Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Olga Yavanna
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) is a film directed by Tim Burton, with actors such as
Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Freddie Highmore, a great cast that thanks to their
acting and what they transmit through it ensures a success without even seeing it. And the fact
that Tim, the unique and special director, creator of films such as Corpse Bride and Edward
Scissorhands has overseen this production, leaves us in expectation. This film is an adaptation of
the book by Roald Dahl (1964), which had its first film adaptation in 1971.

This film tells the story of a poor boy that lives with his extensive family in a little house without
comforts and with a lot of needs and costs. In his country there is the biggest Chocolate Factory,
Wonka’s factory, and the best chocolate bars were made there but Charlie and his family couldn’t
buy often, one could say that this place generates much intrigue because the owner of the factory
never left the site.

One day is announced that the factory will open its doors to 5 children, who find the golden ticket
in the chocolate bars, and they all start buying them in bulk to get a pass to the strange factory.
Charlie found the golden ticket by causality when his grandpa gave him a money to buy a
chocolate bar.

Since the moment that these five children, Violet, Veruca, Augustus, Mike and Charlie, and their
caretakers, step into the factory, the adventure begins. New characters are discovered, such as the
particular helpers of Wonka, the Oompa-Loompas, beings of small stature and from a foreign
country. Also, the children knew the curious and strange Willy Wonka, the chocolate maker with a
very peculiar appearance, who loves sweets and has a dark past. Wonka sets tests and tricks all
along the way, leaving unimaginable endings for the children.

Admittedly, the scenography and illustration are spectacular. The interior of the factory is an
imaginative space that makes the viewer forget what is outside and think that anything is possible
for a few moments. Tim Burton tried to use as few digital effects as possible, and he even used up
to seven different sets at the studios.

The music and the songs in the film are iconic, I personally remember when I was at school we did
a presentation of this film, I was an Oompa-Loompa, and therefore I had to dance and sing all the
songs from the film, sometimes I hum them Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka... The Amazing Chocolatier.
Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka... Everybody give a cheer! Or … Augustus Gloop! Augustus Gloop! The
great big greedy nincompoop! Augustus Gloop!

This film is one of the best adaptations of a book ever made, it can make you forget what is
possible and what is not, creatures, places, people... it has a cast that can transmit and making you
feel everything, an unconventional style but that ends up being totally balanced and that ends up
showing you that sometimes things are not as they seem.