Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Blu-ray

Directed by Tim Burton
USA 2005

Acclaimed director Tim Burton brings his vividly imaginative style to the beloved Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, about eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka (Depp) and Charlie, a good-hearted boy from a poor family who lives in the shadow of Wonka's extraordinary factory. Long isolated from his own family, Wonka launches a worldwide contest to select an heir to his candy empire. Five lucky children, including Charlie, draw golden tickets from Wonka chocolate bars and win a guided tour of the legendary candy-making facility that no outsider has seen in 15 years. Dazzled by one amazing sight after another, Charlie is drawn into Wonka's fantastic world in this astonishing and enduring story.

***

Tim Burton is back. The Burtonesque grotesque imagination is reborn. After some good, but not great years, we finally get everything what Tim Burton is all about, and as such, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is the most pure Burton film since the power-trio "Edward Scissorhands", "Batman Returns" and "Ed Wood".

Adapted from the novel by Roald Dahl, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is very close to the book. Burton adds some background on Willy Wonka, which parallels Willy with Edward, and for that matter also The Penguin, both people who along the way got lost from their parents, and who has a unique ability to create.

What Burton brings to the story is his amazing imagination. Everything is over the top, everything is surreal, everything is incredible out-of-this-world, that it is impossible not to give in and be charmed away. Adding to this, Burton sneaks in references and in-jokes from favorite movies; my favorite is the reference to "2001".

On par with his former masterpieces "Edward Scissorhands", "Batman Returns" and "Ed Wood", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is everything one could hope for.

Henrik Sylow

Poster

Theatrical Release: July 10th, 2005

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Comparison:

Warner (single-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Warner - Region FREE - Blu-ray

(Warner - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Warner - Region FREE - Blu-ray RIGHT)

DVD Box Cover
Distribution	Warner - Region 1 - NTSC	Warner - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:54:44	1:55:23.541
Video	2.35:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.61 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,747,683,898 bytes Feature: 24,115,187,712 bytes Codec: VC-1 Video Video Bitrate: 16.97 Mbps
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: New Line DVD
Bitrate: New Line Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX), DUBs: French + Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX)	Dolby TrueHD Audio English 1675 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1675 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1-EX / 48 kHz / 640 kbps) Dolby TrueHD Audio English 1449 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1449 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1-EX / 48 kHz / 640 kbps) Dolby Digital EX Audio English 640 kbps 5.1-EX / 48 kHz / 640 kbps DUBs: Dolby Digital EX Audio French 640 kbps 5.1-EX / 48 kHz / 640 kbps Dolby Digital EX Audio Japanese 640 kbps 5.1-EX / 48 kHz / 640 kbps Dolby Digital EX Audio Spanish 640 kbps 5.1-EX / 48 kHz / 640 kbps Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / Dolby Surround
Subtitles	English, French, Spanish, None	English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Warner Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.78:1 Edition Details: • "Becoming Oompa-Loompa" (7:17) "Oompa-Loompa Dance" (14:46) • Theatrical trailer (2:26) DVD Release Date: November 8th, 2005 Keep-Case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Warner 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,747,683,898 bytes Feature: 24,115,187,712 bytes Codec: VC-1 Video Video Bitrate: 16.97 Mbps Edition Details: • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Chocolate Dreams (6:57) • Different Faces, Different Flavors (10:39) • Designer Chocolate (9:35) • Under the Wrapper (6:58) • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Sweet Sounds (7:14) • Becoming Oompa-Loompa: How They Turned One Man into Hundreds of Oompa-Loompas (7:16) • Attack of the Squirrels: A Look at the Trained Nut-Sorting Squirrels (9:48) • Fantastic Mr. Dahl: A Look into the Life of Ronald Dahl (17:40) Blu-ray EXCLUSIVE CONTENT • In-Movie Experience: • Music –Only Track Showcasing Danny Elfman’s Score and Songs • 2 Previsualizations: Auqustus Gloop Dance (2:06) and Mike Teavee Dance (1:33) • European Club Reel (2:54 under 'Fun and Games') • Theatrical Trailer in HD! Blu-ray Release Date: June 16th, 2009 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters: 16

Comments:

This is another example of a Warner 'international' Blu-ray available at different times in different geographic locations but the hi-def disc is region free (as confirmed by my Momitsu) playable on all Blu-ray machines worldwide. The Asian release has been available for a while and the UK + German editions recently surfaced. Experience tells us there won't be any difference in the video transfers and all subtitle and DUB options, plus extras, will probably remain consistent. Menus may, however, differ although the Asian Blu-ray does have English menus.

We've compared the single-disc package DVD to the Blu-ray, but there is a simultaneously-released 2-disc DVD set (as reviewed by Henrik HERE) although the SD MPEG-2 transfer appears to be the same on both DVDs. The most striking improvement is in the colors - which is actually a big part of the presentation once we enter the Wonka factory. Reds especially seem to be more pronounced in their brilliance. To a less noticeable degree detail also improves on the Blu-ray as does depth. The entire image tightens up and the infrequent noise apparent on the SD-DVD has vanished on the 24 Gig-filled feature of this dual-layered disc that takes up almost 45 for the entire package. The high-definition image is somewhat brighter and skin-tones get warmer but lose their yellow tinge. The static caps below probably don't do justice to the Blu-ray which, on my system, showed significant superiority in motion.

Audio also improves with a TrueHD 5.1 at 1600 kpbs. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is filled with life and the music through the audio effects and Oompa Loompa musical numbers whihc are a huge part of the presentation. To me this was probably more effecting than the video advancement although the track doesn't export the most depth I have ever heard but is certainly worthy of demo'ing for friends with kids. Elfman's score sounds much more defined and crisp. There are many optional subtitle choices (the DVD has English, French or Spanish) and as we stated the Blu-ray is region FREE.

The Blu-ray extras seem to duplicate the HD from October 2006 (which carried over all the featurettes etc, from the double-disc DVD - reviewed by Henrik HERE). There are eight of them totaling well over an hour and cover (listed above), in an amusing way, may of the film's production details - of note was the 17-minute piece on the author Ronald Dahl. Kids can enjoy these featurettes too. There is some new content - exclusive to the hi-def edition. Described in the Blu-ray menus as a Burton commentary (with optional subtitles) it is really an In-Movie 'picture-in-picture Experience with an Oompa Loompa tour guide. It includes pop-up screens with trivia style factoids, a few short cast and crew interviews (including Burton), some behind-the-scenes footage plus artwork and storyboards. Very cool. You may access a Music –Only Track Showcasing Danny Elfman’s Score and Songs, 2 short Previsualizations: Auqustus Gloop Dance (2:06) and Mike Teavee Dance (1:33), and a European Club Reel (2;54 listed under 'Fun and Games') There is also a Theatrical Trailer in HD.

I was indifferent when I saw this film on DVD but it really came to life on Blu-ray which is the best way to see, and especially hear, it. Burton's film constantly amuses in this hi-tech retelling of the story.

- Gary Tooze

DVD Menus / Extras