Willy Wonka

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory [HD DVD]
$28.99
Where do I begin? I love this movie. I watched this as a kid growing up in the 70s and I never get tired of watching it 30 years later, bought it on DVD and again on Blu-Ray. Gene Wilder gave no finer performance - earnest, offbeat, a brilliant portrayal which even the esteemed Johnny Depp couldn't touch (that may have been Burton's fault, who cares.) The tale of dysfunctional children from all around world who travel to a magical chocolate factory to compete for a grand prize, only to drop off one by one while exposing their own character flaws - reality show technique 20 years before its time. A great adaptation of the book which keeps the pace moving, provides a managable number of memorable characters, each played perfectly and with zeal. Gene Wilder has some of the best one-liners in response to the often bratty children around him. Sorry I haven't watched the Blu-Ray yet so I can't comment on the transfer quality, but I expect it will meet my expectations which are really just that it be better fidelity than the DVD.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
$19.96
Where do I begin? I love this movie. I watched this as a kid growing up in the 70s and I never get tired of watching it 30 years later, bought it on DVD and again on Blu-Ray. Gene Wilder gave no finer performance - earnest, offbeat, a brilliant portrayal which even the esteemed Johnny Depp couldn't touch (that may have been Burton's fault, who cares.) The tale of dysfunctional children from all around world who travel to a magical chocolate factory to compete for a grand prize, only to drop off one by one while exposing their own character flaws - reality show technique 20 years before its time. A great adaptation of the book which keeps the pace moving, provides a managable number of memorable characters, each played perfectly and with zeal. Gene Wilder has some of the best one-liners in response to the often bratty children around him. Sorry I haven't watched the Blu-Ray yet so I can't comment on the transfer quality, but I expect it will meet my expectations which are really just that it be better fidelity than the DVD.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Widescreen Edition)
$12.98
Okay, I'm all for remakes of old films and such...but I can't help but notice this film has like ZERO black people. (scratch that, there's like 2 for about 8 seconds shown in the crowd before the children enter the factory)OH and the candy shop owner that sells Charlie's ticket is a black guy, yet once again showing a black guy in a serving behind a counter role, can you say back to the 50s films? Not only is this film missing black people, but it has an all white cast with NO other races whatsoever. The oompa lumpa's are played by a single Indian midget. And there's a scene in Maraco I think where they're looking for golden tickets, how nice, the only slightly big scene is showing the poverty stricken area of a third world country...how non insulting to them... I can't help but wonder if Tim Burton is a racist...It's obvious that Tim Burton is LOVE with Johnny Depp, but from the get-go, he's had a strict policy of NO BLACK PEOPLE. I can remember his early work like Edward scissor hands, there was not ONE black person that had a speaking role, or even a under minor role. IF there was ANY black people cast in these films they were in the background, or offset refilling coffee. I'm a white girl, and even IM insulted by this.

It's just a good thing that this movie sucked in general, I'm glad it wasn't given credit from all as one of the best films ever made. It doesn't deserve to even be compared to the quality of the original.

Back in the 70's when this film was made, it was unHEARD of to cast black people or black children in major roles, unless it was deliberately to show their 'ethnicity' like in roots or dumbo. So it was understandable of why the original had no diversity. BUT NOW...when we've reached a time where ALL races should be equally considered when cast for movies, we see that Tim Burton really has NOT taken that step forward and is determined to live in an all white world. Even the setting in the movie is for OUR TIME era, and if I recall OUR era includes black people everywhere. I'm curious to see his new remake of Alice and Wonderland; I'm willing to bet BIG MONEY that all the major roles will be white people. Anyone want to make that bet?


Tim Burton=Racist Biggot!

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (Blu-ray Book) [Blu-ray]
$34.99
Where do I begin? I love this movie. I watched this as a kid growing up in the 70s and I never get tired of watching it 30 years later, bought it on DVD and again on Blu-Ray. Gene Wilder gave no finer performance - earnest, offbeat, a brilliant portrayal which even the esteemed Johnny Depp couldn't touch (that may have been Burton's fault, who cares.) The tale of dysfunctional children from all around world who travel to a magical chocolate factory to compete for a grand prize, only to drop off one by one while exposing their own character flaws - reality show technique 20 years before its time. A great adaptation of the book which keeps the pace moving, provides a managable number of memorable characters, each played perfectly and with zeal. Gene Wilder has some of the best one-liners in response to the often bratty children around him. Sorry I haven't watched the Blu-Ray yet so I can't comment on the transfer quality, but I expect it will meet my expectations which are really just that it be better fidelity than the DVD.