HABISTAT REVIEWS:
Burton’s World
Tim Burton is the poster model of individualism and creativity; he stands at the face of cinematic and cultural norms and blatantly runs extravagant charcoal and paint through them. There’s a time and a place for these eccentric interpretations, but occasionally this is not clear. Example: Burton’s remake of “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” titled cleverly distinguishable, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. In his rendition, the same main plot is at hands: Willie Wonka invites five lucky kids with their golden tickets and a guardian of some sort into his wondrous chocolate factory. As these kids venture deeper and deeper into the factory, they are weeded off one-by-one by their unique unvirtuous ways until there is just Charlie (Freddie Highmore), his lovable, upbeat grandfather (David Kelly), and our purple patron, Willie Wonka (Johnny Depp).
There is a 30+ year gap between the original and the remake, but one has a hard time not comparing Johnny Depp’s Willie Wonka to the great Gene Wilder’s performance from the original. The two share some common zany Wonka characteristics, but Depp seems like he is a four-course entrée on the “la’weird” menu with his extreme germ phobia as he awkwardly makes expressive hand gestures wearing his complimentary purple gloves that defend against said germs (one asks, how dirty does he think the base of his multi-billion candy corporation is anyways?). His awkwardly crazed sounding, high-pitch voice, coupled with his awkward mannerisms kind of give a creepy vibe (luring kids to his extremely private wonderland? *cough* *cough*). What I’m saying is, Depp’s Willie Wonka isn’t reminiscent of the enchanting 1970’s Wonka; I’m sure Wilder would exalt such a performance.
Another, purely Tim Burtony spin to this classic tale is that he has given a seemingly comical back story to Depp’s character that is shown throughout the movie in sudden flash backs, usually to stereotypical childhood events that have directly influenced his now candy-guru status. This is perhaps a tribute to Wonka’s character, but it seems unnecessary; how can observing kid-Wonka struggle with metal dental ware aid in shaping our understanding of the oompa loompas and the present dilemma? What this backstory does, however, is invite us in on the family element that Wonka experienced with his father, and this, I believe, is supposed to encourage some lesson in the “child becoming what he wants and the parent disapproving” concept; all this is well and good, but perhaps there are too many efficient orange little people around and bizarre misfortune to grasp this anecdote.
As Charlie boyishly treads through Neverland and proves that he is an exemplary child (or rather that he just isn’t fat, spoiled, proud or addicted to TV? Never got that one.) he is presented with the opportunity of a life time –. to establish command in an already self-sufficient enterprise run by organized tribal orange people – the only catch is that his family cannot come with him. Charlie has to deny this gracious offer for he admirably wants to be with his impoverished family instead of running this big show. It’s not until another sudden string of childhood flashbacks that gives Wonka a change of heart and he allows Charlie and his family residency in his “Edward Scissor hand’s-esque” snow globe house. This is the supposed “ah ha” moment that has become Burton’s trademark, but instead feels more like a “what?” moment. As the old proverb goes: don’t try and fix what isn’t broken.
Tim Burton is the poster model of individualism and creativity; he stands at the face of cinematic and cultural norms and blatantly runs extravagant charcoal and paint through them. There’s a time and a place for these eccentric interpretations, but occasionally this is not clear. Example: Burton’s remake of “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” titled cleverly distinguishable, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. In his rendition, the same main plot is at hands: Willie Wonka invites five lucky kids with their golden tickets and a guardian of some sort into his wondrous chocolate factory. As these kids venture deeper and deeper into the factory, they are weeded off one-by-one by their unique unvirtuous ways until there is just Charlie (Freddie Highmore), his lovable, upbeat grandfather (David Kelly), and our purple patron, Willie Wonka (Johnny Depp).
There is a 30+ year gap between the original and the remake, but one has a hard time not comparing Johnny Depp’s Willie Wonka to the great Gene Wilder’s performance from the original. The two share some common zany Wonka characteristics, but Depp seems like he is a four-course entrée on the “la’weird” menu with his extreme germ phobia as he awkwardly makes expressive hand gestures wearing his complimentary purple gloves that defend against said germs (one asks, how dirty does he think the base of his multi-billion candy corporation is anyways?). His awkwardly crazed sounding, high-pitch voice, coupled with his awkward mannerisms kind of give a creepy vibe (luring kids to his extremely private wonderland? *cough* *cough*). What I’m saying is, Depp’s Willie Wonka isn’t reminiscent of the enchanting 1970’s Wonka; I’m sure Wilder would exalt such a performance.
Another, purely Tim Burtony spin to this classic tale is that he has given a seemingly comical back story to Depp’s character that is shown throughout the movie in sudden flash backs, usually to stereotypical childhood events that have directly influenced his now candy-guru status. This is perhaps a tribute to Wonka’s character, but it seems unnecessary; how can observing kid-Wonka struggle with metal dental ware aid in shaping our understanding of the oompa loompas and the present dilemma? What this backstory does, however, is invite us in on the family element that Wonka experienced with his father, and this, I believe, is supposed to encourage some lesson in the “child becoming what he wants and the parent disapproving” concept; all this is well and good, but perhaps there are too many efficient orange little people around and bizarre misfortune to grasp this anecdote.
As Charlie boyishly treads through Neverland and proves that he is an exemplary child (or rather that he just isn’t fat, spoiled, proud or addicted to TV? Never got that one.) he is presented with the opportunity of a life time –. to establish command in an already self-sufficient enterprise run by organized tribal orange people – the only catch is that his family cannot come with him. Charlie has to deny this gracious offer for he admirably wants to be with his impoverished family instead of running this big show. It’s not until another sudden string of childhood flashbacks that gives Wonka a change of heart and he allows Charlie and his family residency in his “Edward Scissor hand’s-esque” snow globe house. This is the supposed “ah ha” moment that has become Burton’s trademark, but instead feels more like a “what?” moment. As the old proverb goes: don’t try and fix what isn’t broken.