Though Tim Burton’s adaptation of Roald Dahl does not surpass the beloved 1971 version, it is still a good marriage of source material and artist.
Burton is back with Johnny Depp (one of five archiveable collaborations), Helena Bonham Carter (as Charlie’s Mom) and Danny Elfman with the score.
The production designer worked on Fight Club and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the costume work is from the designer of The Age of Innocence (1993). Burton has put great care in the mise-en-scene as he always does. He even has the gothic sort of factory version of Neverland Ranch that could be out of Gotham City (and Elfman’s score is clearly a riff on his other works including Batman). Burton never strays far from his expressionistic roots with the Caligari-like tilted angled house. The majority of the film is candy colored of course- but there is the inspired conscious choice to make the flashbacks with Wonka’s father (Christopher Lee) to be in a drab slate.
Fixed, bracketed tracking shots (walking the rows of Wonka’s competitors, the lineup of the five children) are similar to how Wes Anderson (also an adapter of Road Dahl) uses camera movement.
Depp is famous for his quirky roles- especially with Burton. He has channeled Buster Keaton before- and his Captain Jack Sparrow (not with Burton of course) was part Captain Morgan and part Keith Richards. Well, Depp’s take on Wonka seems to be at least 50% Michael Jackson- the King of Pop. I think Depp comes off looking pretty good here (deftly steering clear of Gene Wilder’s take on Wonka altogether) even if this is clearly does not belong on his Mount Rushmore. He is very odd. He stares off into space, the bizarre vibe with the flashbacks, and the scene of him completely dismissing James Fox’s character’s business card and throwing it over his shoulder is wonderful.
Largely, Burton cuts the musical elements from the 1971 film (a film I am guilty of loving as well). Burton confines the music to the awful Deep Roy (not his fault) computerized Oompa Loompa musical numbers. He should have cut these scenes altogether. That would make the 115-minute film closer to 95 or 100 minutes and be better, leaner for it.
Will the three masterpieces of 1998 stay in that order (The Thin Red Line, The Big Lebowski, Rushmore), or have you seen any other masterpiece that could change it?
Earliest film I can remember seeing in theatres and watched earlier this year and enjoyed it.
The casting process was wild:
” Warner Bros. considered or discussed Willy Wonka with Bill Murray, Christopher Walken, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Nicolas Cage, Jim Carrey, Michael Keaton, Robert De Niro, Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Mike Myers, Ben Stiller, Leslie Nielsen, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin (all three of them were members of Monty Python), Patrick Stewart, and Adam Sandler. Dustin Hoffman and Marilyn Manson reportedly wanted the role as well.”
Will the three masterpieces of 1998 stay in that order (The Thin Red Line, The Big Lebowski, Rushmore), or have you seen any other masterpiece that could change it?
@RujK- TBD. Hoping to finish up the 1998 page shortly– this less changes here than in some other years
Earliest film I can remember seeing in theatres and watched earlier this year and enjoyed it.
The casting process was wild:
” Warner Bros. considered or discussed Willy Wonka with Bill Murray, Christopher Walken, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Nicolas Cage, Jim Carrey, Michael Keaton, Robert De Niro, Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Mike Myers, Ben Stiller, Leslie Nielsen, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin (all three of them were members of Monty Python), Patrick Stewart, and Adam Sandler. Dustin Hoffman and Marilyn Manson reportedly wanted the role as well.”
With Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson being Burton’s second choice.
@Harry- Wild, those are some big names!