Boxer is taking a break this month and the Milk River Madman has graciously offered to host the Movie Clip Wednesday Meme where everyone picks a clip from their favorite movies based on a weekly theme. This week's theme is WORST MOVIE REMAKE. The Madman gave me a short fuse this week, so minimal research and thinking went into this. That said, I narrowed my choice to two movie remakes that didn't need to be remade. Both (strangely?) are children's movies - sort of.
The runner up this week was the 1966 TV Christmas movie classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. All of us have fond childhood memories of seeing this on TV in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Knowing that it could only be seen on TV and if you missed it was gone until next year - no VCR or DVD. Jim Carrey's 2000 remake just destroyed the simple magic of the original. It was fine the way it was.
Which brings me to my choice. Another children's classic that was non-animated, insane fantasy. I'm talking about 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This is the first movie I ever saw Gene Wilder in and he played the eccentric, mad inventor perfectly, so matter-of-factly. And this is my favorite scene, the Missouri Boat Ri...I mean the Psychedelic Boat Ride.
And GOOD DAY, SIR!
The 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory remake was just wrong. I like Johnny Depp, but he turned Willy Wonka into a scary, Michael Jacksonish gay guy. No magic here, just - cringe. Here's Tim Burton's version of the Psychedelic Boat Ride - meh.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Boat Scene.
And here's the creepy.
Didn't have enough? Then go over and see the Madman for more god-awful movie remakes - and bring the kiddies.
13 comments:
Buzz,
I really didn't think this through. I thought about all the remakes I wouldn't even go see and this was one of them. I remember being at Bill Gunsch's 8th birthday and his mom took all the kids to this. It was awesome and Gene Wilder was spectacular as I would come to find he would always be. I didn't see the remake but absolutely know which one is better. Great choice my friend. Happy MCW.
Oh what a huge crush I had on Gene Wilder after I saw this movie and I've watched it over and over again as an adult and still find things I never saw or understood. I agree about Tim Burton and J.Depp. I love them both, but not when they attached to this movie. Why? I found the new Wonka scary and no where near the same sweet and strange character that Gene Wilder created. One of my favorite lines to still quote is "Daddy, I'm want an Umpa Lumpa NOW!!. (I say this to Mr. Boxer when we're near a spoiled child.) Happy MCW
Thought I'd buzz by and see what you're up to. Sadly, Willy Wonka seems to have fallen through the gaps of my movie viewing. So I never get the references . . .
Wanted to thank you, Buzz, for your kind comments about my Picnic CS entry. July announcement coming soon - just waiting for another Team Eggplant currently working out of town to get back to me...
Meanwhile, I have a new post up which is kinda more scattered and ranting than usual . . . But it does include a clip from one of my favorite movies of all time, albeit one I don't think could ever successfully be remade: This Is Spinal Tap. It always makes me laugh, take everything I deal with on a day-to-day basis with a grain of salt, and want to turn up the volume. To 11.
eggy
yep BuzzK , ya tole it jes' SO right: Depp as Wonka was weirdness! gheeeeeeee!
Funny that ya know all these movies.
Strange films all around, I saw none of it.
i never saw this -the first or second but i know that missouri boat ride and loved it. the outlaw josey wales.
gene wilder as young frankensteeeeeeen was the best.
happy MCW
Depp specializes in weird.
I think Boxer makes a great point; the original was made for children, the remake was not. Good choice Buzz.
PS) tomorrows Visual Haiku theme is "Summer Nights". Pam may still be away so we will need to make the rounds.
I said the exact same thing! I like Johny Depp, but he was miscast in that role!
Ya just can't beat Gene Wilder...in ANYTHING.
I actually like both movies. As Boxer and Fishy point out, they appeal to different sensibilities and I think they both stand on their own as great cinema because of that. Not to mention the fact that I'm cuckoo for Johnny Depp.
I think that's true of all Tim Burton's movies tho. They purport to be for children but there is a real scary side to them. He has a strange mind :)
Good pick!
Madman
You know Bill Gunsch too? Bwahahaha I was in my teens when I first saw this and my friends and I thought the whole thing was about drugs. Still do.
Boxer
Veruca Salt is a cool name, a memorable character and, if I'm not mistaken, a pretty good all-girl band. And Depp wasn't just scary, he was creepy - pedofile-like creepy.
IE
Sorry you had such a sheltered childhood that it didn't include Willy Wonka, but did include Spinal Tap (which is a great movie). What's up with that? Looking forward to the next challenge.
Aunty
This isn't an obscure movie. You should see it.
Chicky
I don't know why I threw the Josie Wales reference in there. But it's a reference I use all the time around the house.
Fishy
No doubt Depp does weird - almost as good as Gary Oldman. I'm just not sure who the remake was made for. Any adults that like this, well I'd wonder about them (sorry Moi). It really creeps me out.
BD
I don't think Depp was necessarily miscast, I think he just misinterpreted the role.
Heff
Wilders' had his share of stinkers, but I liked him best in Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles.
Moi
Your crush on Depp may be skewing your point of view. Bwahahaha I mean, if you looked at the 2nd clip, can you get the "Good Morning Starshine" song out of your head in that weird voice he does? Well, there it is again.
J-Cake
Yeah, but for me this went past scary and into priest/alterboy creepy. I'm sure for every one of me that didn't like it, there's 10 who did. But they all belong to NAMBLA (look it up, I'll wait).
Mago
Sorry I missed your comment. I guess strange when compared to the movies you tend to like. Frankly, I've never heard of most of the films you watch. I guess we're from different worlds and that makes us even.
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