Updated 6-24-21
Mel Stuart’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a film with many fans. Somehow, I’m not one of them, as I was never able to warm up to it. Possibly too homogenized for my taste, which probably has little to do with Quaker Oats.
Warner’s new 4k UHD Blu-ray, of the (originally a Paramount release) film photographed by Arthur Ibbetson, who spent many years as a camera operator (The Blue Lagoon, Moby Dick) before taking the helm behind the camera (The Horse’s Mouth, Tunes of Glory, The Chalk Garden, Anne of a Thousand Days, The Railway Children, The Bounty) appears nicely produced for 4k, although it may appear to be a bit overly cleaned, it seems that isn’t the case. It’s extremely fine grained. I sampled on two systems, and it seemed very smooth.
Too smooth.
Color is wonderful and well, candy-like, with all of the young performers scrubbed clean and presumably smelling wonderfully. Possibly I would have preferred a bit more noir version. The film reeks of a G rating.
Audio, presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1 is beautifully reproduced. I don’t believe it includes the original monaural, but that’s SO last century.
For those who collect outer sleeves, this one has a myriad of sparkles.
I did run into two problems which are the source of my thinking that it might have been cleansed.
In projection, the disc runs a full 1 1/2 to 2 frames out of sync, which took me away from properly examining reproduced grain structure.
I was unable to correct this anomaly, even removing the disc and re-starting.
On a panel with a different player, the sync problem all but disappeared, but with it went the grain. Possibly OLED panels don’t care for clean films.
Last oddity for this release. On the first four attempts to run on a Panasonic 9000, the first four seconds of the Paramount logo projected as black, leaving only about 18 frames of it, along with the fade out.
On the fifth attempt, it did the same thing, however using the reverse chapter skip button took it back and finally played correctly.
I did not re-check sync as I’d not turned on audio.
It’s possible that this release (not the individual disc) may have start-up / sync problems with the 9000 units. I’ll now have to check for recent downloadable upgrades.
Image – 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Plays nicely with projectors – Yes
Recommended
RAH
Mel Stuart’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a film with many fans. Somehow, I’m not one of them, as I was never able to warm up to it. Possibly too homogenized for my taste, which probably has little to do with Quaker Oats.
Warner’s new 4k UHD Blu-ray, of the (originally a Paramount release) film photographed by Arthur Ibbetson, who spent many years as a camera operator (The Blue Lagoon, Moby Dick) before taking the helm behind the camera (The Horse’s Mouth, Tunes of Glory, The Chalk Garden, Anne of a Thousand Days, The Railway Children, The Bounty) appears nicely produced for 4k, although it may appear to be a bit overly cleaned, it seems that isn’t the case. It’s extremely fine grained. I sampled on two systems, and it seemed very smooth.
Too smooth.
Color is wonderful and well, candy-like, with all of the young performers scrubbed clean and presumably smelling wonderfully. Possibly I would have preferred a bit more noir version. The film reeks of a G rating.
Audio, presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1 is beautifully reproduced. I don’t believe it includes the original monaural, but that’s SO last century.
For those who collect outer sleeves, this one has a myriad of sparkles.
I did run into two problems which are the source of my thinking that it might have been cleansed.
In projection, the disc runs a full 1 1/2 to 2 frames out of sync, which took me away from properly examining reproduced grain structure.
I was unable to correct this anomaly, even removing the disc and re-starting.
On a panel with a different player, the sync problem all but disappeared, but with it went the grain. Possibly OLED panels don’t care for clean films.
Last oddity for this release. On the first four attempts to run on a Panasonic 9000, the first four seconds of the Paramount logo projected as black, leaving only about 18 frames of it, along with the fade out.
On the fifth attempt, it did the same thing, however using the reverse chapter skip button took it back and finally played correctly.
I did not re-check sync as I’d not turned on audio.
It’s possible that this release (not the individual disc) may have start-up / sync problems with the 9000 units. I’ll now have to check for recent downloadable upgrades.
Image – 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Plays nicely with projectors – Yes
Recommended
RAH
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Jeffrey D
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Thanks for the review. Will definitely get this one- a great film that has appeal to both children and adults (lessons to be learned for both groups).
compson
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It’s good that the children have a keen sense of smell. They should enjoy visiting a chocolate factory.
moviebuff75
Screenwriter
I'm guessing the Paramount logo is M.I.A. They probably also didn't reinstate Mrs. Bucket's interrupting "Wait!" after "I've Got A Golden Ticket" song.
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Paramount logus intactus.
moviebuff75
Screenwriter
What?! Fantastic! "So shines a good deed, in a weary world."
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Powell&Pressburger
Screenwriter
Robert… do you feel as if the grain was scrubbed from the transfer?
Really wish they could have included the original Mono audio as a PCM 2.0 or dts HD ma
Really wish they could have included the original Mono audio as a PCM 2.0 or dts HD ma
Last edited:
MatthewA
Senior HTF Member
I doubt that if one of them had a stuffy nose that that child would be allowed in.
B-ROLL
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titch
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Scrubbed clean? As with The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy? Oh dear. Of the major studios, Warner Bros. UHD releases appear to be rather hit and miss, behind Sony, Universal and Paramount. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was the first Roald Dahl book my mother read to me, as a small boy. I had much difficulty warming to the film when I first saw it on laserdisc - the 25th Anniversary Edition, which came out just at the end of the laserdisc era. But it does improve with subsequent viewings. I've been listening to the audiobook with my son, in anticipation of seeing this during the summer holidays. He isn't as sensitive about DNR, as I am!
Last edited:
Jake Lipson
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Is the 1080p Blu-ray included here any different from the previous version in terms of the transfer?
If not, I'm good with the version I have because I'm not UHD equipped right now. If they improved the Blu-ray transfer, they could get me to double dip and future proof.
Thanks.
If not, I'm good with the version I have because I'm not UHD equipped right now. If they improved the Blu-ray transfer, they could get me to double dip and future proof.
Thanks.
titch
Screenwriter
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I have the Lord Of The Rings trilogy on UHD and when the picture is projected onto a large screen, the lack of film grain and fine detail is very noticeable. I don't care how many "great reviews across the board" people post, I'm quite able to judge what a good filmic transfer is myself. In The Line Of Fire is a recent example of a faithful, filmic transfer. I will purchase Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory to see for myself.
Everybody has the right to their opinion, no matter how much we disagree with each other.
I don't care what you think is a good filmic transfer as the LOTR trilogy on UHD looks beautiful on my display.
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Not certain re DNR. Need to take another look.
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The overriding question with some releases is whether the filmmaker is going for a “filmic transfer” or something more modern and updated.
I just wanna know who "Willy Wonda" is...
Powell&Pressburger
Screenwriter
I would think when looking over a release to do your initial posts on image quality you would check such issues as grain removal / DNR usage
It can be a deal breaker for buying it if Warner Bros just did another Goonies job. Some shots on that disc are just awful.
AlexNH
Second Unit
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I seek proof.
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