"Johnny Depp denies Jackson-Wonka connection"

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That was the headline on the Yahoo frontpage that led to this article:

Jacko and the "Chocolate Factory"
Wednesday July 6 8:12 PM ET
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mo/jacksondepp104.jpgThe longish black hair. The pale skin. The ornate suit jacket. The--how should we say?--less than traditional adult male speaking voice.
That is fabled candymaker Willy Wonka as embodied by Johnny Depp in director Tim Burton's new take on the children's classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
One problem: "I think the casual viewer is going to see Michael Jackson."

So says Patrick Lee, news editor of online's Sci Fi Wire. And chances are the casual viewer wouldn't disagree.
"It's very scary," laughs Houston-based blogger Laurence Simon.
Like other moviegoers, Simon made the Depp-Jackson-Wonka connection almost instantly when he saw the Chocolate Factory trailer. An offhanded remark last month on his blog, This Blog Is Full of Crap (IsFullofCrap.com), about how much he wasn't looking forward to Burton's film led one commentator to crack, "What's the problem...? Don't have the stomach for Michael Jackson and the Chocolate Factory?"
The properly titled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opens July 15. In a summer dominated by bad buzz about the less than blockbuster box office, it is one of Warner Bros.' brightest hopes, along with Batman Begins and The Dukes of Hazzard.
Having one of its prized properties--much less, a PG-rated kids' fantasy--linked to a fallen pop star with longish black hair, pale skin, a whisper for a speaking voice, a penchant for military garb and a recent acquittal on child-molestation charges is likely not what the Hollywood studio had in mind when it turned Burton and company loose on author Roald Dahl's beloved, if preternaturally creepy, tale.
And, according to Depp, who openly copped to stealing riffs from rocker Keith Richards for his turn as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, it is absolutely not what the actor had in mind when he was conjuring the eccentric first brought to the big screen by Gene Wilder in 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Children-show hosts like Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Rogers, these are the innocuous sorts who inspired Depp's Wonka, he has said.
"Everyone is entitled to think what they want," Depp said last week in a news conference in Nassau, Bahamas, "even while being violently wrong."
Wrong or no, the suspicions abound. At that press conference, Lee says the Jackson question came up "a lot."
Lee, for one, is more willing to give the benefit of the doubt to the filmmakers, perhaps because he's seen the movie in its entirety. "The nature of the character Willy Wonka is not Michael Jackson," he says. "Willy Wonka hates children--that there sets him apart from Michael Jackson..."

It's nice to know that in such violently turbulent times that we live in, foppish men in overly-detailed clothing still capture our troubled imaginations.

― kingfish (Kingfish), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

FUCK U DEPP I AVENGE IN TEH NAME OF GENE WILDER

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:39 (twenty years ago)

I didn't think of Michael Jackson on seeing the trailer. I did however think "Ewwww! Fucking creepy!" and "I will not be attending this picture."

― Hurting (Hurting), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:41 (twenty years ago)

I didn't think of Michael Jackson on seeing the trailer. I did however think "Ewwww! Fucking creepy!"

some would connect the two.

is johnny depp gunna sing in this one?

― kingfish (Kingfish), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:42 (twenty years ago)

I didn't think of it upon seeing the trailer, but I am certainly thinking it now.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:42 (twenty years ago)

But wait. Michael Jackson was found not guilty. What's the prob-o?

― geyser muffler and a quarter (Dave225), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

he's still guilty in the eyes of The Lord, dude.

― matlewis, Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:45 (twenty years ago)

I thought the trailer SCREAMED Michael Jackson. The voice, the look, and most especially the "eternal child" persona and the "four children win tickets, but only one can win his heart" icky voice-over.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:46 (twenty years ago)

AT LEAST MJ HAD THRILLER. TIM BURTON IS JUST A CONSTANT DISAPPOINTMENT POST-BEETLEJUICE

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:46 (twenty years ago)

EFF THIS MOVIE

― larry bundgee (bundgee), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:46 (twenty years ago)

ED WOOD WAS GOOD
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS WAS GOOD
NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS WAS GOOD
MUCH ELSE WAS NOT

― kingfish (Kingfish), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:49 (twenty years ago)

oh yeah, the ed diptych was ok, forgot those.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

Stence is correct - please stop watching Tim Burton movies, as it only encourages the fucker.

crosspost - now he's wrong again. Ed Scissorhands was not good. I have not seen Ed Wood because I refuse to encourage the fucker.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)

Edward Scissorhands was good! But not as good as Edward Penishands.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)

Tim Burton needs his Robert Smith do shaved off, stat.

― Leon C. (Ex Leon), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

AHEM

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:55 (twenty years ago)

Though to be fair even Robert wears his a bit shorter these days.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:55 (twenty years ago)

Fuck you guys, this movie is going to be good as shit, Corpse Bride is going to be better.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

'05 is officially going to be PNWT by Depp/Burton.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 7 July 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

PNWT ?

Pacific Northwest Waste Treatment?

― kingfish (Kingfish), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

The Waste Treatment part sounds right to me, anyway.

Okay, I'm done hating here.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:03 (twenty years ago)

Bizarrely this version of the story makes no mention of the alleged inspiration for the look, Vogue Editor Anna Wintour.

http://web.wireimage.com/images/thumbnail/4672063.jpg

http://www.jossip.com/dailyj/2004_06_anna_wintour2.jpg

http://www.gawker.com/topic/AnnaWintour_B.jpg

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:04 (twenty years ago)

http://www.gawker.com/topic/AnnaWintour_B.jpg http://www.broadwaytovegas.com/senorwences.jpg

― kingfish (Kingfish), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:06 (twenty years ago)

"Everyone is entitled to think what they want," Depp said last week in a news conference in Nassau, Bahamas, "even while being violently wrong."

VIOLENTLY!

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

AT LEAST TIM BURTON HAD BEETLEJUICE. MJ IS JUST A CONSTANT DISAPPOINTMENT POST-THRILLER

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

I'm about this close *pinchy finger thing* to start a "reasons why MARS ATTACKS" is so bad and hated, because I think that is a fucking amazing, hilarious, evil film.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:29 (twenty years ago)

HALF OF INVINCIBLE WAS A GREAT ALBUM

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:29 (twenty years ago)

'YOU ROCK MY WORLD', BITCHES

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

xpost

reasons why MARS ATTACKS" is so bad and hated THREAD

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

WHY ARE WE SHOUTING

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

I might like Dangerous more than Thriller!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

MARS ATTACKS IS VIOLENTLY GOOD!

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

VIRULENTLY GOOD!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:34 (twenty years ago)

Hmmmm.

http://web.wireimage.com/images/thumbnail/4672063.jpg http://www52.tok2.com/home/spaceman/movie/011SA/006-PlanetOfTheApes/ari.gif

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:34 (twenty years ago)

Vogue Editor Anna Wintour
The word is Editrix, luv.

― Tigerstyle Shamanic Vision Quester (sexyDancer), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:35 (twenty years ago)

MARS ATTACKS!, delightful in its misanthropy (exempting Sylvia Sidney, blaxploitation stars and Tom Jones).

Edward Scissorhands = misogynist, per Andrew Sarris

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:55 (twenty years ago)

I think "violently" as a ubiquitous adjective-modifier could be the new
ILX meme.

I mean, cold be the violently new ILX meme.

― geyser muffler and a quarter (Dave225), Thursday, 7 July 2005 18:04 (twenty years ago)

Johnny Depp, violently prone to hyperbole.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 7 July 2005 18:05 (twenty years ago)

still gorgeous tho

― dahlin (dahlin), Thursday, 7 July 2005 18:31 (twenty years ago)

to be fair, if i was being compared to michael jackson i'd probably use as many ridiculous parts of speech as i could think of.

― matlewis, Thursday, 7 July 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

Jacko and the "Chocolate Factory"

Finally, a whole album with R. Kelly! "Don't call it a Controversy!"

― Negativa, True Believer (Sheryl Crow in a Britney costume) (Barima), Thursday, 7 July 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

Or maybe since he's playing Willy Wonka, he's in character, speaking partial-nonsense.

― geyser muffler and a quarter (Dave225), Thursday, 7 July 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

They should have cast Chris Tucker, he does a better Michael Jackson.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 7 July 2005 18:51 (twenty years ago)

I'm about this close *pinchy finger thing* to start a "reasons why MARS ATTACKS" is so bad and hated, because I think that is a fucking amazing, hilarious, evil film.

-- nickalicious (nickaliciou...), July 7th, 2005.

it would have been great if it wasnt such a sloppily done movie! the FX, martians, misanthropy, mayhem and destruction were great though.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory looks lame.

― latebloomer: the Clonus Horror (latebloomer), Thursday, 7 July 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

*"sloppily done" meaning sloppily written, acted, edited etc.

― latebloomer: the Clonus Horror (latebloomer), Thursday, 7 July 2005 19:28 (twenty years ago)

why would you remake this movie anyway? every child ever loves the original.

Burton blows. He obviously thinks he's making modern fairytales but has no idea how to tell a story.

― jed_ (jed), Thursday, 7 July 2005 19:57 (twenty years ago)

Johnny Depp denies White-Wonka connection

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/221/4131/640/DeppWonka.jpg http://www.reneesfansite.com/Published%20Pictures/CM_Premiere_Jack_White.jpg

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Thursday, 7 July 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

The supposed inspiration was originally.... Marilyn Manson! Check imdb, the rumor's been there forever. My friends are excited about the film because it looks like they have the squirrel scene in there that was conspicuously absent in the Wilder film, and since this isn't a musical there is no chance of that godawful "Cheer up, Charlie" song making an appearance. We've almost worn out the skip button on a dvd player from avoiding that song in Willy Wonka.

― mike h. (mike h.), Thursday, 7 July 2005 20:24 (twenty years ago)

It just looks like Johnny Depp being himself to me.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Thursday, 7 July 2005 20:27 (twenty years ago)

four months pass...

Clearly I'm behind the times on this one, but wowie-ka-zowie, it's obvious and creepy. A great flavor combination. But please, don't overlook Depp's secret ingredient: Fred Rogers.

ihttp://entertainmentcomplex.blognation.us/blog/_archives/2005/11/27/1423900.html

Much more could be said about this static tableau, but one feels so dirty even thinking about it. We’ll stop.

― EComplex (EComplex), Sunday, 27 November 2005 17:36 (twenty years ago)

http://www.gawker.com/topic/AnnaWintour_B.jpg = http://www.pixyland.org/peterpan/

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 27 November 2005 18:04 (twenty years ago)

We realize it's not worth beating the dead horse over, but...

1st, Johnny Depp didn't design the look of the character, obv. Actors only think they do this. They don't. They just recite lines someone else writes. But that makes this co-ink-ie-dink-ie even more interesting. Burton, the director, obv. set out to make a film about Michael Jackson...Eeeewwwwwww!

MJ should have sued Warner Brothers!

People, IT'S ALL SO CLEAR!

― EComplex (EComplex), Monday, 28 November 2005 05:05 (twenty years ago)

oj did it

― i can be jay leno too (alanbanana), Monday, 28 November 2005 05:19 (twenty years ago)

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