Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #801 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-11-21
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 110 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Director Tim Burton's take on Roald Dahl's classic story is undeniably more faithful to the source material than the 1975 musical retelling of the same story. His Charlie & The Chocolate Factory is also a slightly darker, visually inventive film, and is ultimately a tasty treat that the whole family can enjoy.

Filling the coat of Willy Wonka is frequent Burton collaborator Johnny Depp--the pair have previously worked together on the likes of Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and Sleepy Hollow--and what fun he clearly had. His Wonka is a kooky, isolated figure, extremely distrusting and clearly uncomfortable around the children who win a golden ticket to look round his factory. Burton invests time in his main character, giving him a rounded back story that pays dividends, and while some will inevitably prefer Gene Wilder's edgier take on the same role all those years ago, Depp nonetheless is on strong form. The cast around him also perform well, particularly Freddie Highmore in the title role.

The story is as you'll likely remember it, with five children given the chance to visit Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory. And what a visual treat that factory is, bursting with colour and vibrancy. Along the way, they encounter chocolate lakes, industrious squirrels and the infamous oompa loompas, and truthfully, it's fun to be along for the ride.

Is it better than that aforementioned 1975 version? Actually, it's just different. Each film will no doubt have its legion of fans, but the bottom line here is that Roald Dahl's classic has provided the source for an enjoyable, well pitched movie with plenty of rewatch value. Now if only they'd go and film Charlie & The Great Glass Elevator…--Simon Brew

Synopsis
Who better to bring Roald Dahl's adored children's story to life than the mastermind behind inventive films like EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and BEETLEJUICE? From Tim Burton's opening shot against Danny Elfman's eerie score this CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is recognisably darker than the Mel Stuart-directed 1971 version starring Gene Wilder. Though the mysterious chocolate factory has been closed for 15 years, it continues to produce and ship candy all over the world. When a contest promises a tour of the plant to the lucky finders of five golden tickets hidden inside wrappers, no one is more excited than Charlie Bucket, an impoverished boy whose family lives mere steps from the factory. Though he can barely afford even one candy bar, fate intervenes, and Charlie finds the last golden ticket. Joined at the gates by a group of despicable brats named Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Augustus Gloop, and Mike Teavee, Charlie and his Grandfather venture inside proprietor Willy Wonka's delightful factory for a wild adventure. Each room is a feast for the eyes, and more importantly the taste buds a sugar-coated dreamland where everything is edible. One by one, however, the children meet unfortunate fates, until only Charlie remains in the company of Wonka and his curiously small workers, the Oompa Loompas. Sporting a severe bob, and talking in a high-pitched voice, Depp makes his Wonka even weirder than Wilder's. While Burton adds some amusing contemporary touches (like the musical Oompa Loompa routines), and an elaborate back story, he also preserves the charm of the original book. Overall, Burton's visual innovation succeeds in capturing the vividness of a child's imagination but whether this version trumps the beloved '71 film is for viewers to decide.

Customer Reviews

average fantasy adaptation by Burton
In this adaptation from Roald Dahl's novel, Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands) stars as Chocolate maker Willy Wonka, who offers 5 kids across the world the chance to win a tour around his chocolate factory.

It is amazing to see how times can change in the film industry, particularly in the animation aspect. If you were lucky enough to catch the original film with Gene Wilder in 1971 then you would have really appreciated the thought and dedication that went into the film. The effects and acting were stunning, none more so than Wilder. Now we find it hard to find a film without heavy dollops of animation, particularly in the fantasy genre.

Yes the graphics in this Tim Burton adaptation are good, as is his direction, but there is no real beating the original.

Depp's portrayal of the chocolate maker is very interesting to watch, an almost complete contrast to Wilder's. Wonka is portrayed by Depp as closed off, harsh and very insecure. This was based on his father's treatment, an interesting sub story which was not in the original.

Personally I was not a fan of this portrayal as I had always imagined Wonka differently, but it was interesting to watch and understand.

Highmore is good as Charlie, a more likable young kid than Peter Ostrum was. Though his constant pestering of Wonka can be annoying, his general character is sad and his helping has to be admired.

The plot is fairly consistent, with many up and down moments. It isn't predictable but isn't funny either. The acting isn't the best and although the effects and dark opening are really impressive, it is a pretty average fantasy comedy.

6/10

A Adult version of a Children's Book
I reckon this dvd has the wrong classification - I think it should have PG-13 or perhaps Children will miss all the sinister bits.

IF you have kids I would advise ' Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' rather than this dvd .

Although the book has always been popular, over the years a number of prominent individuals have spoken critically of the novel. Children's novelist and literary historian John Rowe Townsend has described the book as "fantasy of an almost literally nauseating kind" and accusing it of "astonishing insensitivity" regarding the original portrayal of the Oompa-Loompas as black pygmies , although Dahl did revise this later. Another novelist, Eleanor Cameron, compared the book to the candy that forms its subject matter, commenting that it is "delectable and soothing while we are undergoing the brief sensory pleasure it affords but leaves us poorly nourished with our taste dulled for better fare". Defenders of the book have pointed out that it was unusual for its time in being quite dark for a children's book, with the "antagonists" not being adults or monsters (as is the case even for most of Dahl's books) but the naughty children.

Quite A Film.
Now there's 2 versions of this film, there's the 1971 original and there's this new 2005 version. Both of them offer something different, for example i think the old one is a lot more heartfelt and emotional, and this one is basically where Tim Burton went all on out to put on a top notch performance. I still can't decide which one i like best, but this version is very good, and in my opinion Johnny Depp was defiantly the best choice of actor to play 'Willy Wonka', although in some parts i thought he was slighly annoying, and did look extremly strange, i believe he was born to play that part, likewise Tim Burton was born to direct it. Shame it was only the umpalumpas who did any singing, in the 1971 version it was just about the whole cast! Oh well, it still doesn't stray from the fact that it's a fabulous family film, built upon and around humour and imagination.