Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is not for children

[jacobic216]

I'm sure most people have seen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I'm equally sure that we've all been frightened at one point or another during that film. It may be rated G but that doesn't mean it's geared towards children. The novel is, sure, but I used to get so frightened during parts that I'd have to go hide in the other room. Not so much the tunnel or the Oompa Loompa's but when Augustus is shot through the pipe. I used to imagine that happening and would freak out. Also, Mr Wonka himself patronizes all the other characters to such extremes, but they diserve it.

[tabuno]

Do you think that most children nowadays are that sensitive to what they are exposed to in Willy Wonka compared to everything else they're exposed to in reality or animated television shows? From the young children I know they sure seem to have a lot of mature qualities for their age now.

[fuzzy_nolan]

What used to freak me out when I was little wasn't anything in Willy Wonka but the Wheelies in Return To Oz...those freaky bastards that get around with wheels for hands and feet.

There was something depressing about that whole movie. One of the villains was a woman who had a collection of heads that she could swap with her body.

[tabuno]

Yes, there was something strange and disquieting about those wheelies or whatever.

[SinjinSB]

I think Willy Wonka is absolutely good for kids. Put a little scare into getting them to behave better! I don't think kids should or need to be sheltered from things...being scared is part of growing up. Besides, the scariest part was the boat ride.

[SinjinSB]

Originally posted by fuzzy_nolan
There was something depressing about that whole movie. One of the villains was a woman who had a collection of heads that she could swap with her body.

I've heard a lot of people being afraid by the flying monkeys in the Wizard of Oz...they never bothered me as a kid...heck, the trees were scarier than them.

I never saw return to oz...so not familiar with the wheelies.

[pmw]

Willie Wonka kind of freaked me out as a kid. Vague recollection but someone falls into the chocolate lake or something, gets sucked up into the machinage...not very clear memory obviously...

[jacobic216]

I agree the wheelies are messed up. I also was freaked out by Return to Oz, the Wheelies and the talking wall were weird. I found the flying monkeys to be really creepy. I read a poll somewhere that said those monkeys are some of the most freightening creatures ever created for the screen.

When I said that it's not for kids, I mean that it is geared towards adults. I'll still let my kids watch it, in fact I may insist. I just know that some of the material is hard core for children to absorb. Can you honestly tell me it's not freaky for you to watch insects crawling on someones face, chickens being decapitated and whatever else Mr. Wonka had them see on that fairy ride?

[SinjinSB]

Originally posted by jacobic216
When I said that it's not for kids, I mean that it is geared towards adults. I'll still let my kids watch it, in fact I may insist. I just know that some of the material is hard core for children to absorb. Can you honestly tell me it's not freaky for you to watch insects crawling on someones face, chickens being decapitated and whatever else Mr. Wonka had them see on that fairy ride?

It's not that freaky to me today, but it was when I was 4-5 years old. I think it's much more effective to see as a kid. I watched it pretty much every time it came on as a kid, but have probably only seen it once or twice as a an adult.

Well, if you saw a version where they road a "fairy", maybe you saw the adult version. The one I saw must have been edited for TV, because they were riding a boat and it wasn't even a ferry ;-)

[jacobic216]

I get a kick out of it's dark mentality every time I sit down and watch it. I watch it more than when it's on TV. It's frequents my DVD player quite often.

And yes, the fairy...er ferry takes them down dark places children wouldn't want to go. Still, it would have been worth it to go to the chocolate factory, wouldn't you say? Even if it is for a rating higher than G.

lol

[pmw]

Yeah, the golden ticket is a dream come true... That was a pretty magical moment from a child-viewer's perspective. Definitely a great kids movie and not too much "scary" stuff for a kid with a little backbone.

[jacobic216]

Yea, but if your 3 years old, how much backbone should we expect them to have? I've always felt it's one of the most magical movies ever, just a little creepy.

[SinjinSB]

Originally posted by jacobic216
Yea, but if your 3 years old, how much backbone should we expect them to have? I've always felt it's one of the most magical movies ever, just a little creepy.

Sure it's creepy, but that's what builds backbones! I was probably in th 3-4 range the first time I saw it...or at least the first time I remember.

[jacobic216]

I know I was at least 2 when I first saw it. I guess that's why it had such an impact on me, both positively with the Golden Tickets and also the creepy nature of the film. It's alot for a 2 year old.

[stevetseitz]

Willy Wonka: O.k. for kids that can understand the concept of being responsible for their actions. 5-6 years old and up. You know your own kids. Anyone who has had a terrible two-er or three-er knows they should limited in their exposure to misbehaving children (in movies or in reality) lest they learn to mimic that behavior to illicit an intended response.

Wizard of Oz: The wicked witch/gulch has scared my sister for decades, to be honest I think she still fears the wickedwitch/gulch much to this day. The lady who portrayed the wicked witch/gulch was typecast almost like Nurse Ratched on "One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest". (That whore!)

Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang: The child-catcher is probably one of the most disturbing characters on film. Find him and kill him.