Smashing film.

Very true to the book: including singing Oompa Loompas and a rather callous Willy Wonka… but I really wish they’d produced an English dub of the movie, because all the talk about “candies” and “pants” (for trousers—“you’ve got mud on your pants”—eeeugh) and “vacation” in amongst the English accents (Charlie & family were English, but they seemed to live in America) was jarring.

Brilliant to see the chocolate room and the boat carved out of an enormous boiling sweetie, and the nut sorting room, and the glass elevator. Quite a nice turn in humour.

Willy Wonka was a bit to shy and weird for my liking, and his ‘issues’ with his ‘father’ were just plain, downright unnecessary, I thought. I’d have preferred a more assertive Wonka, and I’d have preferred if he’d seemed less intentionally complicit in the disposal of the bad children… and the parents could have had a bit more oomph. They were all pretty insipid. Only Charlie and Grandpa Joe had much life about them.

And Charlie’s mum (Helena Bonham Carter) ‘s teeth were pretty manky for the wife of a man who works at a toothpaste factory. (What is it that these Americans have about teeth and English people?)

But amazing to look at, and really a very enjoyable film.

And apparently they trained real squirrels for the film, instead of just using CG ones, which you’ve got to give them credit for.