Posted on 06/30/2005 4:15:25 AM PDT by Jon Alvarez
Boycott Alert: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Release Date: July 15, 2005
Starring: Johnny Depp
"America is dumb, it's like a dumb puppy that has big teeth that can bite and hurt you, aggressive."
--Johnny Depp, in Berlin, Germany, 2003
Yeah, I was kind of floored how poor Charlie and his family were. When I see it, I try to determine the country Charlie lives in, I do remember seeing a Phillips (electronics company who developed the CD and cassette recorder) ad on a side of the building as Charlie is walking about town. I know Phillips is Dutch (although known around the world) and the the town looks like it could be in Holland, perhaps the UK. I remember his teacher was English and everyone spoke English so I can also assume he lives in England. I always got a big kick out of his TV, it looks like an old postwar British (405 line system) or Dutch set. If it is British, it looks like maybe a Cossor brand. I get into old electronics, especially old radios and TV's.
I think it was filmed in Germany (with British financing)
About British TV sets...before the move to solid state in the 70s British TVs used valves and extremely flammable materials (instead of tubes like we used)...giving them the tendency to catch fire (one brand was Bush, which had the nickname of "Burning Bush"!). Which is why Brits unplugged their sets at night!
agree...several things are at work here...
high prices...for 3 people, might as well wait and buy the dvd
popcorn and soda stickups
cramped seating...cell phones, rude people, babies, etc.
silly scripts, tv and movie remakes, etc.
and of course, idiotic and out of touch celebs.
how many have gone on USO tours? they'll be at tsunami relief and LiveAid concerts...but won't go support our guys and gals protecting them from the Islamic barbers.
I'm with you!
Hey! Long time no see. I'm going to be in Kentucky in a week for a family reunion at Cumberland Lake. Going to Colorado first. How's it been going? Found Ms. Right yet?
He seems to be playing Wonka as a flaming gay as well, judging from the hair-do, lipstick, etc
Pass
My sense is that he has one character that he plays in different parts with different costumes. BOOOORRRRRINNNNG!
People of great character are usually talented,
don't you think? Too bad talent is so often mistaken for character, tho.
Talented in acting? I don't think so.
Only for those illiterate souls who were exposed to the movie and not the book. Regrettably, that's the larger audience these days.
The do etc, are from the original illustrations.
The appeal of the original movie is primarily those who've never read the book. Those who read the book, weren't particularly pleased with the movie. The new movie, promises to be much closer to the original text.
I agree with all you said except for one thing. I thing the seating is better now than in the past. I am 6'3" and when I was a teen and in my early 20's, many times my legs were cramped by the seat in front of me. The other night when I saw Batman Begins, when the do not use the seat in front of you as a lounger warning came up, that is when I noticed the extra leg room. And though I know it is not right, I now bring my own drinks in the theater. I took my two grandsons last month to see Madagascar and it cost me 43 dollars! I thought that was outrageous! I think they get a little suspicious when I order a large popcorn with no soft drink.8-)
Sorry, I never did read "Danny". And now I'm too old to. :|
Funny thing. This morning I took a peach out of a bag I have on my kitchen shelf, cut it open and took a bite. It seemed ripe, but wasn't. No sweetness at all. I said "phooey" and threw it in the trash can. I think the sticker said "South Carolina". Hold on let me check. (going to the trash to look)...It says "Tree Ripened South Carolina Peaches." What a lie! It wasn't ripe!
"And though I know it is not right, I now bring my own drinks in the theater."
I do that too. I usually have a bottle of soda or juice tucked into my purse, along with some fruit if I don't feel like candy or fried movie food. Shhhhh...I won't tell if you don't.
"Sorry, I never did read "Danny". And now I'm too old to. :|"
No you're not! I recently re-read the C.S. Lewis Narnia series and Alice in Wonderland just to see if I still like them. Yes, people looked at me funny on the train, but who cares? The books are good no matter how old you are.
Apparently, after his success in basing Jack Sparrow on Keef Depp is basing his WW on Marilyn Manson.
I suspect myself that this will be really good - Burton and Dahl are made for each other.
The dark tone of Dahl's work is, many believe, the result of the death of his young daughter.
If any of y'all are ever over in my neck of the woods the Dahl museum has just opened and seems to be well worth a visit:
http://www.roalddahlmuseum.org/
As we are discussing the movie and not the book, I find your comment insulting and irrelevant.
Talented in acting? I don't think so.
Let me clarify -- I'm not talking about acting talent per se.
I got to thinking about what you said regarding true
character -- loyalty, thriftiness, etc. -- qualities of substance (which actors only imitate),
and realized that the people I know of truly great character are
also blessed with talent, often multi-talented.
Like leadership, communication skills, unselfishness.
Unfortunately, too many that are blessed with talent
seem to stop there, without developing character.
There was the coolest show on a couple nights ago
about a contest in England, a search for Opera stars.
One of the two women who won was a mother of three, and she was blind.
She went on to perform in Rigoletto. What an inspiration...we can't stop talking about her.
Nope, complete opposite. With regards to artistic talent, the scale is so heavily weighted towards the absolute flakes that it's not funny. Orson Wells once question if an emotionally healthy man COULD be a great actor. I think Orson was pretty much spot on.
Self-indulgent, inconsistent, neurotic types tend to reach higher rungs on the creative scale than people with character. My guess, and it's purely a guess, is that stable people aren't seeking escape from their tortured lives 24/7 in their imaginations. Artists of all stripes are constantly retreating into their imaginations seeking escape, and that fuels the genius.
People of great character are so often multi-talented, like
Reagan & Condi Rice, don't you think?
People who confuse talent with character seem to be the narcissistic
types you and Wells describe.
Some exceptions I admire are
Mel Gibson, Jimmy Stewart, Robert Duvall, Jean Stapleton, Ginger Rogers and many other principled stars and leaders.
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