The late great Gene Wilder had so many great films throughout his career including Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, The Frisco Kid and his string of buddy comedies with Richard Pryor. For all the greatness of most of those films his most iconic is no doubt the 1971 Mel Stuart directed film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory based on the book by Roald Dahl.

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Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory follows Willy Wonka, who for years was a recluse in his factory that announces that five lucky people will be given a tour of the factory, shown all the secrets of his amazing candy, and one will win a lifetime supply of Wonka chocolate. Nobody wants the prize more than young Charlie, but as his family is so poor that buying even one bar of chocolate is a treat, buying enough bars to find one of the five golden tickets is unlikely in the extreme. Charlie, along with four somewhat odious other children, get the chance of a lifetime and a tour of the factory. Along the way, mild disasters befall each of the odious children, but can Charlie beat the odds and grab the brass ring?

 

Like a lot of others I have always loved this movie. It has been on constant rotation in our house from not only my own childhood, but throughout my own kids as well. I could go on and on about the creative and vibrant look, the fun and laughter and often times creepy nature of it all that is all brought together by a brilliant performance by the late great Gene Wilder. The movie still holds up to perfection and holds its place as not only iconic, but still as an original piece of cinema that will forever stand on its own.

 

The only thing that could have made this film even better is amping up the visuals which is exactly what they have done with the new 4K release. It takes its already beautiful set designs and makes them pop all the better. The candy filled world comes to epic life like it was meant to be