When I was a about
3 or 4 years old, my parents took my family to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate
Factory in the theater. At a certain point in the movie my mom had to take me
out to the lobby since I was freaking out and crying. I don’t remember that
first viewing but I’ve seen the original movie many times since then and still
think there are many things that are truly freakish about this film.
Before I attempt
to explain why this movie is so scary, I have to admit there are many great one
liners and funny scenes, but that can’t undo the damage inflicted upon every
young viewer who sees it for the first time. I will now offer my analysis of
why Willy Wonka is more of a horror movie than a fun kid’s adventure story.
Where to begin?
1) All
four grandparents living in the same filthy bed and then Grandpa Joe being
exposed as the lazy, faker, soda pop stealing old man he is. Charlie’s household
plays on people’s fears of filthiness and poverty.
2) Scary
Slugworth constantly showing up out of the shadows and whispering in kid’s ears
and finally confronting Charlie when he’s alone in the dark tunnel.
3) Oompa
Loompas were an obvious problem. I was not prepared for the orange skin, white
eyebrows, and green hair. These musical midget’s songs, lame dance moves, and
their unexpected large subtitles displayed on the movie screen were very
unsettling.
4) The
naughty kids being eliminated one by one. Take your pick…
*Augustus
Gloop falling in the chocolate river kills two birds with one stone by
featuring drowning and claustrophobia as he is sucked up the tube.
*Violet
turning into a blueberry and changing color while expanding then being taken
out by Oompa Loompas to have the juice squeezed out of her.
*Mike
the cowboy being turned into billions of pieces and shrunk.
*Verruca
sitting in the giant goose cages and going down the rotten egg hatch.
Watching the Oompa
Loompas accompany the parents to retrieve what was left of their kids each time
was sad. Even though it is explained that the spoiled kids did not actually die
in these incidents, the disposal methods used were still traumatic, but it’s Wonka’s
sarcastic, could care less attitude that is even more disturbing.
5) The
scene with the Wonkatania boat featuring close ups of Wonka’s face, the
psychedelic colors, and flashes of disturbing images. He begins the ride by
singing an eerie song, then starts speaking gibberish, and then goes full blown
crazy and ends up screaming at the top of his lungs. What the heck?
6) Gene Wilder’s
hair is frightening throughout the entire movie, but the scene towards the end
in his office when he takes off his hat and his quasi afro actually falls over
like a demolished smoke stack still gives me chills to this day.
7) When Willy
Wonka loses it and unloads his anger on Charlie and his grandpa and yells “You get nothing! You lose. Good day sir.” Even though he was testing him it is still pretty traumatic.
8) The
glass wonkavator breaking through the roof and eerily hoovering over an odd
European town backdrop just didn’t feel right either. It was intended to be a
happy magical ending but it made me even more anxious.
Maybe you think I
am way too sensitive and fragile when it comes to this movie, but the spirit
and feel to the entire movie is creepy and unsettling. There are some things
about it that I just can’t put my finger on. It’s probably a combination of the
story line, props, costumes, and the fact it was made in the early 70’s.
Anyway, I don’t know why more people have not been traumatized by this movie. Despite my troubled relationship with this movie, I give it 7.2 stars.
