Director: Tim Burton
Release Date: 2005
Running Time: 1hr 50 minutes
Genre: Adventure/Family
Rating: PG
Format: Amazon Prime UK
Synopsis:
A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory, in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.
Based on the best-selling children's book of the same name by Roald Dahl. Director Tim Burton delivers a truly unique adaption of the story. Charlie (Highmore), lives in the world's tiniest house with his parents and grandparents. Although his father works in a toothpaste factory, they're very poor and live on Cabbage water. It is announced that chocolatier extraordinaire Willy Wonka is letting five children into his factory to look around, on the basis they find a golden ticket in one of his Wonka bars. After stumbling across some money on the floor, Charlie decides to buy a Wonka bar, to his luck, he finds a golden ticket! The adventure that unfolds around him is truly enchanting! Fun loving Johnny Depp, delivers one of his most magical performances as Willy Wonka! Rumour has it, he based his character on singing legend Michael Jackson! I can sort of see the resemblance. His character looks pretty awesome none the less.
Freddie Highmore stars as innocent Charlie Bucket, a remarkable child actor, who now can you believe stars as Norman Bates in "Bates Motel", alongside Vera Farmiga. Freddie is truly fantastic, I think a lot of children will be able to relate to him. Although I am a massive fan of the original film, I do really appreciate how Burton chose to go into more depth with his characters, the children in particular. It's been modernised, of course it has. That does however mean that Burton has made quite a few changes to the film. Voilet Beauregard is now a gum chewing, karate chopping, brat, who turns up with her mother instead of her father, we're shown Wonka's backstory, something really I would have loved to have seen in the original film. We're also introduced to Wonka's father which came as a very pleasant surprise when I found him to be played by the talented Christopher Lee.
Burton chose a fantastic cast for the film, with the likes of David Kelly (Grandpa), Noah Taylor (Mr Bucket) and Helena Boham Carter as Mrs Bucket. Although they don't have the biggest of roles, each of them has great significance to the storyline. I've come to the conclusion that actress Helena Boham Carter is incredible, regardless of who she plays. It's best to expect the unexpected when it comes to a Tim Burton movie. The characters are fantastically over the top and irritating. I really love that he chose Deep Roy to play the Oompah Loompas. I really love Tim Burton, his imagination is just incredible. So much detail has gone into each and every scene that I'd be here for ages just talking about it. I don't want to spoil it.
It's understandable that some audiences aren't going to enjoy Burton's adaption. Some may even say he ruined it. No, two people are going to read a book and tell you they pictured the same thing, why? Because we all have a different imagination. At the end of the day, Burton may have pictured the story differently to Director Mel Stuart. It sits well with me, but it's understandable it won't sit well with others. The storyline is completely absurd, personally, it works. The only thing that really irritates me, I'm sorry to say, is the soundtrack. The score to the original film was fun and magical, Burton couldn't of gone further in another direction when it came to the score, by fantastic composer Danny Elfman. Knowing Burton, it was probably done deliberately, to add to the tone of the film. As awful as it does sound in some scenes, it's absolutely perfect too.
The factory scene is by far the most enchanting, everything, believe it or not, is actually made of chocolate. The lollipops on the tree's are real, it's incredible! I love the attention to detail. The production department have done an incredible job in creating a very real and lived in set. I love that Burton made a reference to "2001: A Space Oddessy" and Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho", too. I'm pretty sure there is a reference to "The Fly", in there too. You'll have to concentrate or you'll miss it. It's quick! Visually, it's stunning, the cinematography really is top-notch. It works perfectly with the storyline and adds to the tone of the film. It's outrageously awesome. If you're a fan of Tim Burton, you simply wouldn't expect anything else. A unique take, on one of the best children's story's of all time!
Twitter: Tamara2000 - Check for updates, movie reviews and more!
E-mail: djtamaramarie@yahoo.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment