Which Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is closer to the book

Q: Is Slugworth in the book?

Slugworth is mentioned in the books, as being Wonkas most vicious and untrustworthy rival. In the 2005 adaptation, he is briefly seen taking Wonkas secrets from one of his spies.

Short version: Which Willy Wonka movie (1971 - Gene Wilder vs. 2005 - Johny Depp) is more faithful to Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Table of Contents Show

Why did Roald Dahl not like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
Are there two versions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
Is fizzy lifting drink in the book?
Is Slugworth in the book?

Long version: My six year old son just finished reading the book. He only gets to watch a movie after he finishes reading the corresponding book. Now he is very excited about taking the movie to his kindergarten class on Movie Day and watching with his friends. There is not enough time for me to get both movies from Netflix and decide which is better. The reviews on IMDB are mixed. I am hoping to find a clear winner here.

Thanks all for your help!

current rating is 3.82/5
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(141 ratings)

current rating is 4.19/5
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(147 ratings)

Mike's fateMike emerges from the factory ten feet tall and thin as a wire. Mr. Wonka says that Mike will be a great basketball player. Mike exits the factory ten feet tall and as thin as paper. The Oompa Loompas' clothingMen wear deer skins, women wear fresh leaves, and children wear nothing. In the Television Chocolate Room, the Oompa Loompas wear red spacesuits. Factory workers wear shiny plastic jumpsuits which are colored in accordance to the room in which they are working. Those with specialized jobs dress in a manner appropriate to their position. Candy shop ownerUnnamed. Looked, "Fat and well-fed." Has, "Big lips and fat cheeks and a very fat neck." Is very excited Charlie finds the ticket in his shop. Stops the people who offer to buy it from him. Unnamed; fat, black man. Is excited Charlie finds the ticket in his shop. Stops the people who offer to buy it from him. Mrs. Salt, Veruca's motherFat, ugly blonde woman named Angina. Teaches geography. Skinny, beautiful blonde-haired woman, possibly a "trophy wife". Mike TeaveeObsessed with television and gangsters. Obsessed with television, the Internet, and likes video games, particularly first-person shooter games. He also is much more intelligent than the previous Mikes. This Mike's character fault focuses more on his anger than his TV habit. Wonka's welcome routineDoes a little dance. Has an elaborate, automated puppet show that bursts into flames (appears unnoticed and applauds after the show). I think I'm going to be sick! / "Now I am going to be sick!"Mrs. Teavee says the lines on the high-speed elevator ride to which Wonka offers her his hat to vomit into, the second being said when Mr. Wonka says there is another elevator on the same track, with which they might have a collision. The lines are not said. Charlie's Golden TicketCharlie does not find a ticket in the bar that he gets for his birthday, or the one he buys with the dime Grandpa Joe gives him or the 1st bar he buys with money found on the street. He then buys another bar and finds the ticket. Charlie gets a chocolate bar 1 day early for his birthday, no ticket; he then buys a chocolate bar using Grandpa Joe's secret hoard money, no ticket. Charlie buys only one candy bar at a Newsagent with money he finds on the street & finds the ticket. Charlie's locationNot stated, but most assume UK because of author. Versions published in the UK say that Charlie found a fifty-pence piece, further corroborating this. However, it is stated in the versions published in North America that Charlie found a dollar bill. Not stated. Film makers have stated that the location was made ambiguous because it was never stated in the book. The Inventing RoomMr. Wonka says that not even Oompa Loompas are permitted into the Inventing Room; however, Mr. Wonka later calls a couple of Oompa Loompas into the room to roll Violet to the Juicing Room. Several Oompa Loompas are seen making and testing candy even before Violet turns into a blueberry. SongsOompa-Loompas sing songs about each of the bad children. An original song, "Willy Wonka's Welcome Song," is sung by puppets at the factory entrance. The Ooompa-Loompa songs use Dahl's original lyrics, although they have fewer words. Each of the latter is done in a different contemporary musical style. Oompa Loompa's songsImpromptu. Impromptu, but suspected by Mr. Salt and Mike Teavee to be rehearsed. SwearingWonka's description of one of the Oompa Loompas as an "ass" is clearly a reference to donkey (hence, ass)-like stupidity or slowness. This is not a reference to the completely different "arse", which Dahl - as a Welsh writer - well knew. Grandpa George mutters "hell", and is heard saying the first syllable of "bugger" before Charlie's father covers his son's ears during George's explicit rant. Oompa LoompasIn original publication, they were black pygmies from Africa. Due to slavery-like portrayal, changed in 1973 to golden-brown hair and rosy-white skin from Loompaland. Very happy people, and will laugh at almost anything. Knee high. Incredibly small men with heavy tanned skin from Loompaland. Look exactly the same except their clothing. Show greater sophistication in their jobs, which include factory workers, a barber, a secretary & a psychoanalyst. Laugh only once. Rarely smile Violet BeauregardeChews chewing gum, is boastful, and has unhygienic habits. Chews and blows bubbles with bubble gum, and is highly competitive in sports, driven by her equally competitive mother. Violet and VerucaNo specific interaction or friendship mentioned. Cheerily agree to be best friends, then look away with mildly disgusted expressions. Do not interact well together overall. When Violet becomes a blueberry, Veruca taunts her mother by saying, "You could put her in a county fair!" Children accompanied byCharlie accompanied by Grandpa Joe; all four bad children accompanied by both their mothers and their fathers. Charlie with Grandpa Joe; Augustus with his mother, Mike with his father; Veruca with her father; Violet with her mother Wonka's poem in tunnelWonka excitedly sings a song about the unknown direction of the boat. Wonka sings no song; He simply says, "There's no knowing where they're (Oompa Loompa's) going." Getting out of bedWhen he sees the Golden Ticket, Grandpa Joe leaps out of bed yelling "Yipee!" When he sees the Golden Ticket, Grandpa Joe leaps out of bed yelling, "Yipee!" and does a little dance. Wonka's fatherNot mentioned. Willy Wonka mentions that he has no family to speak of, so his father is presumably dead. Invented for the film. Named Wilbur Wonka. Is a dentist. Wonka runs away from his father as a child. Wonka, with Charlie's help, reconciles with his father at the end of the film. Played by Christopher Lee. Ticket-finding machineFoulbody, a professor, invents a machine with a mechanical arm that grabs at anything with any gold in it in order to find the Golden Tickets; while he is demonstrating it, the machine grabs at a duchess' gold tooth, & the crowd smashes it. None mentioned, but Mike describes how he used algorithm to find his ticket. Wonka later calls Mike, "The little devil who cracked the system." Grandpa Joe's gambleUsing his secret hoard, Grandpa Joe has Charlie buy a Wonka Bar. They then argue over who should open it and which corner to open. At the discovery of no ticket, they burst into laughter. Using his secret hoard, Grandpa Joe has Charlie buy a Wonka Bar. Grandpa Joe asks which end to open first and Charlie suggests doing it quickly at once ("like a Band-Aid"). At the discovery of no ticket, they look at one another. Augustus Gloop's appearanceJudging from the illustrations in all releases from the book, he is dressed in a purple shirt with tan pants. A red striped sweater with blue jeans shorts. EndingWonka picks up the Bucket family in the Great Glass Elevator. They blast off into outer space, paving way for the sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. Wonka says Charlie must abandon his family. Charlie rejects Wonka's offer and eventually helps him reconcile with his father. In the end, Wonka moves the house to his factory. Whips (for making whipped cream)Mentioned as being stored in a separate room. Wonka says that whipped cream "is not whipped cream at all unless it's been whipped with whips." Also says that a poached egg is not such "unless it's been stolen from the woods in the dead of night". Process of using whips shown; a cow is suspended by straps from the ceiling while being whipped by several Oompa-Loompas. After Charlie correctly tells Wonka that they are making whipped cream, Veruca says it doesn't make sense. Adult companionsTwo permitted per child except for Charlie. Only one permitted. Arthur Slugworth, Wonka's rival candy makerMentioned early, and not again. Selling candy balloons on the street; not mentioned again. Hair creamStored in a room marked "All the creams" along with dairy cream, whipped cream, violet cream, coffee cream, pineapple cream, and vanilla cream. Upon seeing the sign, Mike reacts, "Hair cream? You don't use hair cream?" but Wonka ignores him. Mentioned to be stored in a separate storage room. Upon seeing the sign, Mrs. Beauregarde asks "What do you use hair cream for?" Wonka answers, "To lock in moisture," obviously referring to his hair. Clotted cream and coffee cream are also mentioned. Loompaland? There's no such place! / "Mr. Wonka, I am a teacher of geography!"In the revised version of the book, Mrs. Salt says the line. In the original edition, the line does not appear. Mr. Teavee says the line. Also, Mr. Teavee says, "And I'm here to tell you that --" and is quickly cut off by Willy Wonka. Bucket family mealsBread and margarine for breakfast, boiled potatoes and cabbage for lunch, and cabbage soup for dinner. Allowed a second helping on Sundays. Cabbage soup for dinner is shown. Very watery. Grandparents' agesIt is stated that all four grandparents are more than 90 years old. Grandpa Joe's age is specifically given as 96 and a half. Their individual ages are not given; however, Grandpa Joe says that all together, their ages total 381. The furnace and incineratorIncinerator is lit every other day; Veruca and Mr. and Mrs. Salt are lucky, since the day of the tour was one of the days it was not lit. Lit only on Tuesdays; although the tour does take place on a Tuesday, Veruca and Mr. Salt are lucky, since the furnace happens to be broken and there is three weeks' worth of rotten garbage to break their fall. Mr. Salt, Veruca's fatherFat man with moustache. Stereotypical rich old English man; named Rupert (played by James Fox) Appearance of Everlasting GobstoppersLook like green marbles. Look like red, yellow, green, and blue Super Balls. Fake Golden TicketA Russian woman named Charlotte Russe claims to have the second Golden Ticket, but it turns out to be a forgery. Charlie overhears a conversation about the fifth Golden Ticket being found in Russia; a newspaper in a newsagent later reveals the fifth ticket as a forgery. The forger is never named. Seeing the Oompa-Loompas / "They can't be real people."Veruca first sees the Oompa-Loompas. Charlie says the latter. Veruca first sees the Oompa-Loompas. Mike asks "Are they real people?" Hair-toffeeEffects described. Veruca asks "Who wants a beard, for Heavens sake?" to which Wonka replies with "It would suit you very well." Effects shown. Mike asks "Who wants a beard?" to which Wonka replies by listing people who have beards. An Oompa Loompa is shown covered with hair. Butterscotch and ButterginMentioned on one of the doors that the party passes in the corridor; they can hear drunken Oompa-Loompas inside the room. Mr. Wonka says that butterscotch with soda and buttergin with tonic are popular among the Oompa-Loompas. Not mentioned. Date of the factory tourSaturday, 1 February, 1964. Tuesday, 1 February 2005. Everlasting GobstoppersMentioned. Shown. Violet's fateReturned to normal shape; now purple in the face. Returned to normal shape; now blue and more flexible. She is very pleased with her condition, much to her mom's regret. Parents of bad childrenMr. & Mrs. Gloop and Mr. & Mrs. Salt don't mind their children's faults at all. Mrs. Beauregarde is said to disapprove of Voilet's gum chewing, but none the less encourages her to try the three-course-dinner gum against Wonka's advice. Only Mr. Salt and Mr. Teavee are critical of their bad children (though Mr. Salt tries to hide his criticalness from his daughter so her feelings won't be hurt). Mrs. Beauregarde, however, becomes critical of her daughter at the near-end of the film. Charlie's dadLoses job when cap-screw factory closes due to bankruptcy. Loses job when automated machines take over, but later gets a new job maintaining them. Prince PondicherryWonka builds him a palace made of chocolate and warns him that it will not last long. Pondicherry ignores him and lives in the palace. Wakes up one day swimming in a huge lake of chocolate when the palace melts. Wonka builds him a palace made of chocolate and warns him that it will not last long. Pondicherry ignores him and lives in the palace. Is eating candy while sitting in a chocolate throne with his wife when suddenly the palace begins melting. Veruca Salt's downfallVeruca attempts to get a squirrel after Wonka refuses to sell one to her father. The squirrels reject her as a "bad nut" and throw her down the garbage chute. Same as book Violet's appearanceHas curly red hair, wears a purple T-shirt and dark blue jeans. Has short blonde hair in a bowl cut/ bob hairstyle, and wears a light blue tracksuit and sneakers. Veruca's appearanceHas curly blonde hair with a bow on top. Wears a frilly pink and purple tutu dress with pink gloves and purple shoes. Wears pink dress with white tights and black Mary Janes. A pink change purse hangs askew around her waist. Hair styled in oversized ringlets and pulled back with two hair clips. Grandpa Joe's relationship with WonkaMerely knows about Wonka and his factory. Once worked for Wonka before all employees were fired years ago and factory closed. Business cardsNone mentioned. Mr. Salt gives Wonka his card before they enter the Nut Room and Wonka promptly tosses it away without looking at it. Wonka running into elevatorNot shown. Wonka comically forgets the elevator is there (because of it being made of glass and thus hard to see) and runs into the wall twice in the film, the second time stating, "I gotta be more careful where I park this thing." Media circusA large group of reporters cover the ticket discoveries. The grandparents comment on the character flaws of the bad kids. A media circus arrives at the Buckets' house. A large group of reporters cover the ticket discoveries. The grandparents comment on the character flaws of the bad kids. No media circus arrives at the Buckets' house. The Nut RoomRoom where Wonka uses trained squirrels to crack open walnuts for use in his sweets. Same as book. Discovery of the Oompa-LoompasDescribed by Wonka and shown in an illustration. Described by Wonka to the guests and shown in a cut scene. Square Sweets That Look RoundWonka shows the tour his square sweets. Not mentioned. Wonka's flashbacksNone shown. Throughout film, Wonka recalls bits of his childhood, especially his unhappy relationship with his father. The grandparentsGrandpa Joe and Grandma Josephine are Charlie's paternal grandparents. Grandpa George and Grandma Georgina are Charlie's maternal grandparents. They had not gotten out of bed in twenty years. Presumably, Grandpa Joe and Grandma Josephine are Charlie's maternal grandparents, and Grandpa George and Grandma Georgina are Charlie's paternal grandparents, as Mr. Bucket refers to Grandpa George as "Pop". Grandpa Joe and Grandma Josephine had not Wonka's appearanceSays he is much older than he looks. Has an always happy face. Pointed, black, goatee. Wears a black top hat, plum-colored velvet tail coat, bottle green trousers, gray gloves. Carries a gold-topped cane. Very young looking. Bobbed dark brown hair, dark blue eyes. Pale, grayish skin (lack of sunlight). Perfect white teeth. Wears plum-colored velvet jacket, black vest & pants, paisley shirt, black top hat, purple latex gloves. Veruca's fateVeruca and her parents emerge from the factory completely covered in garbage. It is hinted that they are going to permanently smell like rotten trash, but again, they can be clean and normal again once the garbage washes off from them. Veruca and her father leave completely covered in garbage. It is hinted here also that they are going to permanently smell like rotten trash, but again, they can be clean and normal again once the garbage washes off from them. The family begins to starveAfter Grandpa Joe's gamble, Mr. Bucket loses his job and the family starves. Though not directly shown, Mrs. Bucket says she will thin the meals until Mr. Bucket gets a new job. Mike's appearanceRed shirt covered with toy pistols and blonde hair. Black shirt with skull head on fire on front and poison sign picture on back; red long-sleeved shirt underneath this shirt; wears black and white Chuck Taylor All-Stars shoes, and has brown hair. Grandpa Joe's storyTells Charlie about Wonka's various candies and his work for Prince Pondicherry, then the next night talks about the spies and his secret workers. Tells Charlie of Wonka's candies, Prince Pondicherry, Wonka closing the factory, and the mystery of the workers, all at dinner. Charlie's birthday presentOffers to share with family; family refuses. He opens his present his birthday morning. Offers to share with family; family refuses, but later accepts. Also, he opens his present the night before his birthday. Great Glass Elevator rideMike chooses to go to the Television Room. Along the way, the group sees Fudge Mountain and an Oompa Loompa village. Wonka presses a button to demonstrate the elevator. The group sees Fudge Mountain, pink sheep being sheared, the Puppet Hospital and Burn Center, the Administration Offices, and an exploding candy firing range. Four bad children's interaction with CharlieNo interaction shown or mentioned. Violet puts down Charlie as a "loser". Augustus taunts Charlie by offering him a Wonka Bar and then snatching it away. Mike and Veruca are the nicest to Charlie, despite their character flaws. Exploding Candy for Your EnemiesMentioned on a button in the Great Glass Elevator. Not mentioned, but a candy "war games" testing room is seen from the glass elevator, which features exploding candies as they are fired from cannons and artillery batteries. Wonka's other rivals (Ficklegruber and Prodnose)Mentioned early and not again. Mentioned early and not again. Prodnose is shown giving Slugworth a secret recipe, suggesting that they are business partners. Fizzy Lifting DrinksMentioned, with regard to an Oompa Loompa floating away. Not mentioned, though the room appears as a button in the elevator. BeginningWe meet the Bucket family. Willy Wonka is seen making chocolate, and placing the five golden tickets in five Wonka Bars, which are then shipped across the world (with a darker, more foreboding theme). The Great Glass Elevator (elevator and flying machine)Made completely out of glass and covered with various buttons that can take you anywhere in the factory. Can go up and down, sideways, slantways, and any other ways. Shaped like a standard elevator, but constructed completely out of glass. Transports the group to the Television Room; later travels to Charlie's home, crashing through his roof. Wonka crashes into it twice, having forgotten to open the door. Rainbow DropsDescribed on one of the buttons in the elevator. ("Suck them and you can spit in six different colors"). Not mentioned or shown. Violet's downfallViolet chews an experimental piece of gum, turns into a giant blueberry, and must be juiced. It is said she will be purple once de-juiced. Charlie asks if Violet will be a blueberry forever. Violet chews an experimental piece of gum, turns into a way larger version as a blueberry, and must be juiced; not mentioned if she would remain a blueberry or explode. Veruca asks if Violet will be a blueberry forever. Chocolate birdsGrandpa Joe describes small bird eggs made by Wonka which get smaller in one's mouth until a little sugary bird is sitting on the eater's tongue. Wonka gives Grandpa Joe a chocolate egg during the candystore flashback, which turns into a bird in his mouth. Contest announcementWonka sends a letter in the newspaper. Wonka sends dozens of mailmen through the streets, posting announcements on several lampposts. Augustus Gloop's fateGets stuck in the pipe, the pipe leaks out chocolate and Augustus shoots up the pipe. Then Augustus gets stuck again near the top of the pipe but finally shoots up the rest of the way. Gets stuck in the pipe, the pipe leaks out chocolate and Augustus shoots up the pipe. Then Augustus gets stuck again near the top of the pipe. He struggles around in the pipe and finally shoots up the rest of the way. Violet's fatherAccompanies her to the factory. His occupation is never stated. Not seen or mentioned. Violet's mother is likely a single parent; at one point she flirts with Wonka. Boat rideThe ride is very fast, with many doors along the way. Same as book Oompa Loompa callWonka snaps his fingers three times. Wonka ululates. This is shown only in the Chocolate Room; the other times a child is ejected, an Oompa Loompa is always nearby to receive instructions from Mr. Wonka. Home countries of other childrenNot stated, although Veruca uses English phrases. Augustus, Dusseldorf, Germany; Violet, Atlanta, Georgia; Mike, Denver, Colorado; Veruca, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom Lifetime supply of chocolateAll four bad children are seen being given truckloads of chocolate. Mentioned on on the back of the ticket as "all the chocolate you could dream of..." Lickable Wallpaper for Nursery wallsWallpaper described to guests. Not mentioned. However, there is a button labeled "Scratch and Sniff Room" in the glass elevator. Mr. Salt's ticket discoveryWorker finds the ticket and promptly gives it to Mr. Salt. Worker finds ticket and tries to hide it for herself, but Mr. Salt snatches it out of her hand. Fate of four bad children leaving the factoryAll are seen leaving the factory alive, but with visible, lasting effects. In the illustrations, their parents are absent (apart from Veruca's), but are mentioned to be with them. All are seen leaving the factory alive, but with visible, lasting effects. Additionally, their downfalls are much more dramatic and intense. Mugs of chocolateWonka offers mugs of chocolate to Charlie and Grandpa Joe while in the boat when he notices how starved they look. Wonka offers Charlie and Grandpa Joe a ladle full of chocolate. They share it. Augustus's age9 years old. Unknown

Why did Roald Dahl not like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

His list of grievances was long: Dahl had wanted the arch British peculiarity of Spike Milligan or Peter Sellers for Wonka, he was unhappy with the film's foregrounding of Wonka over Charlie, he resented plot alterations and additions that muddied the cautionary neatness of his original tale, and he wasn't a fan of ...

Are there two versions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

There are two versions of the movie you might be familiar with: the 1971 version ("Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory") that our parents introduced us to, with Gene WIlder starring as Willy Wonka, or the 2005 version ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") with Johnny Depp at the famous candyman.

Is fizzy lifting drink in the book?

The Fizzy Lifting Drinks room is a large room in the novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the 1971 film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Is Slugworth in the book?

Slugworth is mentioned in the books, as being Wonka's most vicious and untrustworthy rival. In the 2005 adaptation, he is briefly seen taking Wonka's secrets from one of his spies.