Movie Comparison: Willy Wonka 1971 vs. 2005

The original and the remake are like night and day.

NOTE: This is a basic comparison of two movies, and does not include Roald Dahl’s original book.

Photo by Chris Hardy on Unsplash

Overall, the casting in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was just as good as that of the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, as there was much talent to be reckoned with. As you might expect, the later version contained tons more special effects, which made for a more eye-popping experience. Also, it was nice to see John August’s screenplay take a stab at answering some plot/background questions that weren’t even touched upon in the original. However, I fear a few details left many moviegoers feeling not quite right.

Gene and Johnny

You would have a hard time making the new Willy Wonka any more different than the old. While Gene Wilder’s portrayal was of a kid-friendly, slightly mischievous, strict Willy, Johnny Depp’s Willy was just creepy. At times he seemed out of touch with reality, but maybe that was the point. Depp was brilliant in the role (as usual), and Director Tim Burton probably focused more on the events from Willy’s past — both in business and in childhood — and how these events shaped his personality and world view. However, any fan of Burton’s sense of humor will probably be…