Thursday, August 4, 2011

Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments:#74-Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory(1971)

By Eric Polk-
Oh boy! So this is what I'm in for. I have to review what is in essence a twisted child's morality tale. Don't get me wrong, this movie based on the classic Roald Dahl novel(which I read religiously as a child) does possess some scary moments....if you're five.

We know the story. Candymaker Willy Wonka(Gene Wilder)has hidden five Golden Tickets amongst his Wonka Bars. The finders of these special tickets will be given a full tour of his tightly-guarded candy factory, as well as a lifetime supply of chocolate. Charlie wants to take part in the search, but cannot afford to buy vast quantities of chocolate like other participants. Four of the tickets are found by: Augustus Gloop, a gluttonous German boy; Veruca Salt, a spoiled English girl; Violet Beauregarde, a gum-chomping American girl; and Mike Teevee, a television-obsessed American boy. As they find their tickets, a sinister-looking man is observed whispering in their ears, to which they listen attentively despite their preoccupations with their particular obsessions.

One by one, the naughty children get their comeuppance inside the candy factory and is rhapsodised for their foibles by those annoying Ooompa-Loompas, all but good boy Charlie that is.

I'm sorry. There is no way this movie should even have been considered for this list. They took away the chance for inclusion(s) of true horror films featuring true scary moments.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That acid-trip boat ride still scares the shit out of me, and I'm a full-grown man.

Mr. Xploit, Esquire said...

I love these lists! I think Retrocrush has the best top 100 list. But anyway, this scene totally deserves to be there. Freaky scene in a hilarious movie.

Morbidementia said...

I'm with you, this never should have been on the list. I know parts of this movie scare people, but they are not really meant to be scary.

Some people are afraid of clowns. Does that mean we should put Bozo or Krusty on scary lists?