Meandering Missive: Where's the lickable wallpaper?

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Where's the lickable wallpaper?

This weekend I watched the newly released DVD of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the much-touted 2005 remake (by director Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp) of Roald Dahl's classic book of the same name.

I've read the book several times, and I've seen the original 1971 musical version Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (by director Mel Stuart and starring Gene Wilder) too many times to count.

I enjoyed the 2005 version (especially the special effects) and am glad I rented it. I also enjoy Johnny Depp in any role, and I think Freddie Highmore (Charlie) is a loveable and promising young actor. However, I must admit that overall, there were more things I preferred about the 1971 version. Here's the list:

First and foremost -- where's the lickable wallpaper?! It's a minor detail, but I REALLY missed it in the 2005 version. During the factory tour in the 1971 version, one of the places Willy Wonka takes the kids is to a wall covered in small, colorful pictures of fruit (and maybe other things). He invites them to lick the pictures and taste the different fruits. They do, and are amazed.

So was I! In fact, I was so obsessed with lickable wallpaper I even daydreamed about it! (Of course, I didn't think of how unsanitary it would be!) I also remember wanting to take the scratch-and-sniff sticker concept and turn it into scratch-and-lick. (LOL) I need to dig out my copy of the old version and take a screen shot of the wallpaper. I seem to recall the fruit was lined up in columns. I think I would prefer lickable wallpaper like this.

In the 2005 version, there were too many subtle similarities between Willy Wonka and Michael Jackson for my licking, from the pasty face to the glove-wearing to the weird mannerisms. I also thought Wonka was too unfriendly/cold toward his visitors. I know he's an eccentric hermit who probably has little trust in people, but I think he should have more of the whimsical, free-spirited, almost silly quality Gene Wilder brought to the role. This is not a criticism of Depp; I think he was an excellent actor in this role, as he always is. I just prefer Wilder's Wonka over Depp's.

In the 2005 version, we only hear of Slugworth (Wonka's evil competitor) as someone who used a spy-stolen recipe to make a Wonka-esque candy for his own candy store. We don't really "meet" him or learn his personality. That's not true in 1971, probably because in 1971 there's an important scene toward the end that mentions Slugworth.

In the 2005 version, Grandpa Joe's transformation from bed-ridden old man to Charlie's factory tour chaperone just doesn't have the emotional quality as the 1971 version. In 2005, he simply gets out of the bed and does a little victory jig. No one even seems shocked that he's walking. In 1971, the entire family -- not to mention Grandpa Joe himself -- seem totally agog that he's able to walk. And his victory jig is a lot more joyful and engaging.

In 2005, Veruca Salt was not nearly as petulant, nagging, loud and bratty as her 1971 counterpart. Supposedly the epitome of the selfish, spoiled rich snot, her 2005 personality is a bit too toned-down, sometimes even eclipsed by Violet Beauregarde. Additionally, in 2005, Veruca's father seems resigned and exasperated with his daughter's behavior, not intimidated. This is a contrast to 1971, where Veruca's father seemed almost like her slave, frantically kowtowing to her every whim and very intimidated by her.

In 2005, Violet Beauregarde is an ultra-competitive, conceited, self-centered brat who'd be just as hateful as Veruca except for the fact that Violet doesn't demand that she wants everything. I prefer the 1971 Violet, who is an annoying, fast-talking, nose-picking know-it-all, but not anywhere NEAR as hateful as Veruca. I definitely prefer the old Violet and old Veruca.

Augustus Gloop hasn't changed much between the two movie versions, so I don't have much to say about him. Mike Teevee is portrayed as too violent in the 2005 version (probably because we didn't have Nintendo and X-Box games in the 1970s!), but aside from that, I don't have any strong feelings either way about the changes in his character.

In 2005, I thought it was rather silly that all the Oompa Loompas working in the factory are identical. It's like "Attack of the Clones"! (LOL) If indeed the Oompa Loompas were a pygmy-like tribe living in the jungle and worshipping the cocoa (cacao) bean, they should all look similar but not identical! I dunno. I just thought it was kind of disappointing.

How come in 2005 the children are SHOWN what an everlasting gobstopper is, but they don't each receive one like they do in 1971? Those fascinated me almost as much as the lickable wallpaper. And the gobstopper was also crucial to a later plot twist (see below).

I really missed how in 2005 the "Fizzy Lifting Drink" scene was left out. That's where Charlie and Grandpa Joe drink the bubbly stuff and end up in a glass tank (I forgot how) where they almost float up to the fan blades and get killed, and have to "burp" their way down to escape. I liked it because it showed that even Charlie sometimes lets his curiosity get the better of him, and gets in trouble for it.

Because of the Fizzy Lifting incident (in 1971 but sadly NOT in 2005), Willy Wonka yells at Charlie and Grandpa Joe about that incident and tells them that basically, it was all over and they'd get nothing. If you recall, after this argument, Grandpa Joe tells Wonka off and then tells Charlie "If Slugworth wants a gobstopper, he'll get one!!" This is in reference to Wonka's evil competitor, Slugworth, whom we already met early in the movie and who offered Charlie a bribe for the gobstopper recipe.

Of course, Charlie remains noble and honest in the face of all his hurt and disappointment, and hands Wonka back the gobstopper after all. This, of course, is what Wonka had been hoping for, and says the moving but not well-remembered line: "And so shines a good deed in a weary world." He soon bursts into gleeful hysterics and gives Charlie the good news that it was all a test of character and that Charlie is the new heir to the chocolate factory. I like this ending much better than the ending in 2005.

The one thing about the 2005 version I definitely liked BETTER than the 1971 one was that it was true to the Nut-Sorting Room mentioned in Roald Dahl's book. This is where Veruca Salt meets her end (well, not her death, but her end of the tour). In 1971, it was not a room full of squirrels sorting nuts but instead something to do with chickens sitting on nests and laying eggs. (I admittedly can't recall the exact situation). In 2005, it's back to nut-sorting and I almost flipped my wig when I saw all those cute, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed squirrels sitting on little stools and grabbing, cracking and tossing walnuts! (I think everyone knows my love of rodents.)

And that's the end of my review, if you could call it that. Thanks for reading. If you've seen both versions of the movie, I'd love to know which you prefer, and why. (I bet at least one comment will come from "movie maven Marjorie"!) *grin*

Today I am feeling amused.

posted by ScaryShari @ 9:00 PM

2 Comments:

At 11:07 AM, Anonymous said…

Some of my observations are-

In the 1970's version, Willy Wonka seemed just playing crazy but really very on the ball in the end. In the 2005 version, he really is quite crazy.

I also didn't think it was necessary to have only one person as the Oompa Loompa.

I however did enjoy the Oingo Boingo music that Danny Elfman did. I think he's very very good, and enjoy hearing him on almost any occasion.
At 12:16 AM, Anonymous said…

My favorite part of the 2005 movie were the new songs. And how did they make impromptu rhyming lyrics? crafty oompa loompas! Alas, on iTunes one must buy the entire album or no songs at all.

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