CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY -- What The HELL??!?!

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AndyDursin
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CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY -- What The HELL??!?!

#1 Post by AndyDursin »

I'm a Tim Burton fan, but just what the heck is up with his CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY?

The trailer looks absolutely horrid. Johnny Depp looks fiendishly fey and more like Michael Jackson than Gene Wilder. The "new wave" kind of look and music video styling looks really odd for Burton, and if had little ones running around, I'd be afraid to bring my kid to it after seeing the ad!

Burton has stated that he wants to adhere closer to the actual Roald Dahl book, but I highly doubt the bizarre and off-putting look of this film -- almost like an early '80s MTV video -- was what Dahl had in mind.

I'm not a purist either -- the original WILLY WONKA is a movie that nostalgic adults love, but it has its faults and I can even see the need to remake it. But somehow THIS doesn't seem to be the answer...

Eric W.
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#2 Post by Eric W. »

I don't have much hope for this.

mkaroly
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#3 Post by mkaroly »

I saw an extended trailer in the theaters today (rather than the teasers on TV), and while I think that this has potential I hope that Depp is allowed to let his comedic skills shine through. The trailers make him seem so rigid and "forced" to act. Burton is another director who consistently impresses me- even his PLANET OF THE APES remake had moments (though the ending was so bad that I was angry for a couple of months afterwards). I thoroughly enjoyed BIG FISH and so I am hoping this new film delivers the goods. I noticed there's a BEN-HUR moment in one of the trailers- made me laugh a bit in the theater.

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#4 Post by AndyDursin »

Well I have to eat crow (er, chocolate!) on this one.

Another inspired concoction from Tim Burton -- funny, inventive, colorful, fascinating visually, and filled with eccentric and equally delightful performances. Warner's did no favors with their hideous advertising but this movie works far, far, far, FAR better than any of their marketing would lead you to believe.

Johnny Depp once again shows why there is no better actor of his age -- what a range of performances and roles he's tackled, and this is just another unusual and fabulously memorable role to add to the list.

Danny Elfman's score is one of his most inspired and effective works in years. The songs are great, his use of electronics is delightful, and all of it goes down sweeter than one of Wonka's candies.

The cherry on top is the narration, unmistakably performed by Geoffrey Holder....simply great stuff, fully deserving of the praise it's receiving. Thumbs up!

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#5 Post by Monterey Jack »

AndyDursin wrote:The cherry on top is the narration, unmistakably performed by Geoffrey Holder....


Y'know, I kept thinking, throughout the film, that the narration was by Christopher Lee. :wink:

Agreed, though, that the film was an imaginative treat, and that Elfman's score is his most inspired work in years (what with his walking off the third Spider-Man movie, let's hope he'll steer clear of superhero movies for the remainder of his career). Loved the Oompa-Loompa songs and the typically Burtonesque title sequence, and Johnny Depp is the greatest (and weirdest :lol: ) actor of his generation. Man, this movie should look spectacular in IMAX. With this and the upcoming Corpse Bride (wonderful trailer!), I hope we'll be entering a new era of "personal", oddball Burton films after some recent dips into mainstream blockbusters (although I still stubbornly admit to liking Planet Of The Apes, warts and all).

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#6 Post by AndyDursin »

With this and the upcoming Corpse Bride (wonderful trailer!), I hope we'll be entering a new era of "personal", oddball Burton films after some recent dips into mainstream blockbusters (although I still stubbornly admit to liking Planet Of The Apes, warts and all).
I love SLEEPY HOLLOW (it's right up there with my favorite Burton films) and am still one of the few APES fans out there...it has its problems but at least it had some quirky and imaginative elements as well.

Jack you're dead on the Oompa Loompas -- I love their design and I LOVED the songs! I was reading someone in the last week who said they were the worst part of the film...I couldn't disagree more strongly, I thought Elfman's songs were terrific and every aspect of them (like the film altogether) was inspired.

CORPSE BRIDE looks OK, but I was disappointed: is this not a CGI rendering of stop motion animation? The movement doesn't look like NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS -- it looks like it's been digitally animated as if it WERE stop motion...correct me if I'm wrong but that's the impression I got while watching the trailer.

By far the worst trailer I saw tonight was for the WALLACE & GROMIT movie -- I'm aware there are fans worldwide of those shorts but that movie looked horrendous, and the music underscoring it was likewise awful.

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#7 Post by romanD »

can't wait to see it, though I dont know the book and I think the former movie has never been released in Germany. At least I don't know anybody who has seen it. Seems to be a totally American thing.

I like the score, the songs probably are only really fun within the movie, on CD the get on my nerves a bit.

Ive seen a trailer for WALLACE & GROMIT a long time ago, maybe it was a different one, but the one Ive seen was hilarious. Can't wait to see it! And great that they kept the original composer (forgot his name, sorry)from the shorts.. his music has always been great (but I heard some MV-hack had to provide some additional music... ugh!). Go Wallace!

(have you seen this chicken? lol)

well, maybe AARDMAN ANIMATIONS are just a very British/European thing...

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#8 Post by Eric W. »

AndyDursin wrote:Well I have to eat crow (er, chocolate!) on this one.

Another inspired concoction from Tim Burton -- funny, inventive, colorful, fascinating visually, and filled with eccentric and equally delightful performances. Warner's did no favors with their hideous advertising but this movie works far, far, far, FAR better than any of their marketing would lead you to believe.

Johnny Depp once again shows why there is no better actor of his age -- what a range of performances and roles he's tackled, and this is just another unusual and fabulously memorable role to add to the list.

Danny Elfman's score is one of his most inspired and effective works in years. The songs are great, his use of electronics is delightful, and all of it goes down sweeter than one of Wonka's candies.

The cherry on top is the narration, unmistakably performed by Geoffrey Holder....simply great stuff, fully deserving of the praise it's receiving. Thumbs up!
Wow, I'm shocked. Then this thing must truly be the victim of some of THE worst advertising and trailer work I've seen on a big budget, mainstream picture in quite some time. I'd completely written this off until reading your post just now.

As for Wallace and Gromit: http://andyfilm.netfirms.com/phpbb/nfph ... =1631#1631

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#9 Post by Monterey Jack »

AndyDursin wrote:I love SLEEPY HOLLOW (it's right up there with my favorite Burton films) and am still one of the few APES fans out there...it has its problems but at least it had some quirky and imaginative elements as well.
I'm also a big Sleepy Hollow fan. In fact, it's become one of my favorite Halloween-time staples. Apes does indeed have it's problems, some severe (hello, Mr. Wahlberg!), yet I've never understood the absolute loathing of that film. Honestly, was it more deserving of space on 2001 year-end "worst" lists than Tomb Raider or Pearl Harbor or Jurassic Park III? Burton's POTA had superb Rick Baker makeup, exciting action setpieces, fun performances by Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter (who has apparently succeded Burton's ex-girlfriend Lisa Marie as his official "good luck charm", appearing in every one of his films since), Michael Clarke Duncan and Paul Giamatti and some unappreciated, Burtonesque humor (plus a laugh-out-loud funny cameo by Chuck Heston). I can still watch that movie four years later, which isn't the same for many summer blockbusters
Jack you're dead on the Oompa Loompas -- I love their design and I LOVED the songs! I was reading someone in the last week who said they were the worst part of the film...I couldn't disagree more strongly, I thought Elfman's songs were terrific and every aspect of them (like the film altogether) was inspired.
I've had that insidiously catchy "Oompa-Loompa, Loompa-Loompa" chant caught in my head since I saw the film and picked up the soundtrack. Agreed that this is Elfman's best score (and soundtrack album) since Sleepy Hollow.
CORPSE BRIDE looks OK, but I was disappointed: is this not a CGI rendering of stop motion animation? The movement doesn't look like NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS -- it looks like it's been digitally animated as if it WERE stop motion...correct me if I'm wrong but that's the impression I got while watching the trailer.
The film looked exactly like The Nightmare Before Christmas (as well as Burton/Selick's James And The Giant Peach) to me. Burton is too in love with the hand-crafted feel of stop-motion to rely on too much CGI enhancements (although there have to be some in the film). Maybe CG was used to "smooth out" some of the animation (Selick points out a shot in the Nightmare DVD commentary where this was applied).
By far the worst trailer I saw tonight was for the WALLACE & GROMIT movie -- I'm aware there are fans worldwide of those shorts but that movie looked horrendous, and the music underscoring it was likewise awful.


Aren't you the person who just admitted to eating crow (er, chocolate) regarding your aversion to the admittedly strange and off-putting advertising for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (as well as your "eh" reaction to the "boring" Batman Begins trailer)? I'm one of the many huge Wallace & Gromit fans, and although I have yet to see the trailer, I'm certain that Dreamworks' advertising crew is simply "dumbing down" the plasticine duo to appeal to the Shark Tale/Madagascar crowd. We all know that the music selected probaly won't be in the finished movie. Are you a W&G fan? If so, I can't imagine how you couldn't be excited by their feature-legth debut, poor trailer and all.

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#10 Post by AndyDursin »

Aren't you the person who just admitted to eating crow (er, chocolate) regarding your aversion to the admittedly strange and off-putting advertising for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (as well as your "eh" reaction to the "boring" Batman Begins trailer)? I'm one of the many huge Wallace & Gromit fans, and although I have yet to see the trailer, I'm certain that Dreamworks' advertising crew is simply "dumbing down" the plasticine duo to appeal to the Shark Tale/Madagascar crowd. We all know that the music selected probaly won't be in the finished movie. Are you a W&G fan? If so, I can't imagine how you couldn't be excited by their feature-legth debut, poor trailer and all
No you're absolutely right, I've seen bad trailers (Charlie & Batman Begins) for two movies that turned out just fine this year (I didn't love Batman Begins but I was entertained by it, and found portions of it to be tremendously effective).

I was trying to make the connection between Wallace and more bad advertising, but in hindsight it was a bit late last night and I didn't have my wits about me (lol). Trust me, the American trailer IS really, really insipid though, and does not make the film look appealing in any facet. Hopefully it's Dreamworks dumbing down the concept, though I admit I'm not a huge W&G aficionado in particular (and I wasn't too high on Chicken Run).

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#11 Post by AndyDursin »

he film looked exactly like The Nightmare Before Christmas (as well as Burton/Selick's James And The Giant Peach) to me. Burton is too in love with the hand-crafted feel of stop-motion to rely on too much CGI enhancements (although there have to be some in the film). Maybe CG was used to "smooth out" some of the animation (Selick points out a shot in the Nightmare DVD commentary where this was applied).
The movement and style of this film looks a lot, lot smoother -- I'm curious as to how this film has been put together, a la it's been primarily put together via computers as opposed to legitimate stop-motion artistry. Either way though I'll be checking it out!

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#12 Post by mkaroly »

I also enjoyed CHARLIE and agree that the trailer made it look worse than it was. As a matter of fact, the trailer does a huge disservice to this film- it was thoroughly entertaining and a bit touching. I loved the Oompa-Loompas and the songs- it sounded like Elfman was allowed to let himself go and get all those bad experiences with SPIDER-MAN out of his system.

Depp is very talented- I'll give him that. He is an incredibly solid actor and this is another feather in his cap. These quirky roles he takes really bring out his sense of humor and comedic timing, so that was also enjoyable.

Burton scores another success in my book- I loved PLANET OF THE APES up to the ending- then it lost me. I liked the look of the film, the score, and the Ape performances. But that ending was AWFUL! SLEEPY HOLLOW is so entertaining- I remember seeing it in the theater and just being blown away by the sets and the costumes and the color schemes. I loved Elfman's music in that one too. And Depp again gave a great performance.

However, I have soured on BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS as time has passed. I wish that Burton could have taken out the whole Penguin thing from the second film and kept it between Bruce/Batman and Selina/Catwoman. While the first one makes me laugh a bit, it has too much Jack and not enough Batman. So those two films would get my vote as weakest films in his canon- they looked like his films but didn't feel like his films compared with the rest.

CORPSE BRIDE looks fun- at least Burton has a corner on the market with that type of animation- and I think it lends well to his sense of humor and the macabre. I'll definitely check it out. Anyway, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY was very cool.

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#13 Post by Eric W. »

I won't get my hopes up, but from the snippets I've heard...dare I think that Elfman kind of came back to some form on this score? Dare I almost use the term "comeback?"

I've liked what I've heard!

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#14 Post by AndyDursin »

Elfman's score is indeed excellent! It's not a classic but it's very, very good -- and the songs are terrific as well.

Likely worth seeing the film first to get how the songs work in context, but thumbs up from me at least!

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