"There's No Earthly Way of Knowing Which Direction We Are Going..."

"There's no knowing where we're going." (Let it play in the background) So says Gene Wilder in the title role of the classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Neither did the kids or the audience. There isn't a single honest soul who can say they saw that boat scene coming on their first viewing of the picture. It shakes the audience with a sharp unexpected turn in mood. Horrifying them. There's no way of knowing what lies ahead in Wonka's factory. Only questions. Is the grisly reaper mowing? Is Wonka mad? Is hell made of chocolate?

A Colorful Nightmare

This film is miraculous. It manages to be a family classic and a dark physiological horror film. All the sing-a-longs and candy in the world can't hide the fact that in this film Wonka allows four children to nearly kill themselves. He facilitates their near-death encounters and has little concern for their survival. In a way, he is giving the world to the kind of person he thinks deserving of it by eliminating those who aren't worthy of life. The Mike TVs and Veruca Salts of the world are better off dead. While Tim Burton is viewed as a "dark" filmmaker, Mel Stuart's take on the candyman is much deeper and far more disturbing. And those Oompa Loompas are fucking terrifying. Far more so than CGI clones.

Orange skin. Unknown origins. Led by an anti-social madman. Comforting.

Where Did This Guy Come From? 

One of the major differences in the films is mystery. Stuart tells us very little of Wonka and his little mens' origins. Burton, however, goes out of his way to tell you every detail. Rather than enhancing the character, it detracts from Wonka's charm. Part of what made Gene Wilder so appealing was the unknown. Unknown origins. Unknown intentions. Unknown sanity. By showing less, the original film is far deeper than the remake. Not to mention, Johnny Depp's portrayal was all gimmick and no gut. 

Next On Our Tour

Next post we'll dive into the differences in plot and take a closer look at the characters. Each film has nearly the exact same cast and plot, but executed in entirely different ways. Until then, refrain from fizzy lifting drinks.