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Submitted by W Bickford
Nothing can beat the creepiness of Gene Wilder’s portrayal of Willy Wonka. Sorry, Mr. Depp. Between Wonka and the Oompa-Loompas, we’re not sure why Paramount promoted it as a family film.
The trailer is so tame:
DISTURBING. REALLY:
Thankfully that was under a minute. You’re welcome.
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This movie totally scared the crap out of me when I was a kid.
Especially the who tunnel scene. I used to have to leave the room.
Typically in tears.
I didn’t leave the room, but I’d hide under the covers. You know the logic – what you can’t see can’t see you.
Though, in retrospect, since movies can’t see anything I suppose that logic was faulty from the get go.
Same here. The tunnel scene freaked me out… the kid stuck in the tube always made me feel claustrophobic… and the Oompa Loompas terrified me, but my sister LOVED them.
Same here. The tunnel scene freaked me out… the kid stuck in the tube always made me feel claustrophobic… and the Oompa Loompas terrified me, but my sister LOVED them.
Exactly was I was planning on writing! I couldn’t watch it through until I was in my teens, when it was merely disturbing.
Love them both now though.
lol, the oompa loompas look like John Adams if he had orange skin and green hair.
I totally agree with that when the second movie cam out i refused to go see it because I was to traumatized u the first.
I find him unescapably creepy
Wrong. Depp pwns as Willy in “Charlie and the Child Molester.”
My kids refuse to watch the Depp version, citing fear of retinal molestation.
Lawl. That’s very true.
but Idk. I don’t compare the original with the Depp version.
but yeah.
Gene Wilder… He’s an incredible actor.
HA HA HA HA!!!! “Retinal molestation”. That’s an epic win in the comment department.
the new one is more true to the book. and better.
I prefer the original because of the flow of it and the music. The Depp one just tries to hard and satires everything. Wilder’s is just more enjoyable. Depp wins on the creepiest level however. I don’t know where half of the things in the set came from but I would soon see them in my nightmares.
As was said, the Depp film is a movie of the book, written by Roald Dahl. Charlie and the Chocolate factory is a classic childrens novel written by a classic childrens author who is well known for not sugar-coating truths such as death and evil grown-ups and child abuse. I prefer the Depp film because it is Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. It has the squirrels and the pink candy boat and none of the fizzy stuff that makes you float (that’s the BFG, folks!).
Gene Wilder makes a good Willy Wonka but the title of his film is a big clue. Willy Wonka is mentioned in it, Charlie is not. There are golden geese laying golden eggs (Jack and the Beanstalk, I believe) and the Oompa Loompa songs just don’t have the impact. The songs the Oompa Loompas sing in the Depp movie are penned by Roald Dahl, the original author, which many people seem to forget. The lyrics have relevance, and a moral and are witty, instead of incorporating rhymed nonsense with ‘wise’ statements.
Depp’s film is not a remake of Wilder’s ‘original version’, again a point that people fail to understand. Willy Wonka The Chocolate Factory is a musical film based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Burton/Depp’s movie is a film adaptation of the book, so stop bloody comparing them. They are two entirely different things. Tim Burton was not trying to recreate what Gene Wilder had done. He was trying to recreate what Roald Dahl had done, and I confess I’d rather like to see the sequel. Bet half of you didn’t even know there was one.
Agreed completely! The tone of Tim Burton’s film reminds me much more of Roal Dahl (ever read the Witches?) While Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp both are genius actors and make wonderful Wonka’s, the movies simply were not made with the same result in mind. And there are good parts and bad parts to each.
Exactly my point! It annoys me that so many people assume that Burton’s movie is intended to be a remake of Wilder’s.
Thank you thank you thank you!!! Roald Dahl was my favorite author as a child so I never was a big fan of the first movie. However the Burton/Depp film is dead on! It doesn’t hurt that I love Burton and Depp otherwise too =)
Thank you for saying this. I actually preferred the Depp/Burton version, simply because it *was* more like the book.
… I like book accuracy in movie adaptations, OK?
Dear, the Gene Wilder version changed were made because of what they were and weren’t capable of doing with special effects.
I don’t care why they changed it. I’m just pointing out that they did. The reason for the changes is irrelevant.
Seriously Thank you so much for saying this. Everybody keeps comparing Wilder and Johnny in unfair ways. Wilder’s was great, but Johnny and Burton’s film is much more true to the book, and personally I feel like it is way more entertaining. I adore the songs the Oompa Loompas sing so much more. They’re different and vary from the other kid’s situations.
In Wilder’s version, I always got so bored of the Songs.
People need to keep what you said in mind.
How could the new one be more true to the book? The screenplay of the first one was written by Roald Dahl himself!
I wonder the same thing — i wonder how Dahl let them add the bit about Charlie and his grandfather drinking the fizzy-levitating drink; i always got the message from the book that the reason Charlie deserved the ‘prize’ was because he /didn’t/ mess with anything in the factory!!
But i think that Tim Burton took a different part of Dahl’s writing style; Roald Dahl’s books were written and published as children’s books, but could be read as adults with a much more serious underlying dark tone and moral message.
Yes, but so was the freaking book. You obviously haven’t read the book, or else you wouldn’t be asking that question. You’re like those stupid people who think that the Depp film is a remake of the Wilder film, when it’s not.
Read the book and you’ll get it. Just because Dahl wrote the screenplay to the first one, doesn’t mean it was truer to the book. Read it.
So at what point in the book do we find out about Willie Wonker’s Daddy issues? If you could point that out to me, I would be most grateful, because I have read it a few times, and can’t find a single mention of WW’s father, let alone the god-awful, totally moronic, utterly stupid back story plot that entirely and completely and utterly ruined the new film.
Missing the point much? I read the book often enough to know what parts were in it and what parts were not and I’m by no means saying that they used Roald Dahl’s book as a script and never deviated from it. They added to it. They did not change it. There’s a big difference there, and I never said i liked the extra bit with Willy Wonka’s father.
I was talking to FC, and doubting his assertion that it was more true to the book since they added a whole big load of bollocks in to it.
I apologise then for the touchiness. You are right about the addition, which as I said, I wasn’t keen on. I like that they used the real Oompa Loompa songs.
I still prefer the Wilder version. I have read the book to, but I see books and movies as two very seperate things. I remember Wilder as a big part of my childhood, so I like it better.
The oompa loompas totally ruined the remake. I hated it. Nothing can beat Gene Wilder’s version. What’s creepier than the boat scene? Seriously. That was messed up.
you mean, The oompah loompah, THERE WAS ONLY ONE! I CANT BELIEVE THEM! Gene Wilder was just perfect as Willie.
That chicken getting killed in the boat scene was seriously disturbing.
The boat scene scared the crap outta me when I was little. I remember hiding behind the couch when it came on.
Humorously enough, the Oompa Loompas (original, orange ones) Only one of them could speak English, the rest sang by sound, not knowing what they were saying. That’s why the songs are so staccato
Funny though that Roald Dahl absolutely hated the film. He hated it so much that he never got to the end.
The Gene Wilder film did have the best quote ever though:
Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker.
Ogden Nash, I believe?
I loooove this version so much more than the new one!
Gene Wilder is amazing.
I swear whenever I got to watch this as a kid, I was so happy.
Its a really good movie.
The Ooompa-Loompas. THE OOOMPA-LOOMPAS.
I have to admit that I LOVED this version. I totally fell in love with Mr. Wilder. He does a more subtle creepy than Mr. Depp. But I was always disturbed that the musical didn’t quite follow the book (Charlie’s dad being gone and the misbehaving Charlie). Then Mr. Burton’s movie came out and I was SOOOOO satisfied! They are both wonderful in their own ways and as was said before, both had their little problems too. This version will always be first in my heart, but the new version is awesome as well.
Willy Wonka is my favorite movie ever. Gene Wilder rules@
Wilder is better in the role than Depp, ill admit the version with Depp is more acurate to the book but the original with Wilder is much more enjoyable in opinion
Gene Wilder did such a great job with this character. He’s mean and a little creepy, but still somewhat likable. I just don’t like the remake, even if it is closer to the book.
Best scene in the original – the end, Gene Wilder’s WONKA is sitting at his desk, furiously writing, clock is ticking in the background and Charlie returns to give him an explanation…It’s INCREDIBLE writing and acting…LOVE LOVE LOVE this. Has anyone seen the trailer for Tim’s new movie 9? It looks intense
Yknow. NOTHING about the old movie scared me or even creeped me out. I mean nothing. Not the oompa loompas, not the tunnel scene (which made it on some TV list of “scariest movie moments of all time”) Nothing. In fact the only part that made me teary was when he says Charlie’s not going to win because of drinking the soda.
The new movie however? There is something very creepy about how pedophile-y Depp looks throughout.
I totally agree with you. I was never scared of the first movie at all, but I was sad when he said Charlie wouldn’t win.
I seriously think that part made me turn into a goody two-shoes. Seriously, all the kids were brats, and Charlie was good, but he still stole the drink. And therefore, he lost. That scene made me straighten up really good!
And the new one is really creepy. Like you said, kinda pedophile-y. But my kids like that one. I once made them watch the Gene Wilder one and I was so excited, and they were so freakin’ bored! Thay hated it.
My friend’s uncle was an oompa loompa in the original film.
my philosophy is, if it’s not broken don’t fix it… but you have to admit, tim burton & johnny depp did an awesome job on the remake
>_< gene wilder scared the crap out of me when i was 5 and he said you LOSE! Good DAY SIR!!
Totally. Throughout the movie, he seems like one of those adults who very rarely gets noticeably angry. And when one of those gets angry, holy shiiiiiit is it ever alarming to a kid.
I haven’t seen the new one. I have to reread the book first…
Try not to use the word “remake” in this context. If offends people(read the above posts). Technically Tim Burton’s/Depp’s film is NOT a remake of Mel Stuart’s/Wilder’s film. Its a different adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book. Besides, if you’re adapting a story book in your own way, when someone else has already done so, you are NOT remaking his work. If not, thousands of different theater troupes would be “doing remakes” of each other when they are performing the same Shakespearean screenplays in their own ways.
I can has oompa loompa?
WANT!!!!!!
I was quite disappointed when Tim Burton’s film changed the ending and a bit of the plot from the book…instead of Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, it was about Wonka reconciling with his father. And unlike the book, the movie added a subplot about Wonka’s childhood and his estranged relationship with his father.
But i have to admit, it was a great alternative ending and subplot. While hardcore truist Roald Dahl fans might get pissed, others will more likely find it a wonderful
storyline.
I have yet to see the Glen Wilder one. Hopefully i can hunt down a copy and watch it xD
Yeah, finding out that Willie Wonka was the Son of Saruman explained a whole lot.
wait….. are you implying that oompa loompas are in fact, hobbits???!?!?!?
The two movies aren’t comparable. I like the new one, and I’ve loved Johnny Depp for 21 years, but I didn’t care for his portrayal. Why the weird voice? But I always loved Gene Wilder, too, just because in real life he seemed like such a sweet, softspoken, gentle man. I don’t know, I always just wanted to hug him. Anyway, the first one is my favorite.
Me, too! Me, too!
I’ve always felt the same way about Gene Wilder. He just seems like he’d be such a nice person in “real life”.
This movie was disturbing…and awesome!
As for which one is better, I like both the older movie as much as I like the newer one.
“The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.”
Wonka is cold, man. Blandly quoting TIOBE while a kid is sucked into a chocolate pipe?
I may be showing my ignorance here, but what is TIOBE?
TIOBE = The Importance of Being Earnest (Act 3, Scene 3) by Oscar Wilde. Just wanted to note for anybody ignorant like me.
The old film, in my opinion, was much better than the newer remake.
1. I didn’t care for the portrayal of Willy Wonka in the new film
2. My uncle made the old film
Didn’t even see the Gene Wilder version ’til I was an adult. No offense to the actor, but all I could keep thinking was “child molester – run away!” I was relieved when I saw the Burton/Depp version was a truer adaptation of the original book – which I loved as a child.
Both versions of Willy Wonka made them seem like child molestors. Maybe that’s why the kids had to take a parent along. You know, liability. Buddy system.
On a side note, my kids were so effing scared of “the chocolate pipe.” Anytime they’d argue or not pick up their rooms, or not want to go to bed, I’d start to sing the opening notes to the Augustus Gloop song and they’d freak out and start to cry.
And THAT is why I’m the worst mom ever and surely going to Hell.
Oompa Loompas scared the CRAP out of me as a child. Between that and Wizard of Oz, I now have an unhealthy fascination with Little People.
Gene Wilder was better IMHO but Depp was good. They are two completely different movies. My major complaint about the 2nd version is they used the same guy for all the Oompa Loompas. Not right, just not right.
I loved this movie! I still do. While I think Jonny Depp is an amazing comedic actor–NOTHING compares to Gene Wilder in this role! This move should not have been remade. Some classics it is a sin to touch!
It never occurred to me that the movie might have scared anyone until I saw it listed here. I still love it. Maybe it was because I grew up watching The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock and The Outer Limits but I wasn’t easily scared. I wouldn’t watch the Johnny Depp version for a long time until my daughter convinced me to think of it as a completely different movie and not a remake. I have also had people tell me that The Wizard of Oz scared the crap out of them as kids, which amazed me. I watched it every year and loved it too.
isnt this number 1 on Nambla’s top 100 movies? isnt that why they had to remake it?
i cant believe they didnt keep this line from the original.
“my my, three naughty, bad ,horrible children gone. four good lovely children left.”
my numbers may be off but i loved that line.
Nobody does it better.
Gene Wilder is god.
“I’m a little deaf in this ear. You’ll have to speak much louder next time.”
“All questions must be submitted in writing at the end of the tour.”
“You should open your mouth a little wider when you speak”
My all time fave: “WE are the music makers. And WE are the dreamers of dreams.”
Gotta love them Schnozzberries!
There’s no earthly way of knowing
Which direction they are going!
There’s no knowing where they’re rowing,
Or which way they river’s flowing!
Not a speck of light is showing,
So the danger must be growing,
For the rowers keep on rowing,
And they’re certainly not showing
Any signs that they are slowing…
I know this movie entirely by heart. It has always been my favorite and dramatically shaped my life. EPIC WIN!! Totally epic.
In fact, it was because of this movie (And the newer version) that I earned the nickname “Willy”…Let’s just say…I need a life XD
while Johnny Depp did a wonderful job as Willy (I’m a Tim Burton fan) and despite what people said I loved the movie, but you just can’t top Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka
Couldn’t have put it better myself
There’s no earthly way of knowing…
if you read the book, willy wonka was a creepy character, no doubt.