tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post5483954801905987139..comments2024-03-26T05:01:57.793-07:00Comments on DREAMS ARE WHAT LE CINEMA IS FOR...: WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY 1971Ken Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-16441804731827153032021-01-18T01:51:24.019-08:002021-01-18T01:51:24.019-08:00Hi Pete
Ha! That song! I really like that it's...Hi Pete<br />Ha! That song! I really like that it's a favorite of yours. It makes it special that it's not exactly appreciated by hard-headed grouches like me!<br /><br />I've read that book you mention, and it is indeed an informative read. Just the way, as you point out, classic moments came about almost by happenstance, and controversial song selections were controversial even in their inception. As a fan of the film you must have enjoyed the book a great deal. I'm a bit of a sucker for "The Making of..." film books.<br />Thank you for mentioning the book here in the comments section and alerting readers of its existence. The amusing elements you cite should inspire a few folks to check it out. Cheers, Pete! Hope all is well. <br /><br />Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-39592486906321273352021-01-17T23:47:17.601-08:002021-01-17T23:47:17.601-08:00Hi Ken-
I just finished reading a book on the maki...Hi Ken-<br />I just finished reading a book on the making of Willy Wonda by director Mel Stuart (which was nicely informative, btw), and I of course thought of you when I read the following:<br />"The only song I had doubts about was 'Cheer Up Charlie.' In terms of story-telling it was a nice contrast to Veruca's 'I Want It Now,' but I felt that it slowed down the film. The music and lyrics were excellent, but the song didn't add anything to the scene that preceded it....Even though I used the song in the theatrical version of Willy Wonka, I often remove it when the film plays on television, in order to meet scheduling requirements."<br /><br />Also a fun tidbit: the last lines of dialog about the man who suddenly got everything were written at literally the last minute. Stuart realized the last line of dialog was Grandpa Joe saying "Yippie!" so he made a long distance call from the set in Munich (with cast and crew waiting) to Maine where the writer who helped doctor the script was and waited until he came up with something (about a minute or so later). A pretty classic addition for being under pressure.petlodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271851273533301436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-52903336817042923432020-12-27T15:20:10.587-08:002020-12-27T15:20:10.587-08:00Hello, Pete
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to ...Hello, Pete<br />Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you! <br />What great memories you share of your fondness for WONKA. Along with it you provide a marvelous historical account of the technologically primitive struggles faced by film fans when it came to securing keepsake memories and copies of our favorite movies. <br />It's also nice that you like "Cheer Up Charlie"...a song like "Little Lamb" in GYPSY, fans are always of two minds about. But your comments about it remind me of how close so many classic musicals nearly lost their best songs due to someone fixated with the idea that things always have to zip along and that quiet character moments are important if you want the viewer to care about what's going on (I'm thinking of WIZARD OF OZ and how studio heads almost excised "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for many of the same gripes people have about that WONKA song).<br /><br />And what a find in landing that autographed LP by Rusty Goffe! He always stood out for me as a kid as the Ooompa Loompa who resembled an orange Fred Astaire.<br />I hope your revisit to this film proves to be a happy reacquaintance with things you loved, and perhaps you'll become aware of a few new things that you might not have noticed in your youth. <br />And I thank you for telling me that some of my posts inspire you to seek out the films referenced. That's great to know.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-84153555915673880952020-12-26T01:45:13.346-08:002020-12-26T01:45:13.346-08:00Hi Ken-
Merry Christmas to you! Hope you, your oth...Hi Ken-<br />Merry Christmas to you! Hope you, your other half and your family had a lovely and safe holiday. I enjoyed reading this posting about one of my favorite formative films while my partner snoozed on the couch next to me.<br /><br />Willy Wonka became, alongside Wizard Of Oz, my go-to kid-oriented movies whilst growing up. My family got our first VCR in 1982, but our area didn't get cable until 1984...so I was at the mercy of what could either be taped off broadcast TV or from the video stores that eventually opened up. A gentleman who worked at my father's business was one of the luckier ones to get cable early, and he was nice enough to tape some films off of HBO for us to enjoy...and one that was recorded especially for me was Willy Wonka.<br /><br />I was totally captivated by it from first viewing, and dug the fact that it was meant to be both silly and potentially scary. (Being the demented child I was, I dug that you actually saw something as shocking as a chicken get its head cut off...in my defense, I'd already seen "Psycho" at this point thanks to a 4pm afternoon movie tv broadcast! Talk about inappropriate...thank you, local NBC affiliate.) The person who creeped me out the most wasn't Mr. Slugworth but Peter Capell as The Tinker. The combination of the dusk sky, cart with all of the knives and tools and him bugging his eyes out...a minor but memorable moment.<br /><br />I can totally understand why anyone would dog "Cheer Up Charlie", as it totally grinds the film to a halt, but I grew to love the song, for both its lovely melody and the fact that I related to the melancholy mood the film strikes with his stroll alone. If it was taken out I wouldn't miss it, but to me it's become as memorable as the other, better songs.<br /><br />I hated the Burton film. Not only was it missing the 'pure imagination' of the original, Depp's overly odd ("Michael-Jackson-in-an-Amelie-wig" is a hilariously accurate comment) portrayal was a total turn off. As you say, Wilder IS Wonka. In Burton's defense, I think his earlier works based on his own original material are generally a lot of fun; when he started doing all of those remakes he stopped being good at what really makes him successfully tick. <br /><br />I haven't seen the original in a number of years so I'm excited to revisit it thanks to your post.<br /><br />On a related note, when I was over in London a few years back I randomly found a record from (and autographed by!) one of the Oompa Loompas, Rusty Goffe. He apparently had a lounge act in the early 70s. It includes a novelty tune written by him called "Ten Feet Tall".petlodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271851273533301436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-20646328043301516852016-06-22T18:08:25.651-07:002016-06-22T18:08:25.651-07:00Hi Lila
You got me to thinking; i wonder if it'...Hi Lila<br />You got me to thinking; i wonder if it's possible (at least when i was young) to like any actor without harboring at least a little bit of a crush on them. Persuasive acting is so much like seduction.<br />Teen and pre-teen fandom certain had to be a place to channel a lot of hormonal restlessness, and who knows...maybe it also helped shape and refine the things we would ultimately be seriously attracted to in real life. In some way landing a flesh-and-blood iteration of Willy Wonka can't be a bad thing.<br /><br />This film must have been pretty heady stuff for a 5-year old. Most people who were small kids during this time cite either Gunter Meisner in this film or the Child Catcher in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" as the most terrifying villains.<br />The production values on this film are somewhat modest by today's standards, so i can understand if children might long for a more extravagant-looking Willy Wonka remake (although I guess no one seems to mind the simplicity of the original OZ), but your hilarious description of whatever Johnny Depp was going for in his interpretation of Willy Wonka is right on the nose.<br />it's distractingly weird and comes with a little too much of an "icK" factor.<br />And I love the point you make about MJ and public denial.<br />I'm of a mind to think several truths can be true at once...meaning that as a fan of Roman Polanski's work, I don't need to pretend he isn't what he is in able to enjoy it. What goes on inside of me is complicated and not entirely solved. Similar to Michael Jackson. I love his music, but I pretend he wasn't also one seriously messed up man. <br />My partner and I have had lots of talks (all inconclusive) about the art produced by reprehensible individuals. (is it ever possible to stand alone...enjoyed with out condoning the creator?).<br />As is often the case with your comments, Lila, you seem to fill me with ideas for new essays! Thanks!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-1196208031649295182016-06-22T16:27:50.494-07:002016-06-22T16:27:50.494-07:00I meant the *public's* refusal, oops! Sorry!I meant the *public's* refusal, oops! Sorry!lilianavonkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09363096499107106137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-54558775875640307002016-06-22T16:22:03.552-07:002016-06-22T16:22:03.552-07:00By now, you're probably able to guess what I&#...By now, you're probably able to guess what I'm going to say first: yes, as a little girl, I had a big crush on Gene Wilder in this film. In fact, just the "freak-out" photo gave me an enjoyable little shiver, as I've always been a sucker for that capacity to convey impish intelligence with a scintilla of potential malice (something else, believe it or not, Justin Deas is great at too, though on a more current level, Tom Hiddleston is a pretty dab hand at it as well).<br /><br />In any case, given that I grew up to marry a hilarious, curly-haired nice Jewish boy with lovely blue eyes, Mr. Wilder's enduring influence on my developing psyche is practically incontestable. :)<br /><br />However, Günter Meisner scared the bejeezus out of me--hey, I was only five--and I've still found him hella creepy on subsequent viewings. It never made sense to me that Grandpa Joe could dance if he had been in bed for twenty years, either.<br /><br />I love, love, LOVE the art direction on Tim Burton's films, and even most the CGI stuff doesn't bother me (except now I'm flinching, thinking of the Futterwacken dance in Alice in Wonderland, if that was CGI--okay, <i>some</i> of the CGI doesn't bother me), but Johnny Depp's Michael-Jackson-in-an-Amelie-wig performance completely ruined Willy Wonka for me. I'm not a big MJ fan to begin with--the public refusal to acknowledge his obvious profound psychosis doesn't help matters--and Mr. Depp impersonating him was maybe even more creepy than the real thing. Just...UGH. You're completely right, as usual: Gene Wilder IS Willy Wonka, no-one else need apply!lilianavonkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09363096499107106137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-55968957593299073542015-03-29T11:11:14.280-07:002015-03-29T11:11:14.280-07:00No problem. I'm flattered by your praise and ...No problem. I'm flattered by your praise and I hope you get some pleasure from the cast album!<br /><br />I found this blog while looking up reviews of "Lost Horizon", since it had been on TCM last Friday in the overnights as they were wrapping up a month-long retrospective of roadshow musicals. It was nice to find a place that looks at films like those and isn't just bluntly snarky and cruel, but witty, informative, and giving praise to long-maligned titles (yay "The Wiz"!). I'll go and putter around some other comment sections now...Miss Rorinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-5296328802616923802015-03-28T18:07:04.128-07:002015-03-28T18:07:04.128-07:00Pleased to meet you, Miss Rori, and thank you very...Pleased to meet you, Miss Rori, and thank you very much!<br />I love that you are so enthusiastic about the West End production, so much so that I'll give a listen to the cast album a try. I know i certainly liked the photos of the production i came across researching this piece, but you make it sound like a worth update of this, my favorite.<br />You, in fact, sound like a rarity, someone who adores the original film and book, but has no problem with wildly divergent adaptations so along as they remain faithful to Dahl's tone.<br />I had no idea "Willy Wonka" had been adapted so many times and in so many ways!<br />That's a wonderful, expansive quality to have (one I don't believe I possess). Can't tell you how much your informative contribution has added to the comment section of this post. I hope future visitors to this site will be inspired to explore the various incarnations of "Willy Wonka you've brought to our attention.<br />Thanks for visiting the site and especially for taking the time to say you enjoy it. Much appreciated!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-69545720400736171442015-03-28T13:53:47.877-07:002015-03-28T13:53:47.877-07:00Greetings! Love this blog! And I love this movie...Greetings! Love this blog! And I love this movie!<br /><br />I was actually okay with the 2005 film adaptation, but no, it's not a patch on this film, which I've loved since I was a toddler of the 1980s and ranks up with "Being There" and "Beauty and the Beast" (the Disney version) as my all-time favorite movies. I've become a minor expert in adaptations of the book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" over the years -- did you know there's an opera ("The Golden Ticket") and at least 3 different stage musical adaptations, dating back to a 1980s UK touring show? Leslie Bricusse actually co-wrote a musical, "Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka", in 2005 that is effectively the songs from this film plus some new numbers in a different script. For a while it seemed every community theatre that had to put on an annual kids-cast production was doing it (I saw 3 different productions). Unfortunately, the new songs were treacly, the book made mincemeat of the novel's structure (no mystery about Wonka at all), and much of the sharp humor was dulled.<br /><br />By comparison, the West End stage musical adaptation of the novel seriously needs more love -- it's fantastic. It has a lot of the same basic strengths as the 1971 film (structure, wit, warmth, etc.), but gets to its goals in fresh ways, and takes advantage of the stage medium as well as the movie takes advantage of film. The kids' vices are amusingly updated and played up (your comment on bad kids getting rewarded with online/TV fame? Well, this Violet is a starlet who has no talent but her gum chewing yet has her own line of perfume), and Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's songs offer up a little bit of everything stylistically -- "Oliver!"-style tunes, disco, polka, British music hall, etc. (It also shows up the movie at one point -- "Cheer Up Charlie" pales against "If Your Mother Were Here", which serves a similar function.) It definitely doesn't stint on black comedy, and there are a few nods to the 1971 film worked in ("Strike that, reverse it" becomes the basis for a hilarious patter song) before "Pure Imagination" is trucked out as the 11 o'clock number. I saw the show twice in London with the original cast; Douglas Hodge made the perfect stage Willy Wonka, with his own unique unpredictability (imagine a Disney animated musical in which the hammy, urbanely witty villain is the character you get to root for...). The cast album is definitely worth a listen if you love the basic story.Miss Rorinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-22300099363530452162015-01-12T05:20:38.235-08:002015-01-12T05:20:38.235-08:00One final tidbit which I happen to recall but negl...One final tidbit which I happen to recall but neglected to mention was that the on-screen candy bars were really stale Mars bars flown in from America to Germany. The kids were really acting when they were eating them with smiles. They had great parties, though. --Pearl ( c'est tout, that's all )Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-26131320295582577212014-12-24T07:23:49.506-08:002014-12-24T07:23:49.506-08:00Thank you! And a very Merry Christmas to you as we...Thank you! And a very Merry Christmas to you as well, Pearl! I really must send my thanks to IMDB for always sending you back here.<br />Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-89432145218020575982014-12-24T07:22:43.714-08:002014-12-24T07:22:43.714-08:00Hi Pearl
I love your description of the "Wonk...Hi Pearl<br />I love your description of the "Wonka" screening. It sounds like so much fun. (Maybe not if I was a kid, but certainly later when I would have appreciated the randier remarks.)<br />The first few times I saw it, the theater was never very crowded, and the few there weren’t very demonstrative.<br /><br />Given its newfound popularity here in the states, I wonder if screenings at revival theaters have any kind of interactive call-and-response going on. The cultish reputation of the film certainly lends itself to it.<br /><br />As for Dahl not being pleased with the final film, had he lived to see the Tim Burton remake, I'm sure he'd look upon the Wilder film as a minor classic. <br />Thanks for sharing the anecdotal stories on the making of the film, specifically the amusing Veruka being caught by her crush story, which I'd never heard.<br />I'm glad to hear you're a fan, and i think you're right about the social climate of the 70s (soooo serious) not being the best for a small, good-natured film like this.<br /><br />In response to you PPS: I agree with every word. The Tim Burton "Wonka" was so bad it was like a propaganda film FOR the original.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-2835115491066889502014-12-23T03:31:37.511-08:002014-12-23T03:31:37.511-08:00PPPS : Happy / Merry Christmas, Boxing Day, New Ye...PPPS : Happy / Merry Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year, & 12th Night ( also a great play by Bill Shakespeare ) !Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-68210194620202628542014-12-23T03:26:30.216-08:002014-12-23T03:26:30.216-08:00PS : also love the Addams Family ( & the Muns...PS : also love the Addams Family ( & the Munsters ) .<br /><br />PPS : absolutely despise the remake by Depp & Burton. The character of Wonka must choose a successor, for he is either late-middle-aged or old ( though still sprightly & lively & vivacious ) . Wilder is perfect : a completely credible aging businessman. Depp was far too young & juvenile. I realised how bad the film was going to be when I viewed the scene with the melting-wax-doll display. Fortunately, I had not wasted any money supporting this disgraceful travesty when it was at the cinema ; I waited till I could check it out from my local city-library branch. Shame on you, Warner Bothers, Burton, & Depp ! You lot have made me quite cross.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-49290210831185095272014-12-23T03:10:38.238-08:002014-12-23T03:10:38.238-08:00IMDb doth send me to thee again ! I love the 19... IMDb doth send me to thee again ! I love the 1971 Willy Wonka film. I 1st viewed it in England after it had opened there. I was seated amongst a crowd of young cockneys ( I felt like I had stumbled into a reunion from ' To Sir With Love ' ) & realised that this would be a special, memorable evening. They had already seen it before ( either that day, or perhaps on an earlier day ) & were prepared with audience-reaction comments ( a la the later Rocky Horror showings -- a precursor, in a sense ) . When Veruca Salt ( Julie Dawn Cole ), the ultimate enfant terrible, 1st appeared, they leapt into wondrous naughty commentary. When she exclaimed, ' I WANT IT NOW !!! ' , the men yelled, ' Awright, luv, I'm coming ! ' , & the girls yelled, ' Nympho - mine- iac ! ' ( Some of the parents weren't pleased. ) Delightful, wondrous memories of Pure Imagination for me these are.<br /><br />I hadn't realised that Dahl wasn't pleased by the 1971 film & am saddened to learn that fact ( de gustibus non disputandum est -- no accounting for tastes ) . I have read much about the film through the decades. Eg, Julie Dawn Cole turned 13 on the day of filming the ' bad egg ' scene. She told the director that falling from the platform down unto a mattress concerned her, for she had nearly bumped her head from the recoil bounce during a rehearsal. She asked if she could be caught, instead. The director readily agreed & told her she could choose any crew-member she wished as her catcher. She chose a man she had a big crush on ! That was her own 13th-year birthday present to herself, naughty ( but clever ) girl ! Mel Stuart commented that the financial backer, the Quaker Oats Company, was the best backer he has ever had, for they had only 1 condition, viz : the title must commence with the name of Willy Wonka. Otherwise, they were completely invisible. Quaker Oats sponsored the film as a promotional tie-in for their up-coming chocolate bars. Unfortunately, the bars were released during the Summer & had not been tested properly for heat-resistance. They melted en masse & had to be returned to the manufacturer en masse. Quaker Oats later sold the film to Warner Brothers.<br /><br />It's a pity about the want of commercial success. It was released in 1971, a very turbulent era with little market for sweet films. It's a scrumpdiddlyumptious film !<br /> <br /><br />Ciao ! -- PearlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-9646657327951341462014-10-24T19:13:38.782-07:002014-10-24T19:13:38.782-07:00Hi Mark!
Yes, the real-life effects of a film like...Hi Mark!<br />Yes, the real-life effects of a film like this (one which, comparatively speaking, is considered a low-budget musical) are infinitely more engaging than even the most spectacular CGI. <br />I know there is no going back where progress is concerned, but the tangible in a movie always feels so much more immediate...especially in fantasy films.<br />I do remember the band Veruca Salt, by the way, although i'm happy to say their actual music has faded from memory.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-60373162358991554112014-10-24T19:10:03.639-07:002014-10-24T19:10:03.639-07:00Thank for the update, Joel. I know it's not ev...Thank for the update, Joel. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I really get a kick out of hearing about the filmmaking process from the individuals involved. As you say, it sometimes adds to the enjoyment of a film.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-6725918515014647242014-10-24T14:46:27.732-07:002014-10-24T14:46:27.732-07:00Hi Ken,
Just thought I'd drop back in to say ...Hi Ken,<br /><br />Just thought I'd drop back in to say I found that memoir by Julie Dawn Cole who played Veruca Salt! It had some wonderful stuff about making the film, the cast and other film makers as well as about the rest of her life. She's a psycho-therapist now who still does occasional acting roles. The only downside to it was that her co-author who I imagine was engaged to spruce up the writing went overboard and the text was too flowery and often didn't seem to be in Julie's voice. I'm still glad I sought it out, next time I watch the film I'm sure it will add even more to my enjoyment of the it.joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-73625899785939207842014-10-21T22:16:36.143-07:002014-10-21T22:16:36.143-07:00"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" ..."Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" is a picture that I saw many times as a child, and many years later in my adulthood, I've been fortunate enough to revisit it on numerous occasions at the revival theatre (the Astor typically pairs it with "The Wizard of Oz"). It still draws a healthy number of children, so I guess a lot of kids really do enjoy watching other kids in films (or at least don't mind the experience).<br /><br />The production design on this film is fabulous. How wonderful to behold Wonka's factory and know that all those chocolate waterfalls, candy mushrooms and lollypop flowers were physical and not just computerised creations (whether all this stuff actually tasted anything like what it represents is a different matter entirely). I really appreciate the art and craft that went into it all. It's much more impressive than picturing some computer nut tinkering away at a keyboard with a programme that can make practically anything.<br /><br />I'm not sure how many folks who remember the film from when it was first released will know this, but in the late 1990s there was a female-fronted rock group called Veruca Salt. Never before had a group been named more appropriately, as the "music" from these gals was just an annoying as their namesake. You know, back in the '90s, kids would ridicule the musical taste of their parents from the '70s. I think the time is right for the thirty-somethings of today to endure some mocking from their own children about the garbage they helped make popular 20 years ago (not that the children of today can talk...).<br /><br />Oh, by the way, I couldn't stand "The Brady Bunch", either!Mark Vanselownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-53130255092398032292014-10-04T04:43:04.471-07:002014-10-04T04:43:04.471-07:00Hi Joel
Your memory of seeing this film with your ...Hi Joel<br />Your memory of seeing this film with your sister's kids reminded me of a time I re-watched "Willy Wonka" with my nephews' two sons (grandnephews?). The two little boys were raised in Germany and spoke fluent German but spoke and understood very little English, but I put Willy Wonka on and they were transfixed by it. Watching them watching it gave me a renewed respect for the charm of the film. Even two kids raised in the era of video games and sensory-overload action films sat wide-eyed at this wonderful movie.<br /><br />I haven't read that book written by the now-grown Veruca Salt, but in reading two books on the making of the film and hearing the DVD commentary and various cast and crew interviews, it calls to my attention how much care can go into a film, and when it fails to make money for a studio, how it is so dismissed. <br />As a culture, I think we harbor the idea that hit movies are made by talented people who really care and flops are due to some shortcoming in the execution. Alas, closer to the truth is that a great many of the biggest blockbusters of all time are lazy corporate product (Marvel comics) and that sometimes a lot of hard work and genius go into films that just don't find their audience. The lucky ones, like "Wonka" eventually do. Most don't. <br />It's easy to imagine that, had the film been a hit, Gene Wilder's performance, the music score, and the film's art direction would have all received their just attention.<br />A common complaint among film fans is how each year, the Oscars seem to less represent the best works of a particular year, than the best of the successful releases each year. Some films deserve their obscurity, but Willy Wonka is an example of a film dismissed by the public that industry should have taken note of.<br /><br />Like the point you make about real sets over CGI. I'm lest the anti-CGI hater than I used to be, bet there is undeniably something lost with all the elaborate magic that special effects can produce today. <br />A big problem with the Tim Burton sequel for me was how "removed" from peril all the kids looked because of how obviously fake their CGI comeuppances were. They were 100% more elaborate, 100% less compelling. CGI can pull the life out of things.<br /><br />And as you say about the remake issue...fine if a film has never really gelled (like a decent "The Great Gatsby," but as you say, if they get it right...why bother. Crap films still outnumber excellent ones 9 to 1. I'm a huge believer in the value of the remake of the flop or misguided attempt, but leave the few cinema gems alone...it is only a very rare talent that can find something new in material beyond wasting people's time while exploiting brand-name goodwill.<br />Thanks for sharing your memories about this film and sparking more food for thought topics!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-85820784400454573532014-10-02T15:20:28.477-07:002014-10-02T15:20:28.477-07:00Hi Ken,
Delightful as always. I saw this in the t...Hi Ken,<br /><br />Delightful as always. I saw this in the theatre originally also but don't have a really clear memory of it aside from enjoying it. It was once I was able to watch it years later with my sister's kids that it really engaged me. Perhaps it was seeing it freshly and watching them discovering it that heightened my pleasure in it but by the end of that first repeat viewing it had become one of my favorite children's films.<br /><br />Of course seeing it again as an adult I could understand it on a different level then as a kid and got many of the veiled references in Gene Wilder's comments. Speaking of Wilder this is a perfect example of actor and part coming together at just the right moment. It's a shame the film was deemed a flop on initial release, it assuredly kept his work from being acknowledged as it should have been. It obviously didn't hurt his career and now is a highlight but at the time it wasn't given the praise it deserved.<br /><br />It's not just him of course credit should go to the casting director in filling every role with a performer who is just right for their role. I love the absolutely heinous Veruca Salt. I recently discovered that Julie Dawn Cole who played her published a memoir of her time on the set called I Want It Now! which I've been searching for, fruitlessly so far, but which I'm sure will be fascinating once I track it down. <br /><br />I love your description of Ursula Reit as an off diet Elke Sommer but as someone else mentioned when I first saw the picture I momentarily thought, was Shelley Winters in this and I don't remember?. All the parents are pretty awful but the one I've always found the most disturbing is Veruca's mother in her tiny bit who just sits and knits speaking in a monotone while that little hoyden tramples everybody and everything around her. I don't dislike Grandpa Joe as much as some seem to, I think the fact that he's played by the very likable Frank Albertson helps, but thinking about his part he is a trouble maker. It's his idea to drink the fizzy pop drink that almost gets Charlie and he kicked out and his recovery is incredibly rapid for somebody whose been bedridden for 20 years. So perhaps not the ideal role model. <br /><br />One of the things I really love about the film and with CGI is increasingly becoming a lost art is the set design. It seems incredible now that it was ignored come awards time. Both the London set but particularly the factory is a fest for the eyes and the use of bright colors which would appeal most to kids is inspired. Computer generated oranges, yellows and purples just can't match the actual texture of those hues and real sets. Plus everything is so cheerful, nowadays gloom is the go-to setting for most everything. <br /><br />I've never seen the remake. I was never even slightly inclined but when a friend saw it the day it opened and called me to tell me it was one of the worst things she'd ever seen I was even more confident in my indifference. I'm not adverse to remakes by and large but once they get it right why bother? Sometimes there's a good idea and the execution is wanting. The Maltese Falcon was remade at least twice under various titles before John Huston was able to get the elements to align properly but the thing is he got it right so stop there. Same with Oceans 11, surely not in the same class as Falcon, the Rat Pack version is a sloppy mess but it had an intriguing idea and the Clooney/Pitt remake while hardly a classic certainly improved on it. All well and good but Willy Wonka is about the best they could do with the material, leave it alone. Unfortunately Hollywood never learns such things as the TV tries at Casablanca, The King and I and countless others attest.<br /><br />Thanks for the trip down memory lane Ken! joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-20101540265099134132014-10-01T04:06:25.308-07:002014-10-01T04:06:25.308-07:00I sometimes try to think back to when I saw my fir...I sometimes try to think back to when I saw my first bratty kid on TV (presented as a hero) and I think you've nailed it...it was that loathsome Danny Partridge! In the movies i always blame Alfred Lutter in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, but I'm sure there were other before.<br />I never have and never will find bratty kids adorable. If they're going to be brats, I like them villainous and homicidal, not sympathetic! Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-23456714861258551442014-10-01T04:03:34.266-07:002014-10-01T04:03:34.266-07:00Please don't ever apologize for being enthusia...Please don't ever apologize for being enthusiastic about a film. I live for that stuff! <br />I had no idea the same woman dubbed Eggar in Doctor Dolittle! It's just my taste but I think she has a perfectly lifeless voice. Like those ladies on The Lawrence Welk show...clear, on key, but not an ounce of expression or feeling. Like the sound from a machine.<br /><br />And I think you're right, CCBB was not really a flop, it just under performed based on its budget and expectations. In a weird way, i think Roseie O'Donnel (atthe height of her "nice" popularity), had a part in bringing attention to both Willy Wonka and CCBB...she spoke of them endlessly on her talk show and even invited Howes as a guest.<br />lastly, I love The Slipper and the Rose, a film I only discovered though cable TV. Thanks Michael, for continuing a fun conversation!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-43464282318334690372014-10-01T03:56:08.023-07:002014-10-01T03:56:08.023-07:00Hi Argyle
As I am older than you, I'm surprise...Hi Argyle<br />As I am older than you, I'm surprised I don't remember the Wonka candy maker, but perhaps that is exactly the reason WHY as well.<br />But because I never knew that promotional toy existed and virtually no one ever references it (most sources cite how Quaker dropped the marketing ball by failing to produce real candy bars at the stores to coincide with the release of the film) your recollection of actually having possessed one of these (at a startlingly low price of $1 plus a couple of boxtops?) is a great addition to this post.<br />As per favoring the book over the movie, that is very understandable, especially in children. 70s production values - and Willy Wonka was a not a film with a huge budget, can't possibly compare to a child's imagination.<br />I think a person's first exposure to a particular property always makes a huge impression, and there is no reason to alter it...those early exposures are special to us. I love this film and Wilder's Wonka largely because it was my first exposure to the material. Even the lovely book paled in comparison to me. I think that happens all the time, so you Doctor Doolittle reaction makes sense. (Besides, I think it is a singularly charmless affair with joyless music.)<br /><br />What I've found (as I've gotten older) is that there is somethign liberating about relinquishing a film from the responsibility of being particularly faithful to it's adaptive source material. It's lovely when its a wonderful book faithfully translated (Rosemary's Baby), but sometimes (That Cold Day in the Park) a wild deviation from the original can yield something surprising and new.<br /><br />Lastly, that Chuchi Face number in CCBB is THE ultimate moment for me. It's my absolute favorite. So cool that you think so too. Thanks again for a terrifically personal take on one of my posts. So much fun for me. Thanks!<br /><br />I found an online image of the Wonka candy-making toy you so amusingly recalled: http://www.tvandfilmprops.com/props-for-hire/film-props-for-hire/willy-wonka-props-for-hire/willy-wonka-the-chocolate-factory-promotional-candy-factory-kit-paramount-1971/Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.com