'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' Movie Review

Hello, fellow moviegoers!
   Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is directed by Mel Stuart and it stars Gene Wilder, Peter Ostrum, and Jack Albertson. It tells the story of…well, I think you know what Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is about. It’s considered a classic, and pretty much everyone has seen or heard the story in one way or another, whether it be the book, this film, or the 2005 version starring Johnny Depp. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is one of those films, that everybody has probably seen at some point.
   With the unfortunate recent passing of Gene Wilder, I figured what better way to pay tribute than reviewing possibly his most popular film. This film was released over 45 years ago, so how does it hold up today?

   Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is nothing short of extraordinary. It captures so extremely well many of the things that make cinema great.
   Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room, Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. After somebody passes away, it can be extremely easy to just praise everything they’ve ever done. However, the performance given by Gene Wilder in this film was fantastic. The character of Willy Wonka is such a unique one. He has so many little mannerisms and things that make him interesting to watch, and Wilder managed to perfectly portray all of these little details. He’s funny and he’s sarcastic, but he’s also a little creepy with just a touch of insanity. Wilder was able to bring all of these little personality traits together and make them work in unison to make a memorable performance to last for decades to come.
   The music in the film was also exceptional. The score really captured the odd wonder of the chocolate factory and complimented it extremely well. The songs that were sung were also very good, particularly “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket” and “Pure Imagination”. These are the type of songs that you can listen to separately from the film and they’ll take you right back into the theater. You can add these songs to a playlist, press shuffle, and smile when they come on.
   Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory has one thing that is vastly missing from a lot of films, particularly nowadays. Heart. This isn’t a film that was made for the sake of making money. You can tell just by watching the film, this was a film driven exclusively by the love of filmmaking. Everybody working on the film legitimately wanted to be there. It wasn’t just a quick paycheck, and that is the first step to making films that will be remembered as classics.
   If you have not seen the 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, I implore you to do so. It’s a film that you can watch and just be happy when doing it. It has so many memorable quotes, both funny and inspirational. The performance by Gene Wilder is one that will not be forgotten for many more years to come, and the film manages to capture such a sense of heart and peculiarity that it’s hard to compare it to many other films. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is considered by many to be a classic and a must-see, and for good reason. It’s crafted from pure imagination.
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9/10

   What do you think of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory? What’s your favorite Gene Wilder role? Let me know by commenting on this post! Also, if you enjoyed this review, share it on Facebook and Twitter. It really helps! Don’t forget, I post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so check back then for more movie reviews and miscellaneous movie thoughts!
 
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