Tim Burton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is the best of the three films  

With the recent release of “Wonka,” the newest adaptation of Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” we have one more film to compare to the other two when deciding which is best. I find it hard to believe that anyone would vote for the recent “Wonka” as the best of the three, but I will include it anyway. The general consensus is that a third adaptation was unnecessary, which I will also address. Tim Burton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is the best of the three versions. Its main competition is the original adaptation, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” While the original is good in terms of set design and effects, especially for being made in the 70s, it isn’t as good as the second, which has a better lesson, as well as better dialogue, Oompa Loompa dance scenes and pacing.   

The first adaptation is 1971’s “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” starring Gene Wilder as Wonka. This has been argued as the most whimsical of the three. It features beautiful songs as well as a feel-good message that if you are a good person and do good things, good things will come. Gene Wilder was incredible as Willy Wonka, as he balanced his charisma and weird eccentricity. I found the Oompa Loompa performances to be less entertaining, as well as the songs to be less fun, which is a very important factor for me. Of course, having been filmed in the early 70s, the effects are not as advanced as Burton’s, but the effects and set design are more impressive in the second film. I found the original’s pacing a bit off, and the story felt more bland to me than the second version. The side characters’ dialogue felt more forced and less interesting than in Burton’s version.  

Tim Burton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is the second and the best adaptation, which stars Johnny Depp as Wonka. Burton’s unique style fit perfectly with the odd story. His version focuses more on Wonka than on Charlie, but I find that Wonka to be a far more interesting character in this film. The songs in this version are much more entertaining, and the set design is beautiful, eerie and impressive. Johnny Depp was great as Wonka, and I prefer his portrayal, as his version depicted the character as awkward and odd and generally didn’t like children. I found this much more realistic of someone isolated in a candy factory for years. I also think it’s a funny concept of someone loving to make candy and chocolate, which children generally love most, but they don’t like children and find them annoying. I found the pacing and dialogue were best in this version. I also think it was the funniest, though the original also had some funny lines.. Additionally, I like that they added onto the lesson in this version, so it wasn’t just about a boy getting incredibly lucky and inheriting a million- dollar business, but about the importance of family more than anything.  

“Wonka” is practically incomparable to the original two films, as it is worse in every way. The music is horrible in comparison to the originals. Of course, the songs in Burton’s version were generally creepier and more upbeat than the original, which was more positive and melodic. The plot was uninspired, and the dialogue was bland. Most importantly, I found that they didn’t capture the essence of Wonka. What I like so much about the character is how odd he is, while also being relatable, funny and interesting. In this film, however, you can tell they are aware that people like him for being a weird guy, but they fail to recognize that if you put him in a world where everyone else is even weirder, he seems like one of the more normal people. The plot was unrealistic, and I didn’t find much of a takeaway other than not signing contracts that you haven’t read or not signing contracts alone if you can’t read. Based on the trailer alone, I thought the film’s main issue was going to be Timothee Chalamet. But he was one of the better aspects of this film, as his acting wasn’t terrible despite me feeling like it isn’t a great role for him specifically. It also wasn’t advertised as a musical. Still, it was ultimately one, which is never a good idea because many people will be disappointed if they show up to a movie not expecting a musical.  

While the original version is wonderful in its way, and is the favorite of the three for many people, Tim Burton’s version takes the cake as the best adaptation. It takes the original story, adds to the original lesson, and focuses on one of the more interesting characters, and in my opinion, the true star of the story, Willy Wonka. Burton does this while also maintaining Charlie’s original lessons.