Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been heavily disputed, but there are five things it does better than Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. There are several beneficial changes from Willy Wonka to the 2005 motion picture, mostly as Burton’s style lends itself to darker themes, but these were incredibly divisive among audiences who were fans of the 1971 adaptation. In fact, Wilder himself publicly denounced Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, branding it as “an insult” to Roald Dahl’s story (via HuffPost.) That being said, Burton’s artistic license, while clearly controversial, did have some beneficial outcomes.

Burton’s remake erases some minor plot points from Dahl’s original novel, and introduces a handful of new characters, including Charlie’s grandparents. Not to mention, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory‘s younger cast members played a far more instrumental role here than they did in the previous version. Perhaps the most significant aspect of Burton’s movie, however, is the extent to which he explores more of the source material, which means that the director can remain more faithful to Dahl’s book — just one element of what Charlie and the Chocolate Factory conclusively does better than the 1971 movie.

Burton’s Version Is More Faithful To Roald Dahl’s Book

Tim Burton’s Signature Style Was Better Suited To The Original Story’s Themes

It has become common knowledge that Roald Dahl famously despised Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This was purely down to Mel Stuart’s 1971 version deviating from a large proportion of the author’s novel, including the main тιтle change from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This was perhaps the biggest criticism of the 1971 adaption, as it drastically reduced Charlie’s screen time. In addition to this, Stuart changed many of the foundations of his lyrics in the book, which Dahl found to be “too sappy and sentimental” (via Yahoo! News.)

Burton’s version turned the tides and put the spotlight back on Charlie Bucket. For most of the first third of the act, the film does not necessarily show the chocolatier. Burton’s adaptation provided a very strange and eerie take on the tale of Dahl’s book, which captures the incredibly dark undertones of the novel — a story that was intended to act as a cautionary tale for children above all else. The 2005 film further committed to Dahl’s depictions of the characters, by doing a far better job replicating the children’s personalities.

Burton Was More Ambitious In His Depiction Of Willy Wonka

Johnny Depp Veered Away From The Version Of Willy Wonka Audiences Were Accustomed To

While both depictions of Willy Wonka showcase his inner anger, and at times malicious nature, Burton’s remake took more risks with Johnny Depp’s portrayal of the illustrious figure. Depp is direct with his peculiarities, whereas Wilder’s Willy is more reserved in his dismay towards children. Many viewers were dubious of Depp’s leading character, and it remains a point of contention whether his involvement in the project ultimately harmed the Roald Dahl adaptation more than it benefited the film. However, it was more important that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tried something new with the тιтular character, which was somewhat unprecedented.

Depp’s character is given a backstory in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, too. This offers a deeper reasoning for his behaviors and actions, which does bear some rather tragic elements. The film does explore Willy’s strained relationship with his estranged father — a bold decision for a family-friendly feature. The performance is all the more impressive because of Depp’s balance between a childlike whimsy and a dark undertone weighted by his past. It is unusual to see such a comedically dark figure at the center of a film geared towards children, making Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a particularly ambitious project.

The Tim Burton Movie Spends More Time In the Chocolate Factory

The Factory Is The Ideal Location To Appreciate The Scale Of Burton’s Visuals

Burton’s remake spends more of its short runtime in Wonka’s factory than Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory ever does. Of course, the set design in the 1971 production is impressive given the time when they were created, as many of the sets and effects are practical. That being said, Burton’s version works on a much bigger scale.

Although this movie was released during Burton’s phase of reliance on CGI over practical effects, the technology allowed the director to really showcase the factory’s captivating visuals and vibrant colors — something that its predecessor wasn’t able to do because of the limited technology when it was made. This adds to the allure surrounding the golden ticket winner’s experience. The extensive time spent in the factory also meant that Burton could further explore the opposing characters and their intentions.

Burton’s Remake Gives Charlie’s Story A Better Conclusion

Charlie’s Reward Was More Satisfying In Burton’s Adaptation

Arguably, Charlie’s fellow ticket winners in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory were not as mean as they are depicted in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The children alongside Charlie in the 2005 movie have no reservations about being cruel and taking any precautions necessary to push him out of the picture. This made Charlie a more sympathetic film protagonist, which leads to a much more satisfying payoff at the end of the movie.

Of course, there is an element of selfishness to their actions in the 1971 film with Violet Beauregarde, but the children mostly lack any kind of real persona that makes them memorable. They are underutilized for the kind of story that the film is telling. This means Charlie’s final reward of inheriting the factory does not resonate as well with audiences as it does in Burton’s version.

Danny Elfman’s Score For Charlie & The Chocolate Factory Was Fantastic

The Oompa Lumpa’s Are The Only Characters To Sing In Burton’s Remake

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It goes without saying that Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory has plenty of iconic musical numbers, including Wilder’s rendition of Pure Imagination. However, Burton’s musical is more playful and more faithful to the source material because Danny Elfman took the songs directly from Dahl’s novel. The 2005 score remains a cherished piece for dedicated fans, with tracks such as Augustus Gloop etching a place in pop culture history.

Danny Elfman has a large repertoire of film scores, and has gone on to make music for all but three of Burton’s films. However, his first collaboration with Burton for Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure in 1985 was not simple, with the musician claiming he feared Burton’s directorial debut would ruin his career (via Yahoo!). Elfman’s contributions undoubtedly played a significant role in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory‘s popularity.

Source: HuffPost, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! News, Yahoo!