Willy Wonka is not a nice man. Yet, somehow, you can't help but like him, at least as he's played by Gene Wilder in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," the semi-psychedelic, and "psychotronic," 1971 version of Roald Dahl's classic children's novel. Wonka is aloof, sardonic, sarcastic, mysterious, manipulative, and devious--a leprechaun with a hyperactive thyroid and an edge. But, as Wilder plays him, you sense the sweetness behind the wild gleam in his eyes; he's really hoping that one of the five children he's invited to tour his chocolate factory will be a worthy heir to the world of his imagination.
Yes, Wonka is a cynic and a misanthrope. (What else could he be after sequestering himself in his own little world for years on end?) But he wants to believe that there is still some good to be found in a "weary world." Wilder captures Dahl's creation perfectly.
The rest of the cast is perfect, too, and they make the most of Dahl's often witty script. Peter Ostrom, in particular, is excellent as Charlie.
Yet, this minor classic of a movie has its flaws. The production design suffers from a lack of budget. Wonka's "Chocolate Room" looks like an elaborate mini-golf course, with a dirty river running through it, in a brick warehouse. The "Inventing Room" is meant to be a whimsical, magical laboratory, but comes off more like an especially elaborate hideout for the Joker on the old "Batman" TV series. The songs range from reasonably good (Veruca Salt's ode to brattiness "I Want the Whole World") to saccharine ("The Candy Man") to downright wretched (the Oompa-Loompa oeuvre entire, with lousy choreography to match). Wilder's rendition of "Pure Imgaination," an overly sugary confection that could induce diabetic comas in the wrong hands, works thanks to the faraway look in his eyes; he makes it magical. The make up and costumes of the Oompa-Loompas (Wonka's workers), on the other hand, are simply embarrassing.
Yet despite these flaws, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" is hugely entertaining and probably the best family film of the 1970s. Think of it this way: "Willy Wonka" is to Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" as the "Batman" TV series (from the 1960s) is to Burton's "Batman." Both are different, entirely valid takes on the same source material. Both are worth watching.
Yes, Wonka is a cynic and a misanthrope. (What else could he be after sequestering himself in his own little world for years on end?) But he wants to believe that there is still some good to be found in a "weary world." Wilder captures Dahl's creation perfectly.
The rest of the cast is perfect, too, and they make the most of Dahl's often witty script. Peter Ostrom, in particular, is excellent as Charlie.
Yet, this minor classic of a movie has its flaws. The production design suffers from a lack of budget. Wonka's "Chocolate Room" looks like an elaborate mini-golf course, with a dirty river running through it, in a brick warehouse. The "Inventing Room" is meant to be a whimsical, magical laboratory, but comes off more like an especially elaborate hideout for the Joker on the old "Batman" TV series. The songs range from reasonably good (Veruca Salt's ode to brattiness "I Want the Whole World") to saccharine ("The Candy Man") to downright wretched (the Oompa-Loompa oeuvre entire, with lousy choreography to match). Wilder's rendition of "Pure Imgaination," an overly sugary confection that could induce diabetic comas in the wrong hands, works thanks to the faraway look in his eyes; he makes it magical. The make up and costumes of the Oompa-Loompas (Wonka's workers), on the other hand, are simply embarrassing.
Yet despite these flaws, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" is hugely entertaining and probably the best family film of the 1970s. Think of it this way: "Willy Wonka" is to Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" as the "Batman" TV series (from the 1960s) is to Burton's "Batman." Both are different, entirely valid takes on the same source material. Both are worth watching.