Tim Burton/USA/2005; R4 (2-disc SE)
Roadshow, NZ$39.95 | Reviewed by John Spry

EARLIER this year, Tim Burton’s remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, was released on DVD. Considering the original text, this must have been a daunting task for all those involved in the production. Among the few major differences, this new film includes many moral cautions aimed at children, decoded enough that parents can explain exactly what it all means and why Charlie can make the decision he makes. Not only is this remake top heavy in morals, but also in special effects and set design.

While remaining similar to the original film and novel source material, Burton’s version shies away from Charlie, instead gearing towards Wonka and his emotional and psychological baggage – specifically, the history Wonka shares with his father and the motivation behind becoming a maker of chocolates and sweets.

For all Burton’s dynamic use of sets, cinematography, classic themes, and allusions to past genres and Hollywood pictures, most of his movies made are twists on traditional tales. In addressing some of Burton’s best-known films such as Edward Scissorhands (1990), Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989) and Big Fish (2003), one major reoccurring theme is apparent across the board. In Big Fish – the most obvious example of this motif – we’re presented with a relationship between a son and his somewhat estranged and terminally ill father. As is often the case in Burton’s films, the father/father figure is blamed by the son for troubled events in his life; sometimes leading him to stray away from society or social norms, only to return to a state of normality.

Burton’s films, of course, take place in a reality slightly skewered towards a land of fantasy – one belonging ostensibly to that of magical realism. Stylistically, the misc-en-scene of Burton’s worlds has common threads in look and feel. The house and land that Charlie and his family live on wouldn’t look out of place in Beetlejuice, Batman, or one of the many wild stories in Big Fish.

What does this mean in terms of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Although not written by Burton, his influence is total on screen. With Charlie, Burton, in his own individual style, approaches auteur status. For some time, Burton has worked with a steady combination of actors, crew and collaborators to forge a kind of community that works towards a common goal. Burton has taken hold of themes and constructed an oeuvre reflecting a growth in skill, direction, and a progression in storytelling that has culminated in some of his best work, including most recently Corpse Bride (2005).

Of Burton’s regular company of actors, no two are more important than Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride), and to a lesser extent Helen Bonham Carter (Big Fish, Planet of the Apes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride). In the past, Burton has also worked with Winona Ryder (Beetlejuice), Jeffrey Jones (Beetlejuice, Ed Wood) and a handful of “genre” actors including Christopher Lee (Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Michael Gough (Sleepy Hollow) and others of their ilk. Here, Depp as Willy Wonka and Freddie Highmore as Charlie head the cast; Depp is terrific and inventive as Wonka; Highmore lifts every scene to a new level as a child actor. Highmore, along with his performance in Finding Neverland, shows why he is regarded as such an accomplished actor even at such a young age. It is little wonder why Depp would want to work with him again.


THE DVD boasts a myriad of extras, however is devoid of a vital commentary track. This aside, the DVD should keep kids amused for some time. The film is presented in its widescreen theatrical ratio; as usual the colors are magnificent when in play, with the washed out ‘normal world’ look deep with rich shadows that indicate the color to come.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has much to offer children and adolescents in the way of a fantasy world, but with enough of a foot in reality that makes it accessible to parents and adults alike. Those who remember the original film and/or have read the book may be disappointed in what is essentially a remake. Fans of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, however, will be happy with the clear direction and narrative, and another excellent performance from Depp who helps to reinterpret the character of Wonka rather than simply reviving Gene Wilder’s performance. Depp, who has been written about on numerous occasions, has a singular knack for taking offbeat characters and giving life and depth to them, while at the same time not exploiting their individuality.