Did I ever watch the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
I remember reading on IMDb, that you told Tim Burton that you had never seen the original Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I don’t think I have read anything on your site about that subject. Have you in fact seen the original Willy Wonka? What do you advise on that anyway? And is Charlie a remake or sequel or neither?
–Richard
Gold Coast, Australia
First off, I’m hesitant to say too much, because I don’t want to spoil anything about the new movie.
It’s true that when Tim Burton asked me to write Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, my first question was whether I should watch the original movie. (It’s not like I was raised off the grid by hippie survivalists, but somehow I had never seen it.) Tim urged me not to watch it until after I handed in the first draft, which I think was wise.
Halfway into my second draft, I finally watched the 1971 Gene Wilder version, and it was jarring. No disrespect to the movie, which is obviously beloved by a generation of my peers, but it was visually and narratively very, very different from Roald Dahl’s book. True, most of the main story elements were still there, such as the rotten children and the chocolate river. But some of the choices made - killing off Charlie’s father, adding Slugworth, the acid trip on the pink boat — wouldn’t have been my choices.
And in some ways, it’s great that the original movie did its own thing, because it gives the new movie a chance to use some of the overlooked parts of Dahl’s book. (But no, I won’t divulge which parts those are.)
Although the press will inevitably call this a remake of Willy Wonka, it should properly be called a new version of Roald Dahl’s book. I honestly think that if the 1971 movie had never been made, we would still be making this one. It’s testimony to the timelessness of Dahl’s books that they remain so popular today.
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June 8th, 2004 at 3:32 pm
Thanks John. That is interesting. No, very interesting. It was smart not watching it untill the second draft because you might have been let down a little if you had of known what you were trying to make.
It must be good to know that the original is a classic and you have inproved on it.
June 9th, 2004 at 2:09 pm
John, did you ever read Roahl Dahl’s original draft for the movie? I was just wondering how different it was from the final product…I assume it was very very different as Mel Stuart and Dahl supposedly didn’t get along (Stuart somewhere called him an antisemetic and a racist…bizarre) and I know there was at least one one-page rewrite by David Seltzer.
June 9th, 2004 at 2:17 pm
correction…page-one rewrite
June 10th, 2004 at 5:53 am
I never read Dahl’s draft, or any of the scripts from the original production. I’m guessing Dahl’s screenplay stayed closer to his book. I know he wasn’t thrilled with how the first movie turned out.
June 10th, 2004 at 2:46 pm
John. You have adapted before. With Big Fish. Did you find adapting Charlie easier or harder then Daniel Wallace’s Big Fish?
June 11th, 2004 at 3:35 am
Charlie is a much more straight-forward adaptation than Big Fish, so yes, I found it easier. The things I loved about Daniel Wallace’s book didn’t necessarily lend themselves to a movie, so it took a lot more work to coax the script out.
June 15th, 2004 at 6:58 pm
I remember you mentioning that you are off to london. Have fun. Well try to.
June 20th, 2004 at 5:26 am
Something that I have always wanted — since seeing the original movie way back when — is to see a film that shows the passage of time, and let’s us see Charlie’s future as a choclatier running the factory.
If this movie were going to be made, I think that the time for it was ten to fifteen years ago in order to, once again, take advantage of Gene Wilder’s talents as Willie Wonka. I saw him not too long ago on a television program, and he is beginning to look frail.
Nevertheless, I am glad to have found your site, and look forward to your new version of Mr. Dahl’s book.
June 23rd, 2004 at 3:51 am
Very true. I was watching ‘A 2001: Space Odysee’ the other night. That film is well and truly ahead of its time. It woud go beter now as a film. Ofcouse Kubrik would have to direct it. Willy Wonka. Some of it was too advanced for its time. Some looked fake and parts looked weird.
To see it remade in a different “ray of light”, would be great, especialy in this time of age when films are a little bleak. Tim Burton is the man and maybe the only man for the job (of directing it).
The writer of the trippy film ‘Go’ would be perfect to write it
July 1st, 2004 at 5:03 am
I remember reading Charlie, all those years ago, and was bitterly disappointed by the characterisation of Willy Wonka in the Gene Wilder film. A classic…is it really? Or just an old film, in the barren desert of children’s films in years gone-by, and by default, found a home? It always seemed to have horrible, “smart alec” tone. Mind you, Roald Dahl didn’t pull his punches either; may-be he just did it with more class. I remember the boy in “Witches” who remained a mouse at the end of the story…so much for happy endings!
More power to you, honour Mr. Dahl creative vision!
September 24th, 2004 at 2:24 pm
Mr. AUgust,
Did you get my question the other day about the Oompa Loompas?
September 24th, 2004 at 5:53 pm
Mike,
Um, I don’t remember getting the question. If it was, “Will the Oompa-Loompas be cool?” Then the answer is most definitely yes. If I say any more than that, the good folks at WB will send Thugs with Clubs after me.
September 26th, 2004 at 8:55 am
I was asking if they were automatons. I read a script attributed to you and wanted to verify that it wasn’t bogus (like the AICN review).
September 26th, 2004 at 9:01 am
I think I’m allowed to say they’re not robots. It’s not Westworld. Or Itchy-and-Scratchy Land, for that matter.
September 27th, 2004 at 1:52 pm
Interesting. I seem to have discovered another bogus script floating around. This one not credited as “a work of fiction”.
January 19th, 2005 at 5:06 pm
RE: seeing Charlie as he runs the factory…
Since Roald Dahl wrote a sequel for this and Mr. Wonka remained in charge for the duration of that, I think finding Charlie in charge would be a fair way down the track. But I agree, it would offer scope for a new story.
I’d love to see the Knids on screen though.
January 24th, 2005 at 5:11 am
I just saw the trailer…and i am REALLY looking forward to it.
May 7th, 2005 at 9:35 am
John,
Ugh — I just lost a bar bet based on your comment about the original script “killing off Charlie’s father”. I thought you meant they did it during the film, not as a difference from the book’s original background. Now I have to pay for a 2nd ticket to go see your movie. I hope Burton manages to stay true to your vision and I’m sure your script will be a better adaption than the original (which was a terrible mangling of the book anyway!).
May 26th, 2005 at 1:41 pm
John you mention that Roalh dahl was thrilled with the first movie (carlie) it is my understanding that he did not approve at all, in fact from what I am lead to believe he found it totally distasteful.
May 27th, 2005 at 4:56 am
Perhaps I’m that rare person, I’ve read the original book to “Charlie” by Dahl (actually, I’ve read all his books, he’s just great) and I’ve also seen the original Willy Wonka Film w/ Gene Wilder many times and honestly, I prefer the film with Gene Wilder, though I like both. Perhaps it’s just a case of subjective taste - I agree with John that they are two completely different birds, but I think the “Charlie” with Wilder was something very unique and special. Sure it’s dated, but so are most classics to some degree. I’m a bit, I don’t know, reserved about the new version that you’re working on - I loved BIG FISH, but honestly, the PLANET OF THE APES remake was an unmitigated disaster, in my opinion. But if it’s a horse of a different color, as you state, I will check it out.
Intereesting bit of trivia, the original child actor who played Charlie gave up acting after Willy Wonka - he just didn’t like the business and now he works as a vet in upstate new york.
June 28th, 2005 at 7:48 pm
He also got really, really ugly.
July 21st, 2005 at 7:37 pm
I have seen both movies and read both books… and I have to say that this version is not at all closer to the book. There is plenty of extra material added, and if anything, it seems farther apart.
I enjoyed this film, but I don’t think it is fair to say that this movie is closer to the original text. It’s a good movie in it’s own right and should be viewed as such.
July 21st, 2005 at 7:39 pm
Sorry - “its own right”
August 17th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
no entiendo ni una wea en ingles el problema es que necesito la wea pero nu caxo ni una opo =(
lamentable pa mi
ya weno sobre la peli. esta demasiado wena es mi pelicula favorita creoq ue la amo jiji =)
ya eso nu mas 0 aporte hoy saludos a los chilenos que estan wenos nu mas
saludos tau
September 15th, 2006 at 10:38 pm
Dude! I’ve looked everywhere for a script for willy wonka and the chocolate fatcory! Where can I find one?
October 11th, 2006 at 10:18 am
hi
January 17th, 2007 at 10:28 am
I’m searching for the script of this movie
May 10th, 2007 at 8:19 am
congrats! i´m a huge fan!
October 18th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
I’ve seen both movies and like them for different reasons. To me it is like watching to totally different stories. I don’t find that to be either good or bad.
Similar to The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, animated and real life versions. I like them both for different reasons.