'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' - 55th Anniversary Reflection
- Connor Petrey
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Release Date: 06/30/71 [Cinemas]
Genre: Adventure. Comedy. Family. Fantasy. Musical.
MPAA: Rated G.
Distributor: Paramount Pictures (Original Release). Fathom Entertainment (Anniversary Release).
The Verdict: A Must-See
The 1971 original classic celebrated its 55th anniversary this year, and fans celebrated in style - watching the film in theaters. This was my first time seeing the film on the big screen, and as someone who always appreciated it more than adored it, this experience elevated the entire picture.
There’s so much to go over, but let’s begin with Mel Stuart’s imaginative direction of Roald Dahl’s screenplay. The genuine set design really illuminates Dahl’s creations and brings them into a world of bewilderment yet realism (to an extent). The film is a musical, with many tunes, most of which are sung by the Oompa Loompas in Wonka’s factory, but who could forget the glorious Pure Imagination, sung by the legendary Gene Wilder.
Wilder had always had a distaste for Tim Burton’s remake, and I never quite understood the pure hatred he had, but after seeing it on the big screen, it’s clear that this is a classic, while Burton’s is just a mere imitation. Wilder doesn’t come into the film until 30 minutes in, and his soft sarcasm and bluntness make his depiction of the chocolate maker all the more enticing. His performance reaches its absolute peak during his angry confrontation with Grandpa Joe and Charlie over breaking the rules.
To manage not only to get one young actor to perform in such a brilliantly charming and particular way, but also to get five young actors to develop unique personalities that flawlessly depicted their personal demons that kept them from the end goal. Truly, they are all quite special, but without a doubt Peter Ostrum in his debut role blows everyone out of the water as the purely innocent child who wants nothing more than to better his family’s life.
This is an absolute classic and a loyal adaptation of Dahl’s work, which makes sense, given that the man himself wrote the screenplay. It’s lightning in a bottle, and while Wonka from a few years back had a bit of the Paddington charm, it’s safe to say that this exact level of perfection will never be met again, no matter how hard they try to recreate it.
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