Film Studies: Johnny and Tim: maybe it's time to move on, boys
5th Sep 2005, 15:31 GMT
Yes, yes, yes, Roald Dahl, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp are a trio to conjure with - and not one of them you'd trust with an elderly relative or a sleeping pet. And yes, in its opening weekend in the US Charlie & the Chocolate Factory did $55 million (quite apart from the money spent on confectionery in the lobby before the film). Still, I have to report that the two 10-year-olds who were my company at the film (they let me doze from time to time) came out tight-lipped and a little grumpy. At that age, of course, playing fair by Dahl and even the 1971 film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, meant more to the kids than enlarging the careers of its director and lead actor. But for fans of Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and even Sleepy Hollow, this is a serious disappointment, and one that raises questions about what will become of Burton and Depp.