English 227 | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Book vs. Film
We have
discussed in class before that the novel is often more impactful than the
movie. This is one of the ways in which our preference for the book over the
movie can originate. We tend see the novel as more gritty, having deeper
meaning, and containing more details that altogether, create a more complete
and fulfilling story experience for us. However, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has shown itself as rather
contradictory in this aspect. What we see in both movies - that is, one released
7 years after the novel, and the other 41 years after - is an increase in story
detail through added plotlines:
Through these major plot/character additions, and several other minor changes, the film adaptations became more complex the than book from which they were derived.
- 1971: The director thought that the book ‘lacked a villain’, so they made one. 'Slugworth', a rival candy maker to Willy Wonka, whispers in each child’s ear after they find the golden ticket saying that if he/she can bring him a piece of Wonka's new candy (the Everlasting Gobstopper, which would potentially put him out of business) and tell him the secret ingredients, he would pay them ten thousand dollars. At the end, Charlie returns the Gobstopper that each kid had been handed by Wonka back to the the chocolateer. Wonka is overjoyed and tells Charlie that he has won, because he has passed the secret honesty test that was set up with Wonka's ASSISTANT posing as Slugworth, tempting each child to betray Wonka's secrets.
- 2005: The changes made here were more profound. This movie added a very significant element to the storyline – it invented an entirely new back story or subplot, Willy Wonka’s childhood and his troubled relationship with his dad. There are two main forces at work that caused this change. One is Tim Burton’s personal life playing into his role as director (see bottom of page). The other, is evolving social values in children’s education. As a society, we are becoming less comfortable with simple delineations of 'good' and 'bad' kids, the way the book portrays them. The way that the 'bad' kids are treated by Wonka is overly harsh, so in the second movie Wonka's behaviour is reinterpreted has having been caused by his deeply-buried psychological and emotional struggle over his past.
Through these major plot/character additions, and several other minor changes, the film adaptations became more complex the than book from which they were derived.
Social Commentary in the 1971 Film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCTRej0B4Pg
Mel Stuart chose to adapt Roald Dahl's children's book into a movie for both adults and children. One of the ways he made this story interesting for adults is by making more of a funny commentary on social life in the seventies. In particular, they brought attention to the obsession with consumerism. Mel Stuart is using this movie to critique his own time and their need for material gain.
This is shown through the many things people are willing to do to get the golden tickets. People are obsessed with buying as many Wonka bars as they can, for the chance to win more material wealth with a lifetime supply of chocolate. Once they have the bars, they will do anything to keep them. In particular, there is a humorous scene where a woman must give a ransom of a case of Wonka bars for her husband who was kidnapped. She says she needs time to think about it.
Mel Stuart chose to adapt Roald Dahl's children's book into a movie for both adults and children. One of the ways he made this story interesting for adults is by making more of a funny commentary on social life in the seventies. In particular, they brought attention to the obsession with consumerism. Mel Stuart is using this movie to critique his own time and their need for material gain.
This is shown through the many things people are willing to do to get the golden tickets. People are obsessed with buying as many Wonka bars as they can, for the chance to win more material wealth with a lifetime supply of chocolate. Once they have the bars, they will do anything to keep them. In particular, there is a humorous scene where a woman must give a ransom of a case of Wonka bars for her husband who was kidnapped. She says she needs time to think about it.
Political Context and (Un)Knowing Audiences
As a children's novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its film adaptations are accessible to a broad range of audiences. What is interesting is that the first movie released in 1971 was different enough from - or, one could say, not loyal enough to - the book that Roald Dahl more or less hated it, while it was generally well-received by audiences.
Many people have speculated as to why Dahl hated the first movie so much. The most likely reason seems to be that as the original writer, he took it as an insult that so many key aspects of his story were changed. Many authors do not have a problem with changes being made to their stories while being adapted to the big screen. However, Dahl was a meticulous editor of his work, and wouldn't publish one of his stories until he thought he had it just right. This was probably the main reason why he thought his stories didn't need any changing.
The 1971 movie's popularity was encouraged by repeated TV airings and home video sales; however, its success is likely also due to the very changes that infuriated Dahl. The movie addressed several criticisms that the book had received, and this probably won a nod of approval from some who had taken issue with the book..
One of the original controversial points was that Dahl had depicted the Ooompa-Loompas working in his factory as African pygmy peoples. This decision was apparently due to the fact that their small height suggests the stature and behaviour of children, with Willy Wonka acting as a guardian figure. Although colonial discourse and attitudes are certainly still being critiqued today, the time of CCF's publication in 1964 was a much more politically sensitive period, with African colonies in the process of gaining or having recently gained independence. That is why the 1971 movie has dwarf people cast as the Oompa-Loompas, with whimsical green hair and orange painted faces, and no explanation of where or how Wonka had found them. And, it is probably also why in the 2005 movie, the Oompa-Loompas (all portrayed by one actor) are shown to be a tribal peoples (resembling Pacific Islanders) before Wonka found them and invited them to work in his factory in exchange for cocoa beans. A partial explanation for this reversion to the original (colonialist?) portrayal is that the director, Tim Burton, wanted to follow the book more closely than the previous movie did. But, the issue had also become less sensitive by 2005. Ultimately, a changing social and political context controlled the way in which the controversial element of the Oompa-Loompas was allowed to be adapted.
Many viewers of the 1971 film were pleased with the change to the Oompa-Loompas among the many others that were made. If they had previously read the book, these changes added 'novelty' to their experience with the adaptation that contained 'familiarity' in terms of general plot and characters. Those who are familiar with a given book or other 'original work' are always both knowing and unknowing audiences when they experience its adapted form for the first time - they know to expect a certain story, but do not know what to expect in terms of the way it is retold or re-enacted, and may even be surprised by changes or twists.
A surprise-worthy change was created in the 2005 film adaptation - the story of Willy Wonka's childhood and his family troubles. It is a notable example of 'novelty' blended in with 'familiarity'. Even audiences with a double-knowingness from having read the book and seen the 1971 movie will still be just as engaged (perhaps even more so, being intrigued by yet another way of telling the story) as those who have no background knowledge behind the adaptation.
Many people have speculated as to why Dahl hated the first movie so much. The most likely reason seems to be that as the original writer, he took it as an insult that so many key aspects of his story were changed. Many authors do not have a problem with changes being made to their stories while being adapted to the big screen. However, Dahl was a meticulous editor of his work, and wouldn't publish one of his stories until he thought he had it just right. This was probably the main reason why he thought his stories didn't need any changing.
The 1971 movie's popularity was encouraged by repeated TV airings and home video sales; however, its success is likely also due to the very changes that infuriated Dahl. The movie addressed several criticisms that the book had received, and this probably won a nod of approval from some who had taken issue with the book..
One of the original controversial points was that Dahl had depicted the Ooompa-Loompas working in his factory as African pygmy peoples. This decision was apparently due to the fact that their small height suggests the stature and behaviour of children, with Willy Wonka acting as a guardian figure. Although colonial discourse and attitudes are certainly still being critiqued today, the time of CCF's publication in 1964 was a much more politically sensitive period, with African colonies in the process of gaining or having recently gained independence. That is why the 1971 movie has dwarf people cast as the Oompa-Loompas, with whimsical green hair and orange painted faces, and no explanation of where or how Wonka had found them. And, it is probably also why in the 2005 movie, the Oompa-Loompas (all portrayed by one actor) are shown to be a tribal peoples (resembling Pacific Islanders) before Wonka found them and invited them to work in his factory in exchange for cocoa beans. A partial explanation for this reversion to the original (colonialist?) portrayal is that the director, Tim Burton, wanted to follow the book more closely than the previous movie did. But, the issue had also become less sensitive by 2005. Ultimately, a changing social and political context controlled the way in which the controversial element of the Oompa-Loompas was allowed to be adapted.
Many viewers of the 1971 film were pleased with the change to the Oompa-Loompas among the many others that were made. If they had previously read the book, these changes added 'novelty' to their experience with the adaptation that contained 'familiarity' in terms of general plot and characters. Those who are familiar with a given book or other 'original work' are always both knowing and unknowing audiences when they experience its adapted form for the first time - they know to expect a certain story, but do not know what to expect in terms of the way it is retold or re-enacted, and may even be surprised by changes or twists.
A surprise-worthy change was created in the 2005 film adaptation - the story of Willy Wonka's childhood and his family troubles. It is a notable example of 'novelty' blended in with 'familiarity'. Even audiences with a double-knowingness from having read the book and seen the 1971 movie will still be just as engaged (perhaps even more so, being intrigued by yet another way of telling the story) as those who have no background knowledge behind the adaptation.
Financial and Technological Constraints
When creating an adaptation, especially films of massive
scales for entertainment consumption, adaptors often face financial constraints
in the form of available funds and the budget for the film. The 1971 adaptation had only 3 million
dollars in 1971 terms which is not a very large sum when compared to the modern
budgets like the 2005 adaptation which had over 150 million 2005 dollars. Producers often see this economic constraint
as somewhat of a creative barrier, because every piece of equipment and prop
costs money and the bill grows and grows as the director and the producer
strikes an economically sound deal through compromising on certain areas to be
cost effective.
Although funding may hinder the creative process sometimes, financial constraints can be ignored and pushed aside as the filming crew can find other means to produce the adaptation. The other constraint aside from financial is technological. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory provides a great example of time and technological advancements having a drastic effect of the adaptor’s skill set and technology available to them. Some scenes from the novel were cut in the 1971 production which was included in the 2005 adaptation. For example, the nut room with the many squirrels was technologically impossible in 1971, but with the onset of CGI in the modern era, Tim Burton incorporates real squirrels, animatronics, and CGI to create the original scene from the novel.
Although funding may hinder the creative process sometimes, financial constraints can be ignored and pushed aside as the filming crew can find other means to produce the adaptation. The other constraint aside from financial is technological. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory provides a great example of time and technological advancements having a drastic effect of the adaptor’s skill set and technology available to them. Some scenes from the novel were cut in the 1971 production which was included in the 2005 adaptation. For example, the nut room with the many squirrels was technologically impossible in 1971, but with the onset of CGI in the modern era, Tim Burton incorporates real squirrels, animatronics, and CGI to create the original scene from the novel.
Heroes in Children's Literature
- “Heroes and heroines in good literature are portrayed as complex individuals… Many main characters are strong role models because they rise above their own negative traits or weaknesses and overcome personal challenges. We often find protagonists inspiring because they demonstrate the need for individuals to be resilient and to respond proactively to challenging circumstances." (Manjari Singh and Mei-Yu Lu, 'Exploring the Function of Heroes and Heroines in Children’s Literature from Around the World')
What kinds of positive character traits does Charlie, the protagonist or hero, inspire in children?
In the book, Charlie is a very passive hero. Some critics of the book say that things happen to him for seemingly no reason other than that he is poor and does not deserve to be. One disapproving critic writes, "indeed the whole plot has close affinities with Cinderella in that it concerns an undeservedly poor and oppressed child winning through to riches by the intervention of a kind of magic - in this case a fairy godfather in the shape of Mr. Willy Wonka" (Anne Merrick). However, perhaps what Charlie can inspire is perseverance in the face of hardship, since he lives in poverty but knows not to complain, and is ever caring of his family members. His politeness is belittled by critics, but such a trait which demonstrates respect and courtesy is nevertheless considered positive in children today, even though we place less emphasis on it.
Roald Dahl’s Charlie resembles more passive, innocent heroes of earlier periods - in fairy tales, where children are accustomed to flat characters. Heroes in children’s fiction are continually transforming, becoming stronger, more dynamic, and surprising. Even by the 1971 movie, Charlie plays a more active role. Most importantly, he returns the Everlasting Gobstopper candy which was the ‘test for honesty’, although to the audience this seems almost unrealistic and forced given the fact that Wonka just shouted angrily at Charlie and his grandpa, and Grandpa Joe, angered in return, encouraged Charlie to take the candy to 'Slugworth'. Charlie is again playing a bigger role in deciding his and others' fates in the 2005 movie, even as Burton stated that he wanted to stick more closely to the book. For instance, Charlie demonstrates qualities of ‘goodness’ by selflessly volunteering to sell the golden ticket he found because the family could receive a lot of money for it, and he helps Wonka reconcile with his father as well. These adaptative adjustments to the character of Charlie reflect changing societal values, but they are also 'necessitated' by transposition of the story from the text to the screen. The movies need to be entertaining to watch, and a key element of that is the audience being able to connect to the protagonist; thus, Charlie is reinterpreted into a more active, independent, and moral character.
Tim Burton and Audience Perceptions
What is the connection between Batman, Edward Scissorhans, and Charlie and the Chocoate Factory? Tim Burton.
Tim Burton is a well known director with a large following of fans. This is both good for him and bad. There is a distinct style and theme behind Tim Burton's works. Fans go to see his movies regardless of what the story is, simply because it is his work. However, the plot points and the themes of the works he addapts, like Batman, James and the Giant Peach, Alice in Wonderland, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
This brings conflict for Tim Burton, because he can either follow the original themes and styles in the story, or he can follow his own style.
It is a fight between the fans of the novel and the fans of Tim Burton.
Tim Burton is a well known director with a large following of fans. This is both good for him and bad. There is a distinct style and theme behind Tim Burton's works. Fans go to see his movies regardless of what the story is, simply because it is his work. However, the plot points and the themes of the works he addapts, like Batman, James and the Giant Peach, Alice in Wonderland, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
This brings conflict for Tim Burton, because he can either follow the original themes and styles in the story, or he can follow his own style.
It is a fight between the fans of the novel and the fans of Tim Burton.
Tim Burton: Making the Film Personal
Looking into the mind of the adapters
Terrence McNally once said: “The triumph of a successful operas and musicals is how they reinvent the familiar and make it fresh”
McNally’s quote does not only apply to operas or musicals but also to movies. A lot of people grew up reading Roald Dahl’s book, and perhaps a lot are very familiar about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And this is exactly what adapters of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory do. They build more depth into a very familiar story; they even add they even make it more personal to themselves.
For example, we do not really know a lot about the characters of the story. There are these ‘gaps’ that probably Roald Dahl wanted his readers to probably use their imagination in creating a story for each character. One of the most intriguing people in the film is Willy Wonka. From the novel, all we know about Willy Wonka is that he is the greast chocolate maker in the world, and he is looking for an heir to handle the chocolate factory for him. However, he does not have family to pass on the business, so he decides to give away five golden tickets to children. From there, he’ll pick out the best child to manage his factory. The ambiguity of Willy Wonka’s character is even more developed during the 2005 movie. Whenever children got close to him, or he has to say something related to parents, or when a child gives him a hug, he could not stand it. He just did not feel comfortable, but we don’t know why. The novel does not tell us why, and the first movie does not tell us either. But it is in this context that Tim Burton made the 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie very personal. He created an additional character, Willy Wonka’s father. And we see that they have a very troubled relationship. What’s interesting about this is that Tim Burton himself had a difficult relationship with his parents too. During an interview:
Q: Like many of your films, Charlie and the Chocolate Factoryand its main character has father issues.
BURTON: Yeah, I've got some problems. (He laughs) You might have seen me enough to realize that by now.
Q: You'd said living in Burbank was idyllic even though your parents boarded you up in a room. Well, what's going on with that? Why did this happen?
BURTON: My parents are dead, so I guess the answer will remain unanswered as to why they sealed me in a room. I guess they just didn't want me to escape. I don't know. Those kind of things in your life... in movies you kind of work out your issues, but then you realize, those kind of traumatic issues stay with you forever so somehow they kind of keep reoccurring, no matter how hard I try to get them out of my head they sort of stay there.
The additional layer to the story adds a new perspective. For some people, this could even be more enjoyable because many people could relate to this particular father-son issue or parent-child issue in general.
Terrence McNally once said: “The triumph of a successful operas and musicals is how they reinvent the familiar and make it fresh”
McNally’s quote does not only apply to operas or musicals but also to movies. A lot of people grew up reading Roald Dahl’s book, and perhaps a lot are very familiar about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And this is exactly what adapters of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory do. They build more depth into a very familiar story; they even add they even make it more personal to themselves.
For example, we do not really know a lot about the characters of the story. There are these ‘gaps’ that probably Roald Dahl wanted his readers to probably use their imagination in creating a story for each character. One of the most intriguing people in the film is Willy Wonka. From the novel, all we know about Willy Wonka is that he is the greast chocolate maker in the world, and he is looking for an heir to handle the chocolate factory for him. However, he does not have family to pass on the business, so he decides to give away five golden tickets to children. From there, he’ll pick out the best child to manage his factory. The ambiguity of Willy Wonka’s character is even more developed during the 2005 movie. Whenever children got close to him, or he has to say something related to parents, or when a child gives him a hug, he could not stand it. He just did not feel comfortable, but we don’t know why. The novel does not tell us why, and the first movie does not tell us either. But it is in this context that Tim Burton made the 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie very personal. He created an additional character, Willy Wonka’s father. And we see that they have a very troubled relationship. What’s interesting about this is that Tim Burton himself had a difficult relationship with his parents too. During an interview:
Q: Like many of your films, Charlie and the Chocolate Factoryand its main character has father issues.
BURTON: Yeah, I've got some problems. (He laughs) You might have seen me enough to realize that by now.
Q: You'd said living in Burbank was idyllic even though your parents boarded you up in a room. Well, what's going on with that? Why did this happen?
BURTON: My parents are dead, so I guess the answer will remain unanswered as to why they sealed me in a room. I guess they just didn't want me to escape. I don't know. Those kind of things in your life... in movies you kind of work out your issues, but then you realize, those kind of traumatic issues stay with you forever so somehow they kind of keep reoccurring, no matter how hard I try to get them out of my head they sort of stay there.
The additional layer to the story adds a new perspective. For some people, this could even be more enjoyable because many people could relate to this particular father-son issue or parent-child issue in general.
