Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

[Tadao]

They are playing the old and new movies back to back right now. Never did catch the remake until now and I'm halfway through. After watching the original again, I don't think it could have been improved in this day and age. Maybe if we invent smellavision or tasteavision.

[BLEU]

Never saw the remake, but the original is awesome. Except for the song Charlie's mom sings. I always hated that part.

And just what the hell is a bean feast?

[J. Tithonus Pednaud]

A bean-feast is an annual dinner for workers with the employer as host. It sort of fell into slang for a party in general.

[Pandajuice]

I agree that there are many films that simply cannot be updated or improved upon. These films are what we call "Timeless" and "classic". Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory is one of them.

[Tadao]

It wasn't a bad remake, but I hate it anyways.

[Guitar Woman]

The remake has a fucking catchy soundtrack

[Fat_Hippo]

That's true, the songs in the remake are pretty cool.

[Sethomas]

Now, I've heard that both were preceded by a novel and that sounds about right, so I guess that such would be the standard of judgment.

I never sat down and watched the remake in full because it never really seemed like a good idea, but I caught a few minutes when my sister rented it. The part I watched involved a careful and moral explanation of why the titular character was a bad person, followed by him talking to a therapist about his childhood or some shit.

To me, that ruins pretty much everything about the original film. Yes, I know that the original film could not be made because of CULTURAL DIFFERENCES that have arisen in the American Volksgeist since the original was released. Still, it struck me as if Tim Burton was too focused on his "vision" to realize that the whole essence of magic and wonder of the factory depended on the unflappability and infallibility of Gene Wilder's character.

It's the same psychological underpinnings as why even though we're not supposed to LIKE Lucifer, we ascribe all these amazing and quasi-divine (only not fully divine because to say so would be BLASPHEMY) characteristics to him to make the image of evil and hell (as a tangible place) all the more terrifying.

Also, some possibly apocryphal casting notes I found funny:
For the original, Fred Astaire ardently demanded the main role because he thought it was written for him. The casting director loved the idea but told Astaire that he was too old, and soon thereafter the American legend died of a broken heart.
Thus, Gene Wilder was approached because he was thought to be the perfect actor. He wasn't that interested, but agreed to sign on only under the stipulation that he'd be able to exercise his ability to perform a backflip in his opening scene.
With the remake, Wilder was approached to reprise his role and he told them that he was too old. He probably meant that he couldn't do backflips anymore.
So, Marylin Manson was approached because he fit the image better than anyone else. Manson thought it was a fantastic opportunity to corrupt a demographic that was just young enough to have never heard of him, but in the end he turned it down for scheduling issues.
Thus, when Burton fell asleep spooning Johnny Depp he had a nightmare in which the latter was cast in the role. Hearing Burton talk in his sleep and mistaking it for a waking stream-of-consciousness, he accepted the "offer" for the role and Burton didn't know how to politely explain the situation and acquiesced.

[Dommin]

So, Marylin Manson was approached because he fit the image better than anyone else. Manson thought it was a fantastic opportunity to corrupt a demographic that was just young enough to have never heard of him, but in the end he turned it down for scheduling issues.

...?

From everything I've read, Burton wanted Depp in the first place. Depp said he'd step aside for Manson to take the role, but Burton wanted someone "he felt comfortable directing."

I would've much rather had Manson as Wonka.

[Sethomas]

Well, if you'd read the rest of the story then you'd understand that Tim Burton was only saying that to avoid hurting Depp's feelings.

[Pandajuice]

Well, if you'd read the rest of the story then you'd understand that Tim Burton was only saying that to avoid hurting Depp's feelings.

It's true. Look it up.

[Esuohlim]

The remake has a fucking catchy soundtrack

THIS APPEARS TO BE MY CUE FOR DANNY ELFMAN BLOWJOBBERY. :orgasm

I love the soundtrack. The remake was ok, but the original is outstanding and didn't contain any retarded Tim Burton father issues :rolleyes

[Obscurus Lupa]

Sethomas- Ha! I laughed and I love all of the Burton/Depp movies.

I actually liked the backstory, because since we've already had the original Willy Wonka movie, I liked that it was a different take on the same idea. I love both movies because they're both different.

Plus Gene Wilder = awesome.

Everyone who didn't watch the remake just because they thought Johnny Depp looked like Michael Jackson is dumb.

[executioneer]

i still think gene shallit would have been a better willy wonka

since he's an actual old man with actual facial hair like the guy in the books

[Sethomas]

I get uncomfortable when people around me mention Gene Shallit because there are really no reasons for him to come up in the natural course of conversation ever.

[executioneer]

apart from the whole bowtie thing, you mean

[Sethomas]

In all honesty, the only thing that I actually exaggerated in that chain of events as I read it in the context of a long list of "weird casting decisions" in a trivia book was the last thing. I was in fact being facetious about the last one, and the more literal impression I got from MY SOURCES was that Burton got a phone call or something saying that Manson canceled and the only reaction he could muster was "oh shit, I guess we'll have to use Depp again."

[executioneer]

sometimes i get the feeling that tim burton and johnny depp are in some sort of secret shriner pact that forces them to work together on weird movies. SECRET ORGANIZATION I DEMAND YOU REVEAL YOUR SECRATS

[Tadao]

I think that they work well together is all. The way Burton works goes well with the way Depp acts. I haven't seen a Burton movie where I thought Depp should not be the main character yet.

[Grislygus]

Fred Astaire ardently demanded the main role because he thought it was written for him. The casting director loved the idea but told Astaire that he was too old, and soon thereafter the American legend died of a broken heart.

:(




So I guess I'm the only person that didn't like Danny's songs for this one, then?

[Asila]

I really liked the songs in the remake, but that has a lot to do with the fact that the lyrics used were taken directly from the songs in the book, and the book always did just charm my pants off.
And yes, the Oompa-Loompa's sing in the book. There's a sequel where they all go into space that I love even more.

[Tadao]

Really? The lyrics in the remake are in the book? Interesting. I was wondering if Charlie and Grandpa drinking the bubbly soda is in the book too. Cause it's not in the remake. I have yet to read the book obviously.

[executioneer]

i don't think they drank it in the book but the soda was there

[Asila]

Willie's right, the soda was just one of the random inventions; they did not actually partake of it, if you get my drift. And as much as Gene Wilder is my hero there really is no way that any actor could accurately portray Wonka as he is in the book.