Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

In 1964, British author Roald Dahl (The BFG, Fantastic Mr. Fox, James And The Giant Peach, Matilda) published a book titled, “Charlie In The Chocolate Factory.” The book is about a poor kid and four brats won golden tickets for an opportunity to own a quirky businessman’s chocolate factory. The book became a hit among critics and readers alike selling many copies worldwide. Seven Years Later, a film adaptation starring Gene Wilder became a household name.

“Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory” was released in 1971. (same year A Clockwork Orange came out) At the time, it was a box office bomb. Regardless of failing to make a profit, the film became a timeless classic. In 2005, Tim Burton directed a remake starring Johnny Depp as Wonka. It became a surprise hit for a remake as well as making enough money at the box office.

Netflix recently bought Roald’s estate. Meaning they’ll produce movies, shows and video games related to his work. In response to the news, I thought about sharing this article if the original version still holds up as as a timeless classic. We got a slot machine game by Zynga. The company that made “The Wizard Of Oz” & “Game Of Thrones” themed slot machines.

It doesn’t matter if SPOILERS are listed. Let’s face it, we’ve seen this classic countless times, memes, parodied or referenced in other works.

Yummy & Nasty Aspects

Yummy: Gene Wilder did an excellent job for his performance as the titular character.

The rest of The Cast all did a solid job for their respective performances.

Roald Dhal himself wrote the screenplay.

Cinematography never had any technical issues.

Fun Fact: Sammy Davis Jr. was originally considered to play the candy man store owner. He turned it down, because he didn’t wanna overshadow the film. Luckily, he sang “The Candy Man Can.” His version of the song was used in “Madagascar.”

Musical Numbers are unforgettable. Oompa Loompa’s sing a moral lesson while roasting. Gotta love the cheesy music video format.

Practical Effects were heavily involved to create Set Pieces and Wonka’s inventions.

Jokes contain memorable dialogue. The original is one of the most quotable movies. My favorite line is, “I have a blueberry for a daughter.” You can’t forget line, “You lose, good day sir!” That’s the ultimate way to say Game Over besides Bill Paxton’s quote from “Aliens,” “Game Over man!” I also liked the visual gags.

Wonka’s introduction pretending to be blind, then does a roll meaning he’s fine. He’s a quirky, witty, sarcastic trickster.

Augustus, Violet, Veruca & Mike represent The Seven Deadly Sins. Augustus is Gluttony, Violet is Pride, Veruca is Greed & Mike is Sloth. Charlie on the other hand, is a Saint.

The aforementioned four are foils to Charlie. Each one’s first scene establishes his/her personality. As the movie goes on, a trait triggers an unfortunate accident. Lacking redeeming qualities, karma bites them in the rear. Remember, take an Oompa Loompa’s advice to change your behavior.

Slugworth offering all five winners to accept a bundle of cash or reject it for a chance to own the factory. He’s a representation of choice.

My favorite scene is arguably the boat ride. As a kid, it never gave me nightmares. If you smoke pot, while watching Willy Wonka, you’re gonna have one crazy drug trip. So remember kids, don’t do drugs. I do not condone drug addiction.

I believe Veruca is the original Karen who wants to own anything she sees.

Whenever I see Charlie running home with his golden ticket, I always think of Peter from “Family Guy” tripping on the sidewalk holding his knee softly shouting “Ah.”

If you have a fondness for chocolate, you’re gonna have a hard time resisting. Be sure to brush and floss your teeth. Always keep your teeth healthy. Prevent cavities and plaque from building up.

Charlie giving a piece of Wonka’s latest invention is a secret test of character, indicating Wonka forgives him for messing with the fizzy drinks and not selling out to Slugworth. The latter turns out he’s in good terms with Wonka.

The Ending with Wonka, Charlie and his grandpa going to the elevator is heartwarming. He and his family escape poverty and move on with their lives. I’m gonna be brutally honest, I didn’t cry

Nasty: As a kid, I thought the grandpa is likable, because he had connections to Wonka’s company. Now that I’m older, I realize he’s pretending to not walk using his grandson to buy Wonka bars to get a golden ticket. If this were real life, grandpa’s family will permanently disown him for not applying himself for a job an act like a responsible adult. Even the remake has the same problem.

The Final Verdict: A-

Ok folks, I consider Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory as the definitive version of Roald Dhal’s book. Tim Burton’s remake is a runner up. I like both Gene Wilder & Johnny Depp’s iterations. Despite my one gripe over Grandpa’s laziness not supporting his family in poverty, the 1971 version is a timeless classic. If you wanna introduce your kids to this gem, I highly recommend it. I’m skeptical over the fact Netflix is remaking Roald’s works, especially “Mathilda.” In the words of nearly every single “Star Wars” character, “I have a bad feeling about this.” WB is making Wonka prequel even though we already know about his past in the remake.

Could be worse if another Charlie And The Chocolate factory might end up like that horrendous “Tom And Jerry” crossover.