Roald Dahl. It's a fascinating read, and is a favorite of mine from his works.
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN - Okay, this isn't wholeheartedly fair, as the original had such a limited budget, and major limits in filmmaking technology. However, I feel that some designs in the original, like the so-called Wonka-mobile, the boat that goes down the river into a tunnel of nightmare fuel, and so forth are really clever. Heck, even some of the things in the Chocolate Room looked really neat, like the whipped cream spots on the gigantic mushrooms. Not only that, the Wonka factory did look and feel like an actual candy factory in many places. However, things like the chocolate river, which was just brown water on set, do look pretty fake, and I felt that way as a kid. On the other hand, the newer version, while feeling like it's clearly something designed by Tim Burton, is more faithful to how Roald Dahl described the Wonka Factory in the original book. Everything from the Chocolate Room, the Chocolate River, having things in the inventing room like Everlasting Gobstoppers and Hair Toffee, and the not sorting room with the squirrels trained to crack open walnuts, as well as which nuts were good or bad. Plus, the boat that went down the chocolate river is directly from the original book, so kudos to Burton for that one. So, this round goes to the newer version. WINNER - Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.
BEST MUSIC - Now, this one is a bit tougher, because every song from the original is known the world over. And, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't sing along with the song Pure Imagination every time I watch the original, the song is that good. However, where I find myself leaning towards the newer version is in the Oompa Loompa songs, as the lyrics used by composer/songwriter Danny Elfman were drawn from the actual book. Seriously, Roald Dahl wrote the song lyrics into the book for the Oompa Loompas to sing, and the filmmakers of the original made up their own songs for the Oompa Loompas anyway. Plus, they hold off on the songs for the newer version until they get to the Wonka Factory, which is clever. Close call here, but I'm going with the original in this round, and it's because of the song Pure Imagination, which is truly iconic, to the level of great Disney songs like A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes. It's that great. WINNER - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
BEST CAST - Supporting - Again, this is a tough one, as both casts are fantastic. Jack Albertson as the grandfather in the original was a lot of fun, and the four kids were ripped straight from the book. However, as much as I like the original, I find that I like the newer one in this area just a bit more. Cleverly, the kids are updated, to where Violet is a competitor, not just a compulsive gum chewer, and Mike is a game junkie, who is also a bit cynical when it comes to finding his golden ticket. But three major standouts here are with Charlie's family outside of just Grandpa Joe, as in the original it was just Charlie's mother and Grandpa Joe who got some attention, whereas in the newer one, Charlie's father is around, and both parents and all four grandparents get equal focus in the movie. The second major one is the Oompa Loompas, whose design in the original is just as iconic as Wonka himself, but in the newer version, Deep Roy, who plays ALL of the Oompa Loompas, is more in line with how they were initially described in the book. The final deciding factor here is Charlie himself. Honestly, as great as Peter Ostrum was in the original (which is the dude's ONLY acting credit to date), I have to give this to Freddie Highmore from the newer version. Why? Because the way he acts in the film is closer to how Roald Dahl described Charlie in the book. This is the kid that Roald Dahl gave us in his original book. So, this round goes to the newer version. WINNER - Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.
BEST CAST - Wonka - Okay, now this is a really tough call, as on one hand, we have the iconic Gene Wilder, and on the other, we have the legendary Johnny Depp. Wilder's Wonka was mysterious, charming, suave, and quite clearly a demented psychopath. Depp's Wonka, however, is a reclusive oddball. Eccentric, but clearly a weirdo. Each one services the story of their respective films well, but this round goes to Gene Wilder, and it's because he's the one that automatically comes to mind whenever you hear the name Willy Wonka. WINNER - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
MOST FAITHFUL TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL - Okay, so this is the final deciding factor in this debate: which one got closer to Roald Dahl's original book? And in my mind, both versions have their ups and downs. Roald Dahl, who was involved early on in the production of the original film, publically disowned the film for several reasons, such as casting Gene Wilder as Wonka over Dahl's choice for Wonka: Spike Milligan, the Fizzy Lifting Drinks scene, which Dahl was completely disgusted by, making minor character Slugworth a spy so that the film can have a villain, and the emphasis on Wonka over Charlie. The newer version, in spite of a lot of its faults, is more in-line with Dahl's book, as the squirrel scene, which was replaced with the golden geese in the original film, is restored, and we see a lot more places in the factory that couldn't be made without the use of today's CGI. On top of that, the Great Glass Elevator, renamed the Wonkavator in the original, looks like an actual glass elevator in the newer one, which is cool. Plus, there's a sequence from the book that was featured in the newer film, and that was Prince Pondicherry, an Indian prince whom Wonka builds a massive chocolate palace for. However, there is one element from the book that hasn't' been in either film version: square candies that look round. These are square candies, with little faces drawn onto them, that turn around to face whomever is entering the room they are kept in, hence why they're called square candies that look 'round. I also like how, unlike in the original film, we get to see what happened to the other four kids after they disappear which is accurate to the book. However, one element that I didn't like with the newer version was giving Wonka a backstory where his father was a renowned dentist. Tough call here, but Tim Burton clearly understood Roald Dahl's vision from the book, and it shows. So, as much as I love the original, this round goes to the Burton version. WINNER- Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.
By a slim decision of 3-2, Tim Burton's Charlie & the Chocolate Factory wins this face-off for being much closer to the original book than the older film, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, was. However, I should point out that I still love the original for it's creativity and for it's Wizard of Oz-esque sense of whimsy, which I admire. Both films are fantastic, and for their own reasons. That's why I own both versions on Blu-ray. I do feel, however, that there is a perfect adaptation of Roald Dahl's book out there that rests in-between both films, and if the rumors are true, it looks like Netflix and filmmaker Taika Waititi might be working on such an adaptation. For now, this is Chuck signing off. See you guys next time. And if you can, try and find a copy of the Charlie & the Chocolate Factory book by Roald Dahl. It's a fascinating read, and is a favorite of mine from his works.
Comments
Post a Comment