Now that famous actor, Gene Wilder, passed away this Monday, and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory will be coming to Broadway in 2017, it's time to pay tribute to two movies...Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. Let me start out by saying that I thought the Charlie version was gonna blow when I first saw the trailer for it! You can't top the original Wonka version... No way, no how! After seeing it, however... I was totally right! It's not a bad movie, but I just don't think it resembles the original. However, there could be something that I'm missing here nowadays, so let's have ourselves a showdown to see which version is the superior one!
1. The Main Star
The main star of both versions is the character of Willy Wonka! The role was played by two of my favorite actors, Gene Wilder (from Young Frankenstein, The Producers & Blazing Saddles) in 1971 & Johnny Depp (from the Pirates Of The Caribbean series, the 2007 version of Sweeney Todd, & the 2010 version of Alice In Wonderland) in 2005. Every time you see them, these actors are a ton of fun to watch, playing all kinds of characters! Which one is the best Willy Wonka though?
Gene Wilder: He not only had the ideas and ambition of a child, but he also had the mind and demeanor of a James Bond villain. Every time you see him you felt welcomed, but also a little disturbed. When you look at him you have no idea what he's thinking about. All we know is that he had everything all planned out. You can tell he also had patience, but only for the people and ideas that deserve it! Everything else turned into a blueberry like Violet. He was elegant, mysterious, fun to be around, and very kind. This role gave him an edge, and a lot of children and adults can identify with him very easily as they rode along with him on the journey. Along the way, he also cracks jokes while having a diabolical edge to him.
Johnny Depp: Unlike Gene Wilder's take, this version tore me apart! Don't get me wrong because I love Johnny Depp and reinventing the role isn't that easy, but I have no idea what he was thinking and doing throughout the entire movie. My guess is that he was a lost child in a grown-man's body due to the character's past (running away from his father and all), but nothing about him was consistent. Of course, he sent out golden tickets to five children, yet when they arrived to the factory he had no interest in any of them... Even though they'll be TAKING OVER HIS JOB!!! It's kind of like watching a friend act really bad in a play, but you're in such a world of awkwardness that you can't tell that person. Also... he looks like a mix of Marilyn Manson and one of the girls in BabyMetal, a Japanese metal idol band.
At the end of the day... Johnny Depp rocks, but every actor needs to have one bad performance and this was his. So, Gene Wilder wins!!! Also, god bless his soul! <3
2. The Supporting Cast
Along with looking into these roles, we're also going to find out which Charlie Bucket is better!
Willy Wonka: All the kids were great actors, and reflect the bratty stereotypes of the time. From Augustus Gloop to Mike Teevee, the kids always put a smile on my face for how they act and who they really are! I love the Grandpa Joe in this version because he was more honest, strong, positive, and stubborn...which made him more supportive. The Oompa-Loompas in this version are better as well because they had green hair, they were small and orange. Finally, Peter Ostrum took the role of Charlie and made it more realistic. He was a nice kid, but he was still a kid. By that, I mean that he could get sad, angry, and he could even have moments when he can be greedy. We don't look down on him for it because it's all a part of being a little boy.
Charlie: I have to admit... This version took the stereotypes and upgraded them, in a good way! Mike Teevee was more obsessed with video games than television and his parent acted clueless about it, as if they didn't care if technology can raise their child. Violet was a winning obsessed champion and not just a gum enthusiast. Also, her mom was like a soccer mom who pushes her daughter's victories tenfold, and that's a great topic to bring up. Meanwhile, Augustus is more obsessed with candy than food in general, and Verucca...is actually the same character as the Wonka version. In terms of Grandpa Joe... He was supportive, but mostly quiet and not upfront. Deep Roy played every single Oompa-Loompa in this film, but they still look like normal human beings...which makes them unappealing to the eyes. Finally, Freddie Highmore (who I remember from August Rush, probably his best movie ever) played the role of Charlie, and I hate his take on the character. He does everything right, never thinks of himself, and seems like a boy scout!
Overall, the Wonka version takes the cake on this one!!!
3. Music
Because you can't have a musical adventure inside a chocolate factory without music, right?
Willy Wonka: The songs in this version are know by pretty much everyone. They're catchy and timeless as they are considered to be household tunes. Songs like "The Candy Man Can," "(I Got a) Golden Ticket," and "Pure Imagination" are basically ear-candy to me. The orchestra made every musical piece a classic!
Charlie: Who do you get to try and match the songs in the Wonka version? Well, how about Danny Elfman (composer of The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride)? Well, the approach he made was actually clever. The songs don't appear until the kids get to the factory, and they're only sung by the Oompa-Loompas. However, they always take on a different genre with every song they sing. From a 50's Mambo to an 80's Rock tune, the delivery was entertaining. Still, the songs in this movie are short and pretty forgettable... Unless if you're talking about "Wonka's Welcome Song," which made my ears bleed!
With that in mind, the Wonka version strikes again!!!
4. Visual Style
Willy Wonka: The scenery in this version is pretty basic and it looked like it can take place anywhere. Because it was made in the 70's, it had that 1970 tint and it seemed outdated...which made it less appealing to see. Even the chocolate river looked like colored water!
Charlie: Tim Burton (director of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, and the first Batman movie), on the other hand, focuses more on detail in this movie, and he took the details straight from the book and created it in his own unique way. He also really knows how to take our modern-day world and make it look like something out of a fairytale. The cinematography was crystal clear and it always looks perfect the more you look at it. Along with that, the chocolate river in this movie looks like actual chocolate in liquid form, and the movie also had a perfect design on what a Gobstopper looks like.
This was a close call, but the Charlie version wins the title for Best Visuals!!! Tim's team had a lot more time, money, and a creative boss with genius ideas!
5. Story
This is where it all comes down to. Which version told their story and morals the best?
Willy Wonka: This movie is more focused on Charlie's character. The only thing that bugs me about this film is that we don't see if the other kids survived after going up a tube of chocolate and going down a garbage shoot. However, I have no other complaints with this version. I told its story in a simple, pleasant matter. The moral of this movie is to stay true to yourself and to always be good. If you do so, all of your hopes and dreams will become reality, and you'll get the reward you desire!
Charlie: This version is more focused on Willy Wonka's character, but Charlie should've been the focus and the character kids can identify with like in the Wonka version... His name is in the TITLE OF THE BOOK for crying out loud!!! When this movie started, I didn't think this movie would be that bad. It seemed creative and felt like it was starting its own version that can actually work... That is until Depp comes in. In general, this film showed a lot of detail, like Loompaland and Grandpa Joe's working experience with Willy Wonka, that is a little too much for me to know about. However, the movie updated the little plot holes that the Wonka version made. Also, there was no Slugworth throughout the majority of the film, and there was no outburst to put Charlie's innocence and kindness to the test. I guess the moral of this version is to not only be a kid at heart, but to also be an adult at mind... However, this seems like a message to adults and / or teenagers.
So... the Wonka version wins!!!
Overall, I don't hate Charlie & The Chocolate Factory as much as I did in the past, but it's still clear that Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is the overall winner! It's old, original, and a timeless classic for kids and adults no matter how young or old they become!
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory's Rating: 9 / 10 Stars
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory's Rating: 6 / 10 Stars
