Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Based on the book by Roald Dahl, this film tells the story of a young boy, desperate to escape his unfortunate life and have some good luck for the first time in his life.

Young Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) lives with his mother (Diana Sowle) and his four grandparents, including his favourite Grandpa Joe (Jack Albertson) in a tiny house in an unspecified small town in England.

The family barely have enough money to make ends meet, but their love for each other keeps them hopeful, and they all dream of a better life for young Charlie.

Local candy-maker Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder), who has remained shut inside his factory for decades, with no one going in or out of the factory for years, holds a worldwide contest, with the greatest prize imaginable.

Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum).

Hidden inside five bars of Wonka chocolate are five golden tickets. Whoever finds a ticket will receive a lifetime supply of chocolate and a guided tour of the entire factory.

Luck doesn’t seem to be on young Charlie’s side, as during the entire run of the competition, he only purchases two bars of chocolate (due to having next to no money). But fortune smiles on him, and along with the four other winners - Augustus Gloop (Michael Boliner) from Germany, Briton Veruca Salt (Julie Dawn Cole), and Americans Violet Beauregarde (Denise Nickerson) and Mike Teevee (Paris Themmen) - he and Grandpa Joe find a ticket, and are treated to the tour of a lifetime.

The rest of the film centres around the inner workings of the factory, where incredibly eccentric Wonka guides the group around. But there is more in store for the group than they could have ever imagined, and not all of it good.

Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder).

The screenplay was mostly written by Dahl himself, based on his hugely popular childrens’ book, with rewrites by David Seltzer. For the most part, the screenplay closely follows the plot of the book, but there are several significant departures from the original source material, all courtesy of Seltzer. These changes do work quite well as far as the film is concerned, though, so don’t be too worried about them.

Being a musical, there are several songs throughout, written by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley. These songs all serve the story very well, and push the plot forward and/or reveal character information and transformation, as is the case with any decent musical.

Arthur Ibbetson’s cinematography is fantastic throughout, not only capturing the action brilliantly, but also using camera angles and lighting to their full effect, setting each scene, and conveying so much more information than simply capturing on-screen action.

Grandpa Joe (Jack Albertson) and Charlie (Peter Ostrum).

The performances of the entire cast are incredible, particularly those of Wilder in the titular role and young Julie Dawn Cole as spoilt brat Veruca Salt. Young Peter Ostrum as Charlie gives an adequate performance, though it is nothing spectacular; even he admits that he was mostly just playing himself on screen.

Where this film truly shines is in the production design. Harper Goff has created an incredible world, particularly the interiors of Wonka’s factory. The colours are vibrant, and the sets themselves and the various set pieces and dressing that fills the environment are absolutely gorgeous, bringing Dahl’s world to life in the best way possible.

Director Mel Stuart has made a beautiful film here, a film that became a classic very quickly. No matter how many times I watch it, I am just as blown away by the spectacle of it, and the beautiful story that underpins it. I doubt there are many people reading this review who have yet to experience this film, but let me encourage you to watch it again.

9 out of 10.

The BFG (2016)

Based on the book by Roald Dahl, this film is a treat for audiences young and old.

Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) is a young orphan, living under quite oppressive rules in the orphanage. She struggles with insomnia, and while reading late one night, she hears a noise just outside her upstairs window.

Looking out the window, she sees a large figure in the darkness. When the figure spies her looking at it, it comes towards her and snatches her right out of her bed, carrying her away.

She finds herself whisked away to a faraway land filled with giants, including the giant who has snatched her. She begs the giant not to eat her, but he laughs at her, saying he has no intention of eating her - he isn't a "canny-bull" he tells her, and doesn't eat "human beans".

Sophie (Ruby Barnhill).

He is the BFG (Mark Rylance), or Big Friendly Giant. It is only the other giants, he tells her, who eat people. Giants with names like Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) and Bloodbottler (Bill Hader), who even terrorise him, as he is much smaller than they are. They call him the Runt, and pick on him on a daily basis.

His job - as he sees it - is to catch dreams, which look like coloured fireflies (that's the best description I can come up with for their appearance), and blow them into children's windows using his large trumpet. But now that Sophie has seen him, he can't let her go back home, for fear she will spill his secret.

Seeing that the BFG isn't truly happy where he is, being picked on by the bigger giants, Sophie comes up with a plan that has them appealing to the Queen of England (Penelope Wilton) to rid Giant Country of the giant bullies once and for all.

The BFG (Mark Rylance) and Sophie (Ruby Barnhill).

Melissa Mathison's screenplay - the last one she would write before tragically passing away - is based very closely on Dahl's book, a book I remember fondly from my childhood. Roald Dahl was certainly one of the greatest writers of childrens' books of his time, as he really had great insights into the way children think: their dreams, their fears, and he never talked down to them. Mathison has done a tremendous job of capturing the feel of the book, and bringing it to the screen.

As with the vast majority of Steven Spielberg's films, the score has been composed by John Williams. And as with the vast majority of Williams's scores, this one is absolutely brilliant. The use of leitmotifs and additionally developed themes is extremely clever, and ties the entire film together musically in a way that sets this score apart from one by a less experienced composer.

The production design by Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg is truly inspired. The set design - particularly that of the BFG's cave, where large sequences of the film take place - is beautiful. The other major sets used in the film are of course the interior rooms of Buckingham Palace and, while few people can be certain of exactly what these rooms look like, these rooms are as realistic as the film requires. There are also some stunning locations used for the scenes set in Giant Country, and these are just as 'realistic' as any of the constructed interior sets.

Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) and the other giants picking on the BFG
(Mark Rylance).

Without exception, the performances of the entire cast are near-perfect, with all the characters behaving and appearing as any fan of the original book might expect. Young Ruby Barnhill is fantastic as Sophie, and Mark Rylance - who previously worked with Spielberg on Bridge of Spies - though performing using motion-capture technology, brings a humanity and a tenderness to the BFG that brings real emotion through the screen and into audiences' hearts. Minor roles for seasoned actors Rebecca Hall and Rafe Spall as attendants to the Queen are well done, too.

Director Steven Spielberg has done it again, and given audiences for generations to come a truly beautiful film. This is definitely a film I will be watching again and again and, if you enjoyed Roald Dahl's book, I suggest you do the same.

8 out of 10.