I think this movie sucks because the pacing is off. It takes forever for that Charlie to get to the factory already. When Charlie opens his moon-pie candy and yells “I got it!” they should have cut straight to Charlie and everyone waiting outside the factory for Wonka to let them in. Would have greatly helped the pacing of the film.
shareHere's a good trailer for the movie at the time of its' release.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Cby33ZR98
It does take 40 minutes to get to the factor and 50 to enter the chocolate room. I'll have to check the Johnny Depp version to see how long it takes to get to this point. I too thought 'this is dragging on a bit.'
I would have at least pulled the gag about a woman refusing to let go of her chocolate in the ransom case, and the auction. Too much padding.
I think it would have felt much better paced if the terribly boring "Cheer Up Charlie" song was taken out. That whole scene with the song and talking to his mother just puts the whole movie into a dreary blah mood. Who wants to hear that song and see some kid wander around on a street ?
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I'd cut all the songs -- yes, even The Candy Man -- from the start of the film. They aren't great songs anyway and they slow the film down.
Also, it might have been smarter writing to have the musical numbers happen only inside the factory, thus emphasising the strangeness of that place as contrasted with boring, normal reality where people aren't in the habit of bursting into song.