Chocolate? Isn’t there something magical about this word? A mere mention of it seems to revive our mood instantly. Who wouldn’t like to get a lifetime supply of chocolates and visit a chocolate factory?
This is the basic premise of the film ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, which released in 2005. Directed by Tim Burton, it is based on the novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. Willy Wonka, played by Johnny Depp, the eccentric chocolatier, invites 5 children from the world to spend a day in his chocolate factory if they get the ‘Golden Ticket’. Charlie Bucket, played by Freddie Highmore, the main protagonist from Munich loves Wonka bars and would love to get this chance.
The four children who win the golden tickets are Augustus Gloop, a gluttonous German boy from Düsseldorf, Germany; Veruca Salt, a spoiled wealthy English girl from Buckinghamshire, England; Violet Beauregarde, an arrogant gum chewer from Atlanta, Georgia; and Mike Teavee, an ill-tempered television and video game addict from Denver Colorado. Luckily Charlie gets the last Golden ticket. The storyline follows the adventures of these 5 children in the enchanted and magical chocolate factory.
The factory has a room which is like an entire edible chocolate garden. The group begin their tour of the factory from this place. Willy Wonka enables them to shrink magically to pass through the 6 inch door. Here everything is edible Trees and fruits are coloured candies with different textures some hard candies and some with a squishy center. There is also a chocolate waterfall which according to Willy is the secret of their fabulously mixed chocolate. Everybody enjoy eating chocolates till the gluttonous Augustus Gloop falls in the river of chocolate and begins to drown.
The story is moralistic, so strange punishments are given to the 4 greedy children in the enchanted factory staffed by Oompa- Loompas, elves supposedly from Loompaland hired by Willy.
Augustus falls in the chocolate river and is sucked up by the machine. Violet swells up like a giant blueberry after eating a gum stick when forbidden to do so. Veruca who wants a trained squirrel as a pet is pushed into the garbage chute by the squirrels who think she is a bad nut. Mike messes around with an invention called teleporter and finds himself shrunk.
Charlie who isn’t greedy and respects elders deserves the final prize. Mr Wonka transports him to his house in a flying glass elevator and announces the prize, ‘Ownership of the Chocolate Factory’
However Charlie declines to accept the prize because it would mean he would have to live all alone as per Mr Wonka’s condition.
The factory, the staffers and magical punishments are the magical elements which have been portrayed by superb visual and special effects.
At this point the story takes a turn. Everything changes for the good for the Buckets. Mr Bucket gets his job back and their income rises. However Wonka’s sales are going down and he decides to take Charlie’s help.
In the conversation that follows Charlie explains how his family is his source of love and inspiration and urges Willy to meet his estranged father and even accompanies him. The meeting of the father and son is the scene which is loved by kids and adults alike as it tugs the heart.
The movie won several awards including BCFA Critics Choice Award for the Best Young Performer won by Freddie Highmore. The film’s costume director Gabriella Pescucci received an Academy Award nomination for this film.
So, if you haven’t watched this movie and drooled over the chocolates do it now.
-Ketaki Bal
Visiting faculty in English