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Many who grew up in the seventies and thereafter remember Roald Dahl fondly as their favourite author. Like all the best children's writers, his tone had no trace of condescension in it and the power of his imagination often made so-called adult fiction seem unambitious and mundane in comparison. The story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is undoubtedly his most famous creation of all, following the adventures of impoverished young Charlie Bucket and his Grandpa after they find a golden ticket in a scrimped-for chocolate bar. The ticket entitles the lucky bearer to a tour of the eccentric Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, along with four others, amongst them Mike Teavee and Veruca Salt. The other kids and their parents are insufferable and the tale is as didactic as it is exciting, with a harsh morality punishing the spoilt brats. Just as famous as the book is the 1971 films Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Though apparently never much cared for by Dahl himself, the Gene Wilder vehicle has given pleasure to many and continues to attract new fans. So it is with excitement that we should greet the news that this summer will see the release of a film going by the same name as the original book. Even better, it's brought to you by something of a dream team, with gothic weirdmeister Tim Burton behind the camera and Europhile Vanessa Paradis paramour Johnny Depp in front of it. The title role is to be played by young Freddie Highmore, who appeared in last year's Finding Neverland. The odd world of the Chocolate Factory is actually quite well suited to a video game adaptation (indeed it has already been made - in 1985 on the Spectrum 48k), which is good because any middling sized feature film gets an accompanying interactive franchise these days. This one has been snapped up by Take 2 for release on their GlobalStar label, and the game is developed by High Voltage Software. An action/adventure game, it will have you stepping into the down-at-heel boots of young Bucket and solving various sweet machinery-based puzzles to progress. Oompa Loompas and curious confectionary are promised to abound. One does wonder what the late Roald Dahl would have made of all this, though.
