late husband‘s unique ‘creativity and sense of
humour‘. ‘1 wish Roald was here to work on it with Tim. because they would have been brilliant together.’ she says.
Early in pre-production. Burton visited the Dahl home and looked inside the spare. unheated workroom where the man did all of his writing. Burton was amazed to realise how closely his designs for Charlie Bucket‘s ramshackle house resembled this structure and Felicity confirmed it was very likely the author‘s inspiration for the Bucket home. Moved by the experience. Button says: ‘It made me feel like we were definitely on the same wavelength. It was uncanny how similar the two structures were. I never had the opportunity to meet the man. but just through the work I feel some kind of connection with him.’
Burton realised that he wanted as little (‘GI and as much unweildy one-of—a-kind machinery as possible pumping through his vision of this movie. To secure the budget he needed for such indulgences he decided it might be a good idea to give his old friend and frequent collaborator Johnny Depp a call. (Depp‘s commitment to Burton’s previous films 15d Wood and Sleepy Hollow resulted in budgets being almost tripled).
When Burton proposed the role of Willy Wonka to his friend and frequent collaborator. he was barely able to get the words out. From the recording booth where Depp is supplying voice work for Burton‘s newest animated feature — Corpse Bride — Depp relates the conversation. ‘We were having dinner and he said: “I want to talk to you about something. You know that story. Charlie and the Chocolate l'ktt'tmjv‘.’ Well. I‘m going to do it and I‘m wondering if you'd want to play." And I couldn‘t even wait for him to finish the sentence. I said. "I’m in. Absolutely. I‘m there. No question about it.”
Enthusiastic in the way that Depp as an interviewee rarely is. he continues: 'To be chosen to play Willy Wonka is in itself a great honour. but to be chosen by Tim Burton is double. triple the honour. His vision is always amazing. beyond anything you expect. Just the fact that he was involved meant I didn‘t need to see a script before
committing. lf Tim wanted to shoot l8m feet of
film of me staring into a light bulb and I couldn‘t blink for three months. I‘d do it.‘
Before long the two were staring at Burton‘s bizarre preliminary sketches. discussing Wonka‘s look and the themes of the story.
‘Johnny is a character actor in the form of a
leading man.‘ says Burton. "l‘hat's what struck me about him from the beginning and it‘s what makes him such an intriguing actor — tltc fact that he‘s not necessarily interested in his image but more in becoming a character and trying different things. lle’s willing to take risks. liach time I work with him he‘s something different.‘
In the film the deeply eccentric small town capitalist Willy Wonka is forced to open his beloved factory for the first time in IS years to lind an heir. bttt Wonka is uncomfortable with human contact. As Depp suggests: ‘lle puts on his game face in front of people but underneath he has a great anxiety about actual contact or closeness. l believe he‘s a germophobe. which is why he wears gloves. and in addition to the gloves it’s as if he‘s wearing a mask. There are moments during the tour when we catch Wonka acting. and acting badly. literally reading off cue cards. I don‘t think he really wants to spend any time with these people. I think he‘s struggling. from the first second. to put on an act for them and keep a smile.
‘At the same time.~ l)epp continues. ‘a part of
him is genuinely excited about being the grand
showman. like PT Barnum. pointing out everything he‘s created and saying. “Hey. look at this! Look what I’ve done. isn‘t this wonderful?” Burton and Depp were born for this. ()ompa Loompa/doompadee dee/we will
just have to wait and see.
General release from Fri 29 Jul. See review, page 47.
" DAH LINGS
Roald Dahl had a hand in a lot more films than you might realise.
You Only Live Moe (1967) The first of two Ian Fleming books which Dahl adapted for the big screen, this often overlooked Bond t- 75+ film starring Sean Connery. Donald Pleasance, Burt Kwouk and Akiko Wakabayashi exhibited all the absurdity and simplicity of Dahl’s later work. mixing as it did a Japanese ninja secret service force, spacecraft jackings and a very prescient cold war message.
Chltty Chltty Bang Bang (1968) Dahl's second Fleming adaptation as screenwriter was this oddly disturbing British kiddie flick classic starring Dick Van Dyke. Sally Ann Howes and Lionel Jettries. The film was later turned into a massive stage success.
w The Night Digger
(1971) Rarer seen but fascinating psychological ' love story with a macabre twist not found in the
- - ' original Joy Cowley novel. The existence of middle-aged spinster Maura Prince (Patricia Neal) takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of handyman Billy Jarvis (Nicholas Clay). but there is more to Billy than meets the eye. This was Dahl's then wife Neal's second role after her return to acting after a real-life stroke.
What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1984) Who would have thought that this early Pedro Almodovar film would name Dahl as a major source? But the Spanish director now credits Dahl’s macabre ~ short story Lamb to the Slaughter as a major influence.
The Ideal Couple
(1 99) Russian filmmaker Aleksandr Polynnikov went the whole hog and based this excellent little film on many of the stories in Dahl's Kiss Kiss (1960) and Switch Bitch (1974) anthologies.
21 Jul—4 Aug 2005 THE LIST 21