I like Tim Burton’s work well enough, but I had reservations about him reinterpreting this classic. But I gotta say, it worked for me. my kids 5,7 & 9 related well to the punk kids in the story (ok, it was just a bit much for the 5 year old), better I think than they would to the kids in the old version.
Once I got where the film was going with Wonka, I liked Johnny Depp in the role and think he executed it effectively.
Christopher Lee’s bit…I think it wouldn’t have been half as effective without the LOTR brand he’ll carry the rest of his carreer.
As I said in the previous thread on this movie, I really enjoyed it. I was never a fan of the original, though I liked Gene Wilder’s performance. I’m hoping to see the film again while it’s in theatres. Just wish Johnny Depp made more movies…
We have the DVD of Classic & the book.
We all love both.
I took Family: Wife, 8yr old daughter & 5 yr old son to see movie weekend it was released.
I did not like the new one better than the old, I thought the oompa’s were better and closer to the book. I thought Depp was skeavy as Wonker, he reminded me of Michael Jackson. (I really like Depp in almost everything he has ever done)
My Wife liked the new one but again not as much as the old. Had similar op about Depp.
Both kids loved the new one and the old one. My daughter did not understand the addition of Dr. Wonka character.
We all loved the addition of the tales from the books. Finding the Oompa’s & the Chocalte palace.
Gene Wilder as Satan and the Factory as some sort of Hell is much more interesting than Johnny Depp as Fey Auberon with Daddy Issues and the factory being Arcadia.
I liked the kids alot in this one. I think they all held their own against the originals except for Veruca… nothing beats that hellbeast from the original.
I think there were far too many missteps in terms of the story… I could care less if it holds closer to the book… if I wanted the book I’d read the book.
Charlie does NOTHING in this movie. The original Charlie atleast tried to help at certain moments and makes a mistake which is he has to atone for… This new kid is just cute.
I went with my sister and her kids. The 9 year old loved it, the 4 year old was a bit scared of it in parts and did not like when the singing dolls all burned up.
I liked the movie, thought it was better then the original and Johnny Depp was brilliant, but that was a given, these days the man can do no wrong!
I liked it better–and I liked the role Charlie played better this time around. I saw the first one as a kid, and I never thought it was true to the book.
Depp’s WW is creepy, though–too Jacko for me.
Ialso thought the weird burning child mannequins were odd and pointless. Still do.
I didn’t care for all the Oompa Loompa songs, but I liked the rest. Depp’s Wonka seemed more troubled than odd to me; the bits of spoof and satire were nice touches; and I thought the melting dolls were funny–but maybe that’s because I hate Disneyland’s “It’s a Small World” and had figured that the doll scene was meant to be a swipe at that ride.
I think it was hard to watch this movie without making comparisons to the original. I think that in most ways the original was superior. The desperation of Charlie getting the ticket was better. The sense of something important happening on the day of the factory visit was better. Most important was the fact the in the original Charlie did something to prove himself worthy of the prize. That was completely lacking in the new version. There was simply no suspense.
I liked it, and loved the Oompa-Loompa songs. I was surprised to find that Depp really disappointed me. I don’t think they wrote the character very well, but even so, I just can’t understand the choices he made. Why did he talk like that? Why was he that color?
Since this version of Willy Wonka owes such an obvious debt to Michael Jackson, and this being a period when Jackson was in the news a lot, I think it’s going to date the film pretty badly.
I’ve heard that a lot, and to be honest, I don’t see it at all.
More of a blend of Andy Warhol and Andy Kaufman*, really, as far as mannerism and inflection is concerned. Very appropriate models for the Genius/Prankster thing, too.
Oh, cripes. The burning mannequins. My daughter started laughing aloud (something that she doesn’t often do) when they burst into flames, which made me laugh, which made her laugh, &c.
I despise Disney’s ride, so that may be why I found it so amusing and/or satisying.
Damned British humor.