The OFS crowd called me just after work, to remind me of the end-of-festival party that night at the Capitol Theater. Carrie wasn't feeling well, so she stayed home. I was sorry to leave her, but felt obliged to make an appearance. Bridget and Bryan were there, and we chatted a bit in the lobby. There was Indian food from the restaurant on 4th in the theater, as well as a keg of beer, which I partook of liberally. The main event was a movie, to be chosen by audience acclamation. Bryan was pulling for Dog Soldiers, but the audience choice was the new version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I hadn't seen it, and was a bit curious, as I like rather like the original, so I figured on sticking around for a bit. It was instructive. Because the film was so dreadfully awful. I've always wondered why one would bother to remake an already-excellent film and set yourself up for failure. The exceptions (say, the Siodmak and Siegel versions of The Killers) just underline the rule. Anyway, the only smart move Burton made was to shorten the leadup to chocolate factory. But that's for naught, given how antiseptic and contrived his vision of it is. The tacky cardboard-and-paste quality of the original was half the charm. You were supposed to be impressed, but it looked like something from PBS. But the most disconcerting change was in the tone. In the original, Willy Wonka and the Oompa-Loompas were terribly judgmental. But still, it was implicit that the failed children and parents had a chance, and they blew it. By contrast, in Burton's version they're just sadistic, setting up their marks for failure, and seeming to take pleasure in it. I found that... distasteful. And walked out.
I wasn't the only one in the lobby. Though I got the sense everyone else had just seen the film before. Or was too lit to sit through it again.
On the way out, I caught Jeffrey Bartone - the head projectionist - wrestling with a friend. They sure looked to be having fun!
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