We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams.
While there are a lot of movies that i’m looking forward to this summer (Star Wars, Batman, Hitchhiker’s Guide), the one i’m most curious about is Tim Burton’s Willy Wonka movie. I loved Roald Dahl growing up. A couple of the first books that I remember reading were James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They were really cool and imaginative stories.
I’m sure we’ve all seen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory hundreds of times. It’s one of the movies that I always stop on when channel surfing. The story plays to every kid’s fantasy of being allowed a lifetime supply of candy. From the ages of 5 through 10, this would have been my definition of ultimate happiness.
The movie still holds up very well. Gene Wilder is so good in it. He owns that character. I still get a little weirded out when watching the scene where they’re all on the boat sailing through the tunnel. “There’s no earthly way of knowing… which direction we are going…”. Everything about the movie is great. The kids in it are all really good too. If i’m ever hard pressed for a laugh, all I have to do is watch Augustus Gloop fall into the chocolate river and get stuck in that tube. Not to mention, the Oompa Loompas. They were awesome. I came across a small bit on the new Oompa Loompas. Here’s a link to it.
A few years ago I read that it was being remade with Nicolas Cage starring as Wonka. I’m glad that didn’t happen. It most likely would have been terrible and crushed a nostalgic part of me that loves the Wonka character so much to have him sullied by Cage.
I feel completely different about Johnny Deep. While I think Deep may be a little too young to play the role of a retiring candymaker, I like him as an actor. After seeing the trailer, I think it’s going to be really interesting. I have high hopes for it. As much as we’ll miss the orange skin, the new Oompa Loompas look pretty cool too.
Posted by chuck at April 12, 2005 2:41 AM
