Thursday, December 2, 2010

Week 13: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

Dear Avid Reader,

A Little Nonsense Now And Then Is Relished By The Wisest Men

It's about to get real. You're about to feel my kung-fu. Put your hands up! Defend yourself!

KEEEEE-YAH!

Up The Airy Mountain, Down The Rushy Glen

This is kind of a conversation that may have gone differently but this is how am writing it:

James: Is this movie about drugs?

Robyn: No.

J: Drug use was at a high during the 70's, it stands to reason...

R: James, you've never read the book. The book is different. It's better.

J: Spalin how.

R: Charlie in the book is shown as a very humble and kind boy. His father is also alive. Charlie never steals the Gobbstopper, the whole Gobstopper thing in this move is totally wrong.

J: I see that the book may have been about something else, but this movie is obviously influenced by the drug culture of the day.

R: *exasperated sigh*

J: Wonka is totally high.

R: Stop ruining this for me.

J: The truth can't ruin things, it can only be.

R: Truth? I don't think so. I think that...oh I hate this scene.

J: Oh yeah, the Fizzy Lifting Drinks scene. It's not in the book right?

R: Of course it isn't. *pause* This is ridiculous.

J: Ah, but in the reality of this film, it does exist. It is as welcome to the Wonka canon as...

R: Arrgh! Seriously? You do this every time we watch this.

J: I'm just trying to present the film as a legitimate work at least on par with the book.

R: No you're not. You're just trying to get a rise out of me.

J: Perhaps. But I really thought you would enjoy the dialogue about how the work impacts culture and...

R: Oh please. You're just taking this very nice movie that was made for children and filtering, no, perverting it through cynical, snarky blog voice.

J: Oh! Oh-ho! So now it begins! I'm incredulous. I am seriously incredulous.

R: Calm down. You just got burnt. Rub some lotion on it.

J: Oh you are gonna get this back in spades, lady. Just wait until you're watching Bones again. Comments will be flying. FLYING!

Until Next I Blog,

James

2 comments:

Jordan said...

I can't help but feel that movies made from books destroy themselves due to the thought process that "it would be better with some more conflict here". Obviously, if the book was good, it was written in a certain way to stimulate the readers' mind, and therefore a movie should pay homage to that.

Through drug use.

PS. It wouldn't surprise me if your conversation were verbatim here.

James said...

It is probably more accurate than I'm giving myself credit for.

At least the color fo the mood was accuratley captured here.