Burton & Romero

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY-2005-Director Tim Burton used much more of the darker aspects of Roald Dahl's novel which of course was first filmed as WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. The sets and music are awesome and Johnny Depp's very strange performance as Willy is a highlight. Christopher Lee (in his 3rd Burton film) is Willy's father. 4 foot 4 Deep Roy (also in his 3rd Burton film) plays all the Oopa Loopas! I was never a fan of the original so I guess I liked this more than some folks. Both Lee and Roy did voices for Burton's next project THE CORPSE BRIDE.



LAND OF THE DEAD-2005-This was the first movie I saw in a theater in 2005! I think it might be the last movie I saw in a theater! Guess I’m not much of a “moviegoer”. Happy to say it's great! Maybe I’m prejudice being a big fan of Romero’s (especially his “Dead” series). I only had one problem with the whole thing. That was with the zombie (Big Daddy) who was sort of leading the rest of the un-dead to revolt. What was up with this dude? I mean he wasn’t really a zombie. He screamed several times and displayed a lot of emotion. Added to that he never ate anybody! Was he a vegetarian? Some kind of mutant? Anyway the story, direction and SFX were all on the money and Dennis Hooper as Kaufman, the major bad guy was a plus. Tom Savini appears briefly as the now un-dead Blade from DAWN OF THE DEAD. Lead actor Simon Baker was in LA CONFIDENTIAL and the TV series THE GUARDIAN. Also with Asia (daughter of Dario, one the executive producers of the original DAWN OF THE DEAD) Argento and Robert Joy (later in the remake of THE HILLS HAVE EYES).

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