Customer Reviews

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an inspired tour de force of comic insanity, retribution, and an enormous place that makes the most luscious sweets around. Suffice it to say that the soundtrack to this movie must live up to this insanity, which it complements to a tee.

One of the funniest, most surprising things about this movie is the Oompa Loompa's music, which, coincidentally, is a hallmark in the first movie as well. The Oompas Loompas sing to each child as they "get it" in the factory, sending them off with a bit of jabbing and barbing their lesson. Danny Elfman took the words from the actual book, and put them to music. Each child has a different "theme" of music, which becomes almost as comical as the actual song. Combined with inspired choreography, it makes for a laugh-sterical time.

The opening song on the CD is quite catchy and frivilous, which greets the kids and parents as they enter the factory. Most have compared it to a TV show theme, which is very true. Try leaving the theater without that song stuck in your head.

The rest of the CD is magical with music from the movie, and it's typical Elfman fare. It's amazing how much alike his music sounds from one movie to the next, yet each is brilliantly unique.

The first Wonka movie had it's own music, which is indelible and memorable. This movie and music is not meant to replace that classic, but to add a new chorus into an amazing story. You won't regret buying this soundtrack!

More of a techno-tune fantasy than the bubbly candy land music of Willy Wonka, Danny Elfman's fantastic and original score for Tim Burton's Charlie & The Chocolate Factory is possibly one of the best soundtracks ever from the legendary composer. I've been a huge fan of Elfman, everything from Simpsons to Sleepy Hollow. Hints of Edward Scissorhands and Mars Attacks prevail throughout the running time. Starting off with the up tone antics of 'Wonka's Welcome Song' and the 'Augustus Gloop' and 'Violet Beuregarde' theme tunes, the highlight is track 7: Wonka's First Shop. Equally impressive is 'The Indian Palace' and the charming 'Wheels in Motion'. This is the soundtrack that Danny Elfman was born to compose, combining some previous scores while infusing it's own unique blend of quirky fun. CTCF is one of those soundtracks that make you want to watch the movie even more, and this is a great accompanying soundtrack. Charlie's Birthday Bar and The Golden Ticket/Factory combined with the effortless wit and sparkle of Chocolate Explorers and Loompa Land; this is the soundtrack that all enthusiasts must own. While not as memorable as the classic Bricusse and Newley 1971 oompa-loompa original, given time it will be remembered as one of the best soundtracks ever. This is a must for Elfman and Burton fans, and a great addition to my already extensive Elfman collection.

Danny Elfman is truly a genius. He is up there with the likes of John Williams and Howard Shore, in my opinion.

This album is *BRILLIANT*! Let me write a brief review of each individual lyrical song, and then an overview of the instrumental score....

1) Wonka's Welcome Song -- This song is awesome. It gives one the feeling of listening to "It's A Small World" or "Welcome to Duloc". Couple that with the visuals we've seen in the trailers, and we've got ourselves a truly disturbing, but very fun song. It's creepy, it's annoying, and it serves its purpose well! You'll have this song stuck in your head for *days* (even Tim Burton himself mentioned that he couldn't get it out of his head.)

2) Augustus Gloop -- This song will have you tapping your toes and humming along (or singing, if you know the words, like many fans of the book do). It is catchy, fun, and upbeat. Pure Bollywood. Danny Elfman provides the voice for all the Oompa-Loompas, in all of the kids' song.... But you would *never* be able to tell! It's so hard to describe how great this is!

3) Violet Beauregarde -- This one makes you think of "Kung Fu Fighting" or those Mad TV parodies of '70s cop shows with the pimp-type music, girls with afros, and bellbottom polyester pants. Danny brilliantly rearranged Dahl's words to make this song all about Violet, and it works perfectly. This one, too, will have you itching to get up and dance!

4) Veruca Salt -- I love this song. I'm a huge fan of ABBA, and you can tell Elfman was influenced by them for this song. There is one point in the song where it sounds almost *exactly* like an ABBA song (I'm blanking on which one at the moment). It's brilliant! Dahl's lyrics are put to very good use (a fishnet cut from a halibut; an oyster from an oyster stew), and makes this song seem like an ABBA-style Dr. Demento song ("Fish heads! Fish heads! Eat 'em up, yum!"). It's awesome!

5) Mike Teavee -- This one is my second favorite behind Augustus'. This one uses a wonderful mixture of '80s hair bands, then goes into an obviously Queen-influenced bit... And then it goes into a Sgt. Pepper's-era Beatles-influenced part. It is catchy and fun and just all-out great!

As for the score of the film. Well, it's just pure and brilliant Elfman all the way through.

The use of the sitar in Track 8: The Indian Palace, which is for the Prince Pondicherry scenes, immediately recalls me back to Sgt. Pepper's yet again...

Track 13: Loompa Land is very catchy and it's the kind of music for a movie that you'd want to put as the background music for a fan website or something. The River Cruise tracks and The Boat Arrives are brilliant as well; the use of the drums and Oompa-Loompa chanting really gives us a feel of them being a primitive race of people from the jungle, just like in the book!

The only small, small part I didn't like was the very end of Track 7: Wonka's First Shop, because it goes very briefly from sounding like Danny Elfman music to sounding like John Williams music. It's brief, but to me it stuck out like a sore thumb. And it isn't that I don't like Williams' music; he's another of my favorite composers, but it just didn't fit in with Elfman's score very well....

But, the entire score is just brilliant and touching and it's just great! Oh, and the End Credits are 7 minutes long and include instrumental-only versions of the Wonka Welcome Song, and the four kids' songs. It's a great way to end a perfect soundtrack!

This movie soundtrack gets 5 out of 5 stars. Danny Elfman is a genius!

Joy

Danny Elfman has done it again with the score to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". It's a mix that can go from zany to nasty to beautiful. I've had this CD for almost a month now and I haven't been able to listen to much else! It's perfect for getting the thinking juices flowing, or for just reliving the movie, if that's your thing.

1) The CD kicks off with Willy Wonka's Wonka song, which is bound to get stuck in your head. It sounds sort of like the theme song to a dated kid's show, which fits Willy Wonka perfectly. And it has...yodeling?! It's perpetually, creepily cheery. The way it's intentionally way too happy reminds me of Thomas Newman's "Loverly Spring" that opened the movie A Series of Unfortunate Events.

All the "Brat Songs" are here, too. Elfman used Roald Dahl's lyrics in the songs, so they're a bit nastier than the good old "Oompa Loompa Doopadee Doo" lyrics from the 1971 musical, but they're much more fun! They're completely different, too, not just variations on the same tune like in the original movie.
Augustus Gloop is like an overblown musical, with wailing trumpets and conga-like drums
Violet Beauregarde is my least favorite Brat song. It's pure 70's with funk guitars.
Veruca Salt sounds like an Abba Song! One part sounds like Dancing Queen, but at the end they've got some great 60's sitar. Ha ha ha! This one's just so zany and fun.
Mike Teavee is heavy metal, electric, pumping, and hyperactive. Very Oingo Boingo.

6) The Main Titles is one of the tracks you'll listen to over and over again. It's fun in a sort of nasty way and is sprinkled with quirky little noises that sound like they're from a factory Tim Burton would create (imagine that). This song has a great driving beat to it and has some moments reminiscent of "Spider-Man". At the end it melts perfectly into the much sweeter theme of the poor Bucket family. This is an unforgettable part of the soundtrack!

7)Wonka's First Shop has lots of mood changes and ends triumphantly with the opening of Willy Wonka's factory.

8) The Indian Prince starts off with a minute of great, India-inspired sitar, then the music changes to the ingenius music that is played when Wonka's competitiors steal his recipes and start copying his ideas. It ends on a sad note as Wonka closes his factory "forever". So really, there's much more to this song than the title would suggest.

9)Wheels in Motion is another one of my favorite tracks. There are so many twists and changes throughout. It begins with Charlie's theme, which is just as sweet and loveable as he is, then the pace picks up again and we get a relapse of the Main Titles. It changes to a wonderful hodge-podge of music from around the world, to the blaring Middle-East market music to the bouncy New York consumer tune as the world hunts for Golden Tickets.

10) Charlie's Birthday Bar is held together with strings and xylophone which perfectly convey the sweetness and innocence of Charlie Bucket.

11) Golden Ticket/Factory begins again with beautiful sweeping strings then escalates as the visitors wait outside the factory.

12) Chocolate Explorers is played when the visitors are introduced to the Chocolate Room. You can almost see the chocolate waterfall and the candy trees when you listen to this song.

13) Loompa Land has a very primitive feel to it, with tribal drums and Oompa Loompa chants. You really get the feel of the dangerous and primitive world the Oompa Loompas come from.

14) Boat Arrives in it's pink candy splendor. It has great tribal beats and Loompa vocals like the previous track and has a very magestic feel to it. You can really see the boat towering over you at some parts.

15) River Cruise is more of the same. It has some nice beats and buzz-like Oompa Loompa hums. The strings keep things flowing along like the chocolate river. This track manages to be both myserious and quirky.

16) First Candy has some great instrumentals-xylophones, organ chords, choir-like vocals, blasts from the brass section, and sweeping and leaping strings. It's not the best track, but still fairly enjoyable.

17) Up and Out is intense and a bit scary, but not so scary that it's not fun to listen to! It also includes the music played when we see what became of the other 4 kids, which is again littered with quirky sounds. There are these great sci-fi moments near the end of the track that just make me smile every time. They're so awesome!

18) The River Cruise-Part 2 revisits the tribal stuff you hear earlier in the CD but has some awesome string and brass accents and more good beats.

19) Charlie Declines is one of the most beautiful bits in the album. It's simple, short and perfect.

20) Finale is beautiful and happy. The strings, flutes, and piano convey the inevitable "Happy Ending" so sweetly and and perfectly. How can you not be happy listening to this song?

21) End Credits feature instrumentals of the Willy Wonka Welcome Song and all four Brat Songs. It's a lot of fun! The CD ends with a chorus of Oompa Loompas laughing, then you press play again and listen to the whole album over again!

This is Danny Elfman at his finest. It's as eccentric as the chocolate factory. You won't regret buying this album after you find yourself listening to it over and over.

I knew as soon as I heard Tim Burton was doing an adaptation of the book that is was going to be quite trippy and would very likely give Danny Elfman a chance to write some music in the style of Pee-Wee and Beetlejuice. What surprised me(and it shouldn't have)is that while it does feel like those scores, it also fits right in with Elfman's more recent music.

I was also glad that the songs don't sound like He ripped off his own songs for Nightmare Before Christmas. The Wonka Welcome Song I had obviously heard before in the trailers but I was surprised by the direction he took for the songs concerning the four nasty children. The lyrics are taken with mild alteration from the poems in Mr. Dahl's book, but Agustus Gloop sounds like a conga line, Violet's song sounds like 70's funk, Veruca's a Beatles song, and Mike TeeVee has a song that sounds like some moronic Queen song(which suits a song about television very well.)

Then we go into the score. The Main Titles sound rather nasty in a whimsical way. I absolutely enjoyed the Marketplace music during "Wheels in Motion" and then it goes into Elfman's patented "Consumer Music" that He writes so well."Loompa Land" is another standout with the zany African chant style music.

I don't know if this is an homage to the original Oompa Loompa songs from the Gene Wilder version or not but throughout the songs and the score you can hear the words Oompa Loompa being chanted in the background.

I thouroughly enjoy this CD even though I know it is not for all tastes(sorry, bad pun).

Ok, I'm not calling everyone an idiot. I know the majority of you said 5 stars, like me. But here I am thinking, 'if so, how is the over all rating only 4.5?' Ok, most people wouldn't have cared. But after going through a few pages of reviews, I read some of the most, horrid, degrading, unapreciative reviews I have ever seen! (And trust me, I've read Catwoman reviews.) I don't see how anyone could dislike this music. The instrumentals, (such as 'Main Titles' and 'Up and Out') are marvelous! My favorite song on the CD would have to be 'Main Titles' for the somewhat haunting vocals and the overall drama of the music. I love the themes chosen for the songs about the kids, it really makes the movie original.
Something else I noticed was that people assume this soundtrack and movie was made to replace the original hit with Gene Wilder. No! This is not a remake or a replacement! It's a completely different movie, and should be treated as such in all respects. I hope people will take this seriously, even if this is a kid's review and I'm only 12. Please, this is a marvelous CD with brilliant music, and anyone who enjoys this style of music, or anything by Danny Elfman, will adore it.

i wouldn't put this up there with edward scissorhands, but i'm not sure it's that far away either. it is a mix of oingo boingo, tiki-sounding forbidden zone moments, scissorhands/big fish fairy tale flavor, and even a dash of mars attacks! it's probably his most melodic work in years. so if you've gotten restless by elfman's recent work (more layered and chaotic), then this will be a welcome treat. i will discuss each track:

1. wonka's welcome song is great in a god-awful way. it's deranged, cheeky, and just way too happy! it's exactly what it needs to be. and it's a perfect way to open the album; will certainly frighten many unsuspecting listeners.
2. augustus gloop is the best track on the album; beyond catchy. it's a mix of over-the-top musical and oingo boingo. has a great sound: the brass and percussion sections are fantastic....something that shouldn't surprise elfman fans. (the song is slightly cut short in the film, by maybe 10-20 seconds)
3. violet beauregaurd is the weakest of the songs, but is still really fun. on the album, it's quite great....but on film, it seems inappropriate. plus it's really hard to make out some of the vocals on this one. sounds like the 'worm guy' theme from men in black 2....but with lyrics that is.
4. veruca salt is very beatles sounding.....and the juxtaposition of the sound with the lyrics is great. it's basically a song about garbage and trash.....but has the sound of a light-retro pop song. this is used beautifully in the film....but once again, it is reduced in length just a tad (in the film i mean).
5. mike teavee is probably the most bizarre/freakish. it's the most oingo boingo'ish....with a heavy metal slant. this is a really fun track....if you can stand being assaulted with this type of gonzo sound.
6. main titles is yet another amazing elfman credits sequence that somehow creates a sound that is almost impossible to describe (beetlejuice, men in black, hulk, and planet of the apes are other good examples of this). as far as i can tell, it's a mix of treatening factory pulses and gizmos, mixed with a bizarro sound of deranged vocals and weird alarm-sounding synths.....set to a constant forward momentum beat. it's mars attacks meets men in black...but even more out there!! it instills a feeling of danger....that whatever is coming, might not be safe. yet it beautifully ends with charlies theme which brings about feelings of security and warmth (very scissorhands-like). what a fantastic five minutes....bravo!! the second best track on the album.
7.wonka's first shop is light, then turns very epic. the use of the organ is very appropriate...evokes the image of dracula....and considering this is the first time we get a good look at wonka; it is oddly perfect.
8. the indian palace is a bad title. this track covers the indian palace/the factory spies/and the factory closing. the beginning needs no explanation; it fits just so. the second piece is great; it's the closest we will probably ever get to an elfman composed bond film.....very retro-spy like. the third piece gets wimsical, then extremely tragic. very scissorhands/big fish'ish.
9. wheels in motion is quite expansive. begins with the charlie theme (the use of the piano really brings in the big fish feel)....then we go into the chocolate factory theme. but not as deranged; just the basic beat......then all heck breaks loose as the world tries to find the golden tickets. this is represented musically as magical, then caotic.
10. charlie's birthday bar is a very quite, magical track. it almost feels as delicate as charlie himself. it manages to be sad and warm all at the same time. great stuff.
11. the golden ticket/factory is another really strong track....even sounds like a few tracks from batman returns. 50 seconds in, it takes flight. it makes you feel like things are progressing; that something big is happening. the second half of the track is used to build anticipation. this sounds like what would play in a child's head as he races to the christmas tree to find his presents. very awe-inspiring and magical. this track is a pretty good example of why elfman is as popular as he is.
12. chocolate explorers is surprisingly mysterious and dark....considering this is when we enter the heaven that is the chocolate room! but it somehow works. it also features a very odd appearance of the green goblin theme 1:18 minutes into the track....go figure. then we are introduced to the tiki-ish sound of the oompa loompas...sounds like humming or a kazoo.
13. loompa land is a big break in the flow, but a good one. for anyone who has listened to elfman's forbidden zone music, this should be a nice surprise. the second half gets more dramatic, but it retains its charm.
14. the boat arrives makes me think of classic hollywood epics, but as seen through elfman. really fun, but heavy-handed fun!
15. the river cruise should actually be combined with track 14....it sounds like a continuation of the same idea. in other words, more fun.....and more of that strange humming!!
16. first candy is probably the only weak track on the album. in the film, it works great. but here it doesn't really add up to much. but don't get me wrong...i'm glad it's here. it's better than getting some of these scores that are only 30 minutes long and cut out practically everything. atleast give us the choice of hearing it. thank you.
17. up and out starts out very violently; almost red dragon like. then it goes into some bizarre mars attacks territory. not neccisarily an easy listen, but it goes beautifully with the scene (the glass elevator and the mutated children).
18. the river cruse part2 is more of track 15....not a bad thing at all! but it's placement is a bit strange.
19. charlie declines sounds similar to track 10, but this time it's just sad. a beautiful piece.
20. finale is pure scissorhands magic. but that's not to say it's just same old, same old. this is probably the strongest version of the charlie/family theme. the whole piece is great, but the ending in particular has a wonderful story-book feel to it that's really as warm and cuddly as you can get without making one ill. another really strong track, and a perfect way to end the score.
21. end credit suite is an almost lyric-less version of all five songs. so if you liked the songs, you'll probably like this. and after the really sweet ending, it serves as a perfect reminder that the film you were just watching is infact.......twisted to no end.

i need a nap.....

This soundtrack, and movie for that matter, has quickly jumped to one of my all time favorite soundtracks (and films!!). The best way to explain this soundtrack is delightfully creepy, amazing, and slightly original. (I say this because, yes, I agree it reminds me of all of Danny Elfman's other work, but it is great nonetheless!) I could listen to this CD 24/7 and still enjoy it just as much as the first time. This is a must have for any Elfman fan or any music fan for that matter. Truly amazing. QUICK! BUY IT NOW BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY GRAVE MISTAKES!

Using Roald Dahl's original lyrics and a different musical style for each song was a stroke of genius. The only problem is that whether in the mixing or the recording the lyrics have become overpowered by the music and I had a hard time understanding them. It's a shame too since the lyrics are very clever.

As for the score, it's one of Elfman's finest mixing dark, whimsical, mysterious and fantasy elements. It reminds me a lot of his work on Batman Returns and Edward Scissorhands. The Main Titles and Loompa Land are sure to be remembered for years to come. Highly recommended for Elfman and film score fans.

Danny Elfman has been one of my favorite film composers for a while now, and while I don't always like everything that he has done, I think that he is really good at what he does. This score is nothing short of amazing! From the first few bars of the "Willy Wonka" song to the wonderful "Main" and "End Titles", this is Danny at his best. Even the songs sung by the Oompa Loompa's songs, which some will say are not as good as the orginal films' songs, are wonderful homages to different genres of music. This is fun and magical music that explores many different levels of playfulness.
If you are a fan of Elfman's music, go and get this now!