Sure to receive the „My favourite movie of the year” award.
I’ve been waiting to see this movie for ages. Not having watched the 1971 version of The Chocolate Factory, I had no idea about what it would be like.
I hadn’t read the story either so Charlie and his dreams about the Chocolate Factory were totally unkown to me before. I went there with no expectations about the plot. I didn’t want to see any trailers or spoilers before, I just wanted raw Tim Burton. As ugly as he is (and that’s a fact), his movies are always a huge visual stimulus.
As the movie began, I noticed his recurrent winter pattern, the amazing audios from Danny Elfman (who also made the Beetlejuice and Spiderman soundtracks plus many others). The perfect order, simmetry and lovely 3D work. I immediately loved the fonts on every poster (in the movie), the ones on the chocolate bar, the Willy Wonka logo on the entrance to the factory, on every truck and box. I think Tim Burton wanted to make every art director green with envy 😀
I guess the Johnny Depp + Tim Burton + Danny Elfman combination is the winning one; Johnny Depp’s best movies were directed by Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow) and Tim Burton’s best movies have Johnny Depp as the main character (:D). I always admired Johnny Depp for the roles he picked for himself, he could have been a second hand actor, starring in mediocre movies. But he’s smart and handsome at the same time.
The movie gave me a visual orgasm. As an adult, you forget that the candy boat isn’t pink candy but pink plastic, you know there’s no such thing as oompa-loompas or Loompaland. You simply forget that it’s fantasy and feel like eating lots of chocolate when the movie ends and asking daddy for another poney. Those cascades of chocolate, rivers, ponds, chocolate bars, fudge delights, Augustus Gloop dipped in chocolate licking his fingers will make you want some real bad.
I guess the only thing that shocked me is that Willy Wonka’s dad is … Count Dooku 😀
Bloody brilliant movie, I think I’m going to pre-order the DVD right away.