So tonight, on the rare occasion that I am at home alone with the remote all to myself (Jonathan has basketball practice) I decided to revisit an old childhood favorite of mine, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. (You know, it's an actual movie and not just the face of sarcastic memes.) In the time since I have been reminded that a) my favorite part is actually the opening credits when all the chocolate comes pouring in on the assembly lines and b) there are many puzzling moments that apparently did not phase me as a child but now have me bewildered.
How, for example, did Grandpa Joe go from being a bedridden cripple to a jolly, dancing old man within a matter of moments?
It's a miracle!
Why do all four grandparents stay in the same bed (ew) and, let's be honest... where do they go to the bathroom? (Don't act like you've never wondered this.)
If Grandpa Joe is perfectly healthy, who's to say that the other three aren't fine too and are just lounging around while Charlie's mom works her fingers to the bone doing other people's laundry (and singing melancholy songs in the alley late at night)? And really... take away Grandpa Joe's tobacco. Your family is poor and it's burning his lungs.
I always wanted to taste the gum that turns Violet blue and I really wanted one of those everlasting gobstoppers. Now I buy them for $1 at Walmart and they're not the cool shapes that Mr. Wonka passes out. Boo.
Oh, and I never got it before when he added a coat to the candy that's too cold and a sneaker to the pot that "needs a good kick." Very clever.
Am I the only person who now finds the moments showing different people around the world and their reaction to the tickets extremely creepy? I'm talking about the guy at the psychiatrist's office and the woman who won't pay her husband's ransom because it means giving up her Wonka bars. Um... really? Wonka Mania, indeed. I didn't find those scenes particularly disturbing as a kid but now they're so weird.
Why did no one ever slap Veruca in the face? I mean really, just one good slap. Come on. She had it coming.
Talk about a bad egg.
It did occur to me, when the part came up, that the scene on the boat was absolutely terrifying. Because I'm an IMDB junkie, I know that none of the cast knew what was coming when they started filming that part when Gene Wilder goes all nutso. At least they were as surprised and frightened as all us poor (23-year-old?) kids at home.
Oh, and major letdown... finally noticing the rope that is attached to the Wonkavator at the end. So they weren't really flying around... wherever they are. Has anyone figured out where on earth this movie is supposed to take place? Oh well, I guess some questions are supposed to remain a mystery.
Don't get me wrong... I still love this movie. I've just decided I have to get over the weird-o moments that I hadn't noticed before. And now I'm craving chocolate in a big way. Stupid diet.
Have a childhood favorite that you've recently discovered was not what you remembered? Tell me about it!
Ash
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