Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

As I'm playing catch-up at the moment, now here is a blogpost about a set of stimuli that I experienced on Friday.

First off, on Friday, I went into town to interview for the Blockbuster Video on Mass Ave in Boston and was hired on the spot. This is a good thing.

Next, I went with my good friend Matt Porter to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

I knew that it was going to be enjoyable. Tim Burton can do no wrong (we do not speak of Planet of the Apes), and Johnny Depp? He's just fantastic, and always is such.

I was blown away. Every single part was in this movie cast better than in the 1971 version with Gene Wilder. And yes, that includes Depp. You can make an arguement about whose character is more entertaining, and I'd frown somewhat less upon you, but Gene Wilder wasn't Willy Wonka. Johnny Depp was. This may be due to my being out of practice writing, but I am having a tough time describing his performance with words. Perhaps I'll be able to put some in later.

And you know what? If Gene Wilder can't come to grips with that, he can go fuck himself. Tim Burton didn't bitch and moan when Christopher Nolan wiped out his Batman continuity.

ahem. Anyways, Danny Elfman's compositions were excellent as usual. And he used the original poems written by Roald Dhal for the lyrics to the Oompa Loompa songs. A hippie jam, a funk groove, and a heavy metal thrash? All included. In fact, on the whole, the movie was extremely faithful to the original book, retaining its wackiness and its dark undertones. Visually, all that can be said to put it to justice is that it was made by Tim Burton, and is therefore brilliant. A sideplot with Christopher Lee as Willy's father was added, but it fits.

This follows along with a general rule when it comes to adaptations: the more faithful movie will be better. Witness this: the best comic book movie, Sin City, was a shot-for-shot adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novels. The worst by far, Catwoman, even changed the name of Catwoman's alter ego.

So yeah. See Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Also, until the Sox lose another game, I'm going to end each post with:

Don't blame us if we ever doubt you
You know we couldn't live without you
Red Sox, you are the only, only, only