I am boycotting this movie on general principle. Wilder is, was, and always will be Wonka as far as I’m concerned.
I have no intentions of boycotting this movie, but I sure hope the makers of the trailer were pandering to the youngest demographic in their selection of snippets. I fail to see how anyone older than 7 would accept that swooning, sighing twit (thank you, Myrnalene) as Willy Wonka.
At least Narnia looks cool.
I thought Gene Wilder was just fine in the role of Willy Wonka, except for the fact that he was far too young form the role.
I heard once that Fred Astaire was supposed to play the role back in 1970, and that Gene Wilder took the role only after Fred dropped out. I’m not sure that’s true, but Astaire would have been the right age to play Wonka. Remember, he’s looking for a child to take over his factory precisely BECAUSE he’s getting too old to do it himself.
While I think highly of Johnny Depp as an actor, he’s ALSO way too young to play Willy Wonka. And based solely on trailers, he seems to be playing Wonka as an effeminate nitwit, not as a mysterious, quirky-but-dangerous sort.
Early rumors had the role going to Christopher Walken… and I now suspect Walken would have been a much better choice.
I’m looking forward to the new version. Gene Wilder was great but the rest of the previous version makes me gag. I much preferred the book, and was terribly disappointed by the film.
I don’t agree about Wilder’s version. Quirky, maybe, but not evil IMO. From the Tim Burton Collective
Gene Simmons
I remember early rumors that Marilyn Manson was going to play Willy Wonka.
That… would have been interesting.
Er, having read Factory and the Great Glass Elevator since young, I failed to find anything unsettling about them. Yeah, the Knids (is that what they were called) were kind of upsetting, but in Factory, it just doesn’t seem that bad. Anyone mind spoiling me just why the story is considered ‘dark’? Spoiler tags, of course.
At any rate, I wasn’t too thrilled by the trailer. The mysterious factor workers in orange/red jumpsuits? Wonka looking somewhat like Michael Jackson? He seems to be more aloof and disaffected than pleasantly distrubed (like the Wily of the original book).
I must also question if the ‘modern updates’ to the movie would work. Yeah, they up the TV watching kid to a video-game manic. and all the stuff, instead of looking like the steel/cogwheel kind of thing, have become somewhat of a children science-fic story. It is not how imagine it is from the books.
But…I am looking forward to the movie nonetheless!
I wish I had your strength. I tell myself I’m going to this movie so I can bash it more effectively.
And, that said, I’m going to try to give it a fair shot, but Og, it doesn’t look good.
Maybe not that novel, but have you read his short stories? Talk about unsettling!
Dahl’s short story “The Man From the South” (made into an *Alfred Hitchcock Presents * episode and then adapted by Quentin Tarantino for his segment of the anthology film Four Rooms) was pretty disturbing.
I saw the trailer and I have to say, I had no impressions either way.
Maybe I just wasn’t paying attention.
The more of the movie that I see, the less enthusiasm I have. Depp seems to be playing Wonka like he was some sort of lovable halfwit.
Wilder played it nice most of the time, but you knew that he could snap and mess you up at any moment. He had an edge that Depp seems to be lacking.
I’d also heard that the screenwriter for the new movie hadn’t seen the old one. When he did, he was surprised at how dark it was. Anyone else remember that?
I think it mostly stems from the extremely casual way in which each of the kids is disposed of and Wonka’s apathy about it. They ARE brats, however, which is why it probably doesn’t register that there are a bunch of kids in the book that have pretty horrible things happen to them.
That’s about how I’m approaching it, too. As noted above, trailers try to make a movie look good… but from what we’ve seen of Depp’s portrayal of Wonka, I’ve got a baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad feeling about this.
Trailers can be misleading. I’m with the “witholding judgement til I see the movie” camp.
I have vivid memories of watching Wilder’s movie in elementary school and on into middle school. I still enjoy watching it on tv on occasion.
When I heard Depp and Burton were teaming up for this, I did a hop-skip and a jump for joy. I think this is a dynamic duo who can get things done!
I can’t see Burton taking this anywhere but dark. I mean don’t forget, what’s-her-face from Fight Club is in it too. So this isn’t exactly Sesame Street. I think the previews are being light weight to avoid scaring people off. I think the pre-advertising is going to begin to darken as we near release date, but as of now they’re making it seem corny and cute and such.
My only concern is that some parents won’t know the story and will be unpleasantly surprised by it…
Interesting. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are also in The Corpse Bride, Tim Burton’s second movie this year.
FWIW, Christopher Lee also has roles in both movies.
Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Bucket - that’s what I read. Now remind me who Mrs. Bucket is?
I was dissapointed wtih the trailer too but - will definitely see it. I like Depp and I typically like Tim Burton films. I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised…
Charlie’s mother.