I actually like some of the Ompa Lompa musical numbers in Tim Burton's film. As much as i love Johnny Depp his performance here was deffinatly a swing and a miss.

I'm sorry but even watching the original as a kid I never really liked it. Wilder's Wonka was unsettling to me, I was afraid of him as a kid, I also found the Oompa Loompa's to be almost equally unsettling. I do like some of the songs from the original of course, but half of them are just a trial to listen to for me, specifically ones where the kids sing and the oompa loompa songs being droning and repetitive.

I agree with you on a lot of ideas, and I certainly don't think the remake great, or even good, it gets just about as many things wrong as well. To me both movies are equal, and both have a lot of issues but the thing that I feel like the original gets wrong the most is Charlie. I don't care if the original eventually told the truth, after all the morals the original threw at you the last one they give is "hey it's okay if you steal as long as you fess up later." That really ruins it all for me.

Just to be clear, I do love Gene Wilder, in everything else besides this.

Duh

Gene Wilder is far creepier than Depp, and he didn't need ridiculous make-up, hair and a fake voice to do it.

I disagree - love the first but think the second is great too with fantastic art design. The songs are actually more faithful to the books and theres some small touches ( like when the oompa loompas first see the horrid children and all giggle evilly ) that make this a personal fave of mine.

@ultimatepunchrod said:

Not sure what the point of this one was. I knew the outcome before hitting play.

er... to entertain you ?

@Flap_jackson said:

Spot on. What Burton should have done is have adapted the lesser-known sequel, but thoroughly mad and crazy adventure, Charlie & The Great Glass Elevator. The book is like a Tim Burton fever dream itself, and would be suitable to his brand of weirdness, reminding me of Mars Attacks in parts. It would also be suitable to Depp's more unhinged and less confident version of the character.

If you've never read it, the sequel picks up right after the first ends, and contains aliens, a space hotel, a ton more weirder rooms of the factory, a plotline where Charlie's grandparents are de-aged, including one that is de-aged to the age of -2, which required the group to age her once more in a room of the factory called "Minusland." It's all as strange as it sounds and more, and absolutely perfect for Tim Burton, which is a shame because he refuses to make it.

Sigh...

I vaguely remember reading that as a kid and loving it! That would be fantastic to see on film.

Another example of Johnny Depp being monopolised and wasted by Tim Burton. Maybe he should have indulged his Hunter S Thompson fandom and played Wonka fear and loathing style. Now that would have been something to see.

Funny that the 2000's Oompa Loompa's are more racist than the originals.

Did we need 12 minutes to say that the original was better?

I'm beginning to see holes in the Remake Rematch feature.

No contest at all.

Johnny Depp was absolutely horrible as Willy Wonka.

lets be honest here, was there ever any doubt which one would win? didnt think so. Gene Wilder in the 70s is great, his Mel Brooks stuff is amazing

Thank God. What an awful remake. The Original will always be king!

No contest, it's the original all the way. Adored the film as a kid and still do.

Johnny Depp was simply shocking in the remake, absolutely awful. Reminded me of a even weirder Michael Jackson at times.

This was a foregone conclusion but it was all worth it for that end scene, it could not have been done better.

@cooljammer00 said:

Did we need 12 minutes to say that the original was better?

I'm beginning to see holes in the Remake Rematch feature.

Twelve minutes is a perfectly reasonable amount of time to discuss the merits of one film versus another. It's not just simply about which one wins, it's about why.

The original is a beloved classic and the remake is a creepy, confused disappointment. I'm not sure why this contest even needed to be addressed but if it reminds people about how good the 1971 musical is, then it served a purpose. I saw it as a child and love it to this day with "Pure Imagination" being one of my all-time favorite songs from a film musical.

Before watching this I'm just going to say in my book the original film, with Gene Wilder, is the best hands down. No contest. The remake was- it had potential but what the hell was with Johnny Depp's interpretation?

And after watching it: Ya, no surprises. The original is so much better. That's not to say the new one is bad... per say. But it seems to try to hard to make it an adventure film and adding all this back story. Ya, I have the book and have read it. It more closely resembles that but with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's attempts at making stories about "weird people" in this one we just don't really care about that.

The way I see it, the original is more in tone with the stage play, and the new one is more like the book. Both are fun, but the original is a must see. The new one is ok, but if you miss it that's not really a big deal.

You make a lot of funny hand motions when you speak.