Susan Granger’s review of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (Warner Bros.)
It’s always intrigued me how filmmakers can be inspired by the same literary work yet interpret it so differently. Tim Burton’s take is 180-degrees from “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (1971) with Gene Wilder warbling the Anthony Newley-Leslie Bricusse score. Both campy films are based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 children’s story revolving around five children who win a guided tour of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, but that’s where the similarity ends. Charlie Bucket (Freddie Highmore of “Finding Neverland”) is an ordinary lad who lives in a tiny, crumbling hut. He’s poor but blessed with a loving family (Noah Taylor, Helena Bonham Carter, David Kelly of “Waking Ned Devine”). His basic kindness and decency set him apart from the other spoiled brat “winners” – and it’s Charlie, not Willy Wonka, who propels the plot. Despite the fact that he doesn’t sing a note, Johnny Depp’s maniacally mischievous candyman bears a darkly creepy, even sinister resemblance to Michael Jackson – with a freaky masklike face, perfect teeth, black Prince Valiant hair, dandy clothes and latex gloves. Screenwriter John August (“Big Fish”) invents a sociopathic Wonka backstory, involving his strict dentist father (Christopher Lee). And the cocoa-crazed Oompa-Loompas are all played by Deep Roy, whose 4′ 4″ height is digitally shrunk to 30″. Roy performs the bizarre, yet hilarious musical numbers. Not only does Tim Burton’s dazzling, inventive visuality run rampant, particularly with a squadron of nut-cracking squirrels, but he pays homage to choreographer Busby Berkeley and films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Planet of the Apes.” On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is a weirdly wonderful 8. Surreal sweets are here!
