King Arthur and the Chocolate Factory

[hummingwolf]

Ever since I first got a LiveJournal account, my interests list has included "arthurian legend" or "king arthur" or some related term. One of the things I love most about Arthuriana is not the classic story itself; there really is no one true version of the legend of King Arthur. Whatever historical personage or personages may have inspired the original tales, the existence of an old Arthur as ruler of anybody has become hopelessly irrelevant by now. No, what I love is seeing all the different versions of the stories, seeing how old visions get altered with time, seeing which mutations have made their way in to the legendary bloodline, and wondering which variations will survive in future versions.

Today's movie-watching--a double feature--reminded me of this. Not because the movies I watched had anything to do with Arthur of Britain, mind you. Well, unless... no. While Willy Wonka could conceivably be a valid modern interpretation of Merlin, Charlie Bucket's family isn't nearly dysfunctional enough for him to be Arthur. Still, watching Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory followed by the more recent Charlie and the Chocolate Factory does get the mind spinning off into odd directions. The 1971 film with Gene Wilder has vastly superior music, of course, and I can easily imagine being friends with that version of Willy Wonka. (I half suspect I already am friends with the Gene Wilder version of Willy Wonka, though he may not be entirely aware of it yet.) Johnny Depp's version--well, he's someone I might enjoy talking to for limited periods of time, but I'd encourage him to find a reputable therapist who isn't an Oompa-Loompa.

~~~~~

In other news, I went to the grocery store today for orange juice, olive oil, and Kleenex. Sadly, I neglected to buy any chocolate.

Comments

[bluegreen17]

no chocolate?!!! well,maybe part of your brain felt it had had it's fill. i remember i went through almost a year of not eating chocolate due to some digestive problems,and watching the movie 'chocolat' (highly recommended if you haven't seen it) at the time and enjoying it vicariously.

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Well, I admit I do still have some chocolate here at home. I just don't see how it could possibly be enough to get me through tomorrow, which sounds like it may be a terribly stormy day. I may need more chocolate to get me through the storm!

Or it may be the fault of Veruca Salt. She's a fun one to blame.

[erigeneia.livejournal.com]

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original!) was my favorite movie as a kid. I watched it last year and it is creepy! I don't know how I liked it at the time-- I still like it, but the part where they're in the boat and Gene Wilder sings his little song and there are pictures of bugs eating each other and stuff? Totally creepy.

But I still like the movie. My favorite part is the whole big edible garden room, of course. I always wanted to drink buttercup tea and then take a bite out of the cup.

I love the idea of that story as a retelling of Arthurian legend though! I'm not well versed in Arthuriana but it is a fun thought.

Do you recommend watching the new version? I haven't seen it yet...

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

I wasn't really serious about the story being a new version of Arthurian legend, though it does amuse me to wonder who would end up at a new Round Table in the chocolate factory!

I agree with you about the original movie being creepy! Both Willy/Charlie & the Chocolate Factory movies are creepy, but in different ways. Gene Wilder's version is almost a semi-divine Trickster spirit, while Johnny Depp's is more of a powerful (hey, he rules the Oompa Loompas), but pathetic man--kind of a tortured genius with Daddy issues. Both movies are worth watching, I think, but in some ways they're very different.