Warner re-issues Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory in a new 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition on Blu-ray. While the film is a must own, just how sweet is this set? 
Release Date: October 19, 2011 Studio: Warner Brothers Year: 1971 Rating: G Running Time: 1:40:00 MSRP: $64.99 Video: 1080p high definition 16x9 1.85:1 Audio: Dolby TrueHD: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: English 5.1, French 1.0, Spanish 1.0, German 1.0, Portuguese 1.0 This is the third release for Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory on Blu-ray. The first was a Digibook release, the second a standard Blu-ray release and now for a third time in the numbered, limited (100,000) Ultimate Collector's Edition. The set comes with the film on Blu-ray, DVD, and a second DVD with two short documentaries. All are in a cardboard case that looks like a Wonka Bar and is unfortunately DVD case sized. The Blu-ray disc in this set has different artwork on it than the previous releases, but don't let that fool you, its otherwise the same disc that Cameron reviewed for the Digibook release. Since the only thing different are the special features with his permission I am re-posting that review here with an updated special features section:
Release Date: October 19, 2011 Studio: Warner Brothers Year: 1971 Rating: G Running Time: 1:40:00 MSRP: $64.99 Video: 1080p high definition 16x9 1.85:1 Audio: Dolby TrueHD: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: English 5.1, French 1.0, Spanish 1.0, German 1.0, Portuguese 1.0 This is the third release for Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory on Blu-ray. The first was a Digibook release, the second a standard Blu-ray release and now for a third time in the numbered, limited (100,000) Ultimate Collector's Edition. The set comes with the film on Blu-ray, DVD, and a second DVD with two short documentaries. All are in a cardboard case that looks like a Wonka Bar and is unfortunately DVD case sized. The Blu-ray disc in this set has different artwork on it than the previous releases, but don't let that fool you, its otherwise the same disc that Cameron reviewed for the Digibook release. Since the only thing different are the special features with his permission I am re-posting that review here with an updated special features section: The Feature: 4.5/5
Impoverished school boy Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) would like nothing more than to spend his newspaper delivery earnings on a sweet treat from Willy Wonka's candy factory. But being raised by a single mother and with four bedridden grandparents under the same roof, Charlie has to think past his juvenile wants and provide for his family. Forced to grow up too fast, Charlie may never have the childhood he deserves, but then a remarkable opportunity comes along. The eccentric Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder), long sequestered in his mysterious candy factory, has decided to open his gates to the lucky winners of five golden tickets packaged in his chocolates and candies. At first it seems the rich and powerful will be the only ones to experience the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but then a bit of luck finally shines on Charlie when he comes across a ticket of his own. Though the children and their families have no idea what's in store for them at the factory, it's guaranteed Wonka will not disappoint. After all he is the Candyman; he mixes things with love and makes the world taste good!...Though Tim Burton's 2005 remake proved to be a respectable adaptation, the 1971 "Willy Wonka" will continue to be the version adults share with their children, defining it as the true classic.Video Quality: 4/5
Presented in 1080p with the VC-1 codec, the film's image fills the entirety of my 16:9 display despite the package stating it as 1.85:1. The credit sequence is also window-boxed at a ratio of 1.78:1, though it's not clear to me why. The picture itself is blemish-free and exhibits solid black levels, though at times there is a slight amount of crush that makes things look a touch too contrast-y. Shadow delineation in the more dimly lit scenes is also limited, though I suspect it's a characteristic of the film stock that was used. Colors are satisfyingly deep, the vintage color palette of primaries and psychedelics coming across nicely. Overall sharpness and detail are good - textures in fabrics and strands of hair in particular; however, the numerous, now-dated special effects techniques tend to look the worse-for-wear with their softness and increased grain. Fortunately there appears to be no attempts to compensate with excessive sharpening or noise reduction measures. Overall, it's a good transfer with the majority of issues appearing to be source related.Audio Quality: 3.5/5
The surround channels in the 5.1 Dolby TrueHD audio track provide balanced and detailed support for the score with some mild environmental effects. LFE is non-existent, but there is good depth and fullness to the track. Dialogue is generally clear and detailed, though raised voices or yelling can sound a touch strained. Vocals in the musical numbers, by contrast, sound quite good - which makes sense considering those tracks were likely pre-recorded in a more controlled environment.Special Features: 3.5/5
The special features package includes all the items from the 2005 DVD release [and previous Blu-ray releases]. All the video pieces are in standard definition with the exception of the Oompa Loompa song, which is presented in high definition. Audio Commentary with the Wonka Kids: Though the participants can get caught up in watching the film, or merely reacting to it, the track is a fun walk down memory lane with some great stories about the production. Paris Themmen, who played Mike Teevee, is the most focused of the group and sometimes steps in as moderator or interviewer to help move things along. Pure Imagination: The Story of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: Retrospective documentary includes interviews with the cast and crew and covers pre-production and story adaptation, casting, set and production design, music, and script revisions, in particular the film's closing dialogue. There's also a brief "where are they now" with the children from the cast. Sing-Along Songs (9:04): Sing-along to "I've Got A Golden Ticket," "Pure Imagination," "I Want It Now" and "Oompa-Loompa-Doopa-De-Do." Vintage Featurette (4:02): Focuses on the work of production designer Harper Goff. Original Theatrical Trailer (3:11) NEW SPECIAL FEATURES Warner included a DVD version of the film and a new second disc with two new bonus features. Unfortunately its a DVD so they are in standard definition: Mel Stuart's Wonkavision (13:34) This new documentary has a interview with Mel Stuart about directing the film. Unfortunately he keeps getting interrupted via Wonkavision by either his own children (who had cameos), Peter Ostrum (Charlie Bucket) or Julie Cole (Veruca Salt) with some of their memories. What should have been an interesting documentary became annoying because of the "Wonkavision" interruptions. Its a perfect example of something that sounds good on paper, but fails in the execution. A World of Pure Imagination (12:33) This featurette on the author Roald Dahl appears to have been made to promote the movie as it shows the movie being made. About 40% of the documentary is film clips. Audio and video quality on this feature are poor. Pure Imagination the making of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Book): The nicely produced 144 page book by director Mel Stuart documents the production of and lasting impact of the film. Its available for purchase outside of the set for under $10. Other Extras: A Wonka Bar shaped box with scented pencils and eraser, replica golden ticket (which is an actual entry for a WB contest), and copies of several pieces of correspondence between the director, producer and cast.Recap
The Feature: 4.5/5 Video Quality: 4/5 Audio Quality: 3.5/5 Special Features: 4/5
Overall Score (not an average): 4/5 If this is your absolute favorite film, I can see how you would be tempted by the lure of the two new documentaries and scented pencils, for the rest of us, I just don't think there is enough here to justify the premium over the standard Blu-ray release which I have seen priced under $20 and as low as $12. If you already own one of the previous Blu-ray releases there is no need to upgrade. You can enter the Golden Ticket Instant Win Game without purchasing the set by visiting www.willywonkamovie.com
