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Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory 4K UHD Review

“Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory” is a cinematic classic.

You all probably know the story of 1971’s “Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory,” but if not, allow me to refresh you. The story revolves around a poor kid named Charlie Bucket who gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he pulls a golden ticket from a Wonka Bar that allows him to tour Willy Wonka’s secretive chocolate factory alongside fellow winners Violet Beauregarde, Veruca Salt, Mike Teevee and Augustus Gloop. A shady man named Arthur Slugworth is lurking around the winners trying to learn the recipes of Wonka. Once Charlie, his grandpa and the others begin the tour, it soon becomes apparent this is no ordinary factory tour and that Wonka himself has an ulterior motive for the whole contest.

There’s really nothing like “Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory” (which is celebrating its 50th anniversary if you can believe it). It’s a dreamlike movie full of wonder and nightmares, it’s a musical (who doesn’t have  “Pure Imagination” stuck in their head for life?), it’s an edgy family film with some delightfully demented adult humor, and it’s a morality tale about greed and listening. Sure, the movie takes awhile to get going at the start, but by the time you get to the factory, it’s as good as cinema gets. It’s the type of movie you wish there was more of.

‘Wonka’ (which is penned by author/screenwriter Roald Dahl and directed by Mel Stuart) is also a visual splendor thanks to the incredibly detailed sets and contraptions, the production design, the Oompa-Loompa characters, and so forth. 

The cast is fantastic across the board with the child actors being particularly noteworthy. Of course, the real star here is Gene Wilder who gives arguably his best performance here.  Not only does he completely transform the movie once he appears, but the eccentric, honest, hysterical, and perhaps crazed character he helps create is nothing short of magnificent. It’s an iconic character if there ever was one.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 2160p. How does it look? A rather significant upgrade from the Blu-ray. The dazzling colors look so much richer in 2160p.

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? Sadly, there’s no audio upgrade here. It’s satisfactory but I can’t help but feel like the audio could be stronger.

Extras:
* Blu-ray copy
* Digital copy
* Commentary by the Wonka Kids.
* Theatrical trailer
* 4 sing-along song tracks
* Vintage 1971 featurette
* “Pure Imagination: The Story Of Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory”- A fun half-hour featurette that covers how the movie came about, the characters, set stories, the film’s legacy, and more. Lots of interviews with cast and crew members are included.

June 29, 2021 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Gene Wilder, Musical Movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory 4K Review