Gene Wilder,
Jack Albertson,
Peter Ostrum,
Roy Kinnear,
Julie Dawn Cole
... see more 
Promoted as a family musical by Paramount Pictures, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is more of a black comedy, perversely faithful to the spirit of Roald Dahl's original book Charlie and the Cho... read more
Directed by: Mel Stuart
Release Date: June 30, 1971
DVD Release Date: August 28, 2001
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Stats: 49,729 reviews
Your Rating
Flixster Reviews (49,729)
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January 30, 2012An eccentric chocolatier lures children into his hallucinogenic candy factory, where he arranges for them to meet gruesome, ironic deaths. Early torture porn, in a crunchy candy shell, with great tunes sung by the orange-faced dwarf refugee race Wonka has enslaved.
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December 19, 2011It's not as magical as I remember it and although it has some plot flaws that dont really work it has an unusual unique screen presence.
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October 2, 2011fb729949618Classic, watching this makes me feel nostalgic because it reminds me of being a kid.
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August 19, 2011Although Tim Burton' 2005 box office smash stayed truer to the book and had great stars in it, this edition is by far better! The score is incredible and the acting very good. Mel Stuart who is more a TV director did a very good job with this. First timer Peter Ostrum delivered a... read more
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January 22, 2011How can anyone not love and adore this classic? It's a great rendition of one of the greatest children's novels of all time. Gene Wilder somehow manages to play Willy Wonka in a way that doesn't scream child predator, just completely crazy for chocolate. The excessive amounts of ... read more
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January 15, 2011A true American classic, Tim Burton's 2005 remake can't hold a candle to this original.
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December 21, 2010I loved this movie as a kid, and I still love it. The movie is both hilarious and extremely fun. Plus, the songs are catchy and cute. This is one of my favourite movies.
Critic Reviews
May 4, 2012
Sean Axmaker, GreenCine
January 29, 2012
R. L. Shaffer, IGN DVD
A polarizing, but classic piece of children's entertainment filled with whimsy, horror, comedy and imagination. Full Review
October 21, 2011
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
When the movie does actually reach the factory, and Gene Wilder takes the stage, the movie is saved. Full Review
October 19, 2011
Sean Axmaker, MSN.com
... that rare breed: an imaginative live-action kid's film that engages and delights adults. Full Review
July 25, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Starring Gene Wilder, this offbeat comedy-fantasy for children has achieved a status in pop culture Full Review
June 26, 2011
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
This is Gene Wilder's legacy. He was perfect for the role, and it was his mixture of childlike wonder and bitter, deserved vengeance that made the character so compelling. Full Review
January 1, 2011
Ed Grant, Common Sense Media
Pure, sweet imagination for both kids and adults. Full Review
December 22, 2009
Chuck Bowen, Slant Magazine
The passages in the mysterious factory, which should be Charlie's and our release from the oppression of the earlier scenes, are just as ugly as everything that's come before, so there's no contrast. Full Review
July 22, 2008
Steve Biodrowski, ESplatter
It's all wonderfully colorful and imaginative, and filled with a multitude of references and jokes that will be understood only by adults. Full Review
October 14, 2006
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...filled with good humor, good acting, and good songs...and it's just off kilter enough to keep everyone's attention. Full Review
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