Wonka

Paul King’s film is set 25 years before the 1971 adaptation, and King says it is not a remake. Its centre of gravity is a contract, not chocolate. Willy cannot read, so soon after reaching the city he signs a predatory paper at Mrs Scrubitt’s boarding house and works in her launderette against the debt; most of the story goes to escaping it, and the factory arrives only at the close. The three rivals were each built as a separate form of greed: by King’s account Slugworth cares about the business, Fickelgruber about his looks, Prodnose about belonging. Neil Hannon wrote seven new songs, but two numbers come from the 1971 film, Pure Imagination and Oompa Loompa, both written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. Hugh Grant’s Oompa Loompa was animated entirely by hand rather than motion captured; Framestore’s Robert Allman says exaggerated comic acting cannot be resolved procedurally. The cinematographer changed mid shoot, Seamus McGarvey ringing Chung Chung-hoon to take over; Chung aimed at the analogue look of the 1971 film rather than a digitised one. A good fit if you do not mind a Wonka story running on debt and fine print long before any factory. Not for anyone waiting on the golden ticket structure and the punished children of the book; none of it is here.