Willie Wonka Who? Chocolate Factory What?

When I was a kid - ages and AGES ago - there were two movies that I waited for all year long. One, of course, was The Wizard of Oz. I clearly remember having a sleepover with a girlfriend, one that had we planned forever and ever, in order to watch it - we had dance class and then went to her house and ate pizza and stayed up late to watch it. We shivered with delight to see the Wicked Witch melting when hit with water, and we stayed up late to discuss the movie.

Another such movie was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The old one, starring Gene Wilder, natch. NOT the newer Johnny Depp version. He creeps me out.

So of COURSE we own the dvd. And I've forced my kids to watch it - and almost all of them love it as much as I do - although I think that they are just pulling my chain. Whatever.

The other night it came on and my husband was home. "Oh, I love this movie!  Don't you?" I asked, as I curled up next to him on the sofa. "I've never seen it," he replied nonchalantly as he grabbed the remote. "What's it about, anyway?"

Blink. Blink. Double Blink. Are you kidding me?

He had no knowledge of the Golden Ticket, the scandal of forged tickets, or the somersault that Willie Wonka did as he left the factory. No idea of the shrinking room, the Oompa-Loompas, the chocolate river. He had never seen the bubbles that shot Charlie and Grandpa towards the deadly fan, the glass elevator, pint sized Mike TeeVee and Veruca Salt, the rudest girl in the world. He'd certainly never heard of Wonka bars. I made him watch it. Not one to be forced into anything,

HE FELL ASLEEP.

Today, I saw this:

And immediately I had to buy it for him. I was so excited. It's a WONKA bar. AND a chance for a Golden Ticket. How cool. How exciting!

And what did he say?

"Thanks. That was pretty good chocolate."

That chocolate bar should have said DOOMED.

Comments

[Ms Batman]

My kids love both versions, AND we read the book. (Movies are almost word for word the book). They were amazed to find Wonka candies in the stores. "Willie Wonka IS real!"

[Diane]

We are huge fans of both movies. Our daughter was in a production of Willy Wonka last year and the songs played in our heads for months. We loved it. She played Veruca. Now in one week we start practice for The Wizard of Oz. This time just a munchkin in two scenes but I am sure we will know we will be singing these songs in our sleep.
Blessings
Diane