Book #14: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Fourteenth book I read since May 2008:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Now that was one quick read. A lot of fun to get to this after repeated viewings of the movie (the Gene Wilder classic, not that more recent one). some of the differences struck me: more mean-spirited Oompa Loompa songs; no absent father; finality on what happened to the other kids; no Slugworth temptation, etc. And when I read the final scene, the music from the movie was spinning around in my head. Just couldn't help it.

I think I liked the movie better. Some of the songs were similar and a lot of the ideas were in the book. But Roald Dahl's original didn't have "Cheer Up, Charlie" or "Pure Imagination" -- both of which I love. And the visual sense brought to the movie was equal if not better than the descriptions in the children's book. Sort of the same reason I like the movie version of A Clockwork Orange better than the book. Yikes -- bet that's the first time *those* two movies have been mentioned in the same paragraph ;)

- Scott