Which of the two versions of the "Willy Wonka" do you like better?

I prefer the 1971 version. The 2005 film just messed things up too much. they gave Charlie a Dad and the grandparents were not in bed. That was kinda a basic fact that explained Charlie's poverty. Plus, I had to change the chanel after Willie Wonka set the clock figures on fire. Willie Wonka is eccentric, not sick.

In the book he is just weird. I actually prefer the 1971 movie over the book. Roald Dahl was just a very strange man.

I think the old one, usually when a remake is done they leave a lot of the original out of it. I dont know why as the original is the one that made it famous.

I don't think the two should be compared. Their both really great films from very different points of view. The older one is great because I saw it as being way more lighthearted. Plus the new one is based on the book. And I think I prefer the old one's storyline more.

Hi Al_bobid!

I haven't read the book but I did watch both versions. I personally liked the 1971 version, it showed a very simple yet poignant representation on how the simple pleasure of a chocolate bar was regarded as a luxury to someone poor. Even back then when they didn't have all those computer technologies the movie was able to create a real believable fantasy place. I remember how I felt when I first saw the movie, I was like Gosh I want one of those giant gummy bears**drool**! Aside from that I just loved the original oompa loompas they were really talented. The movie overall was very charming and fed your inner child's wildest fantasies.

The 2005 version was also good but it did not come even close to the original one. This version had a bit of an eerie touch, Johnny Depp's portrayal of Willy Wonka was a bit like a loose nutcase, watching the movie made me feel like I was watching some kind of thriller movie. Especially when the kids were taken by those creepy oompa loompas (which I just learned was only one guy who was multiplied by computer magic). lol. This version was a more mature twist than the original.

I like the 1971 version. I have yet to watch the new one with Johnny Depp. It looked to me from the movie trailers that it would be darker and edgier than the original. I never read the book either, I just know the author was a strange guy married to Patricia Neal at one time. I like the 'teaching' songs that the Oompah Loompah sing, it's hilarious. I first saw this movie when I was a teenager going to a movie matinee with my cousins at the local Foxx theatre. By then it was already a couple of years old, and considered a 'sleeper' I guess, meaning it hadn't exactly caught fire with the movie going public. There were a couple of little girls sitting behind me that screamed when the Oompah Loompahs first appeared, so maybe it's scary to kids, I don't know. I remember my brother telling them to shut the hell up, lol. I just caught this movie again on TMC on tv and it's just as campy as I recall.

I prefer the original version. It's the one I grew up watching every once in a while - for one thing.

For a second, it's so much lighter and happier, with such better musical numbers than CHARLIE and the Chocolate Factory.

Not that the contemporary version of it isn't good - I liked the backstory of Willy Wonka's dad being a dentist who hated candy. I also liked how they included the original "squirrel and bad nuts" scene in the new version.

But the old version has the best musical numbers - the most memorable, the most inspired and inspiring, and the most touching more often than not.

Who can forget "Pure Imagination"?

I've seen the original a couple of times, and the Johnny Depp version just the once. Certainly Depp seems creepier, and intentionally lacks any warmth, which makes the whole film just a bit unpleasant. I don't like all the Oompa Loompas being played by the same person in the second version. It's clever, but doesn't do anything for the film.

When the second version came out, I wrote an article asking what had happened to the children from the original version. It's been one of the most popular articles I've ever had published on the Net, to my surprise!

http://cinemaroll.com/fantasy/where-are-the-willy-wonka-children/