Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

"Daddy, I want a 4K player! NOW!"

Reviewed by Randy Miller III June 25, 2021

Mel Stuart's charming and creepy children's classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory finally arrives on 4K UHD from Warner Bros., replacing a maligned Blu-ray edition that's been (frustratingly) re-issued several times since 2009, including as part of a 2011 Ultimate Collector's Edition. The Blu-ray-that-wouldn't-die suffered from a few drawbacks, such as an unusual framing issue and a 5.1 remix rather than the original mono audio... and because it's Warner Bros., you can bet that's the same Blu-ray we get as part of this combo pack. But the good news is that, although the 4K disc's audio hasn't been fixed, the 2160p, HDR-enhanced transfer looks terrific and is re-framed to boot.

For a film synopsis, check out Jeffrey Kauffman's review of the 2009 Blu-ray. I'm not quite as warm on this film (or Roald Dahl's source novel) but mostly due to Wonka's character, a cruel god who gleefully produces millions of sweet treats and then punishes his young customers for their bad parents and addiction to sugar. There's probably a whole theological debate in there somewhere, but why stretch our temporal lobes when we can argue about film grain?

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots were sourced from the 4K disc and output to 1920x1080. So while they obviously don't reflect 4K's full resolution or HDR enhancement, they should at least provide a general sense of the new 2160p transfer's tangible improvements, from its better color and image detail to the newly-corrected framing.

Although there's still a little room for improvement, let's just be happy that Warner Bros. finally did Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory right on 4K -- this is a fine-looking 2160p that benefits greatly from its HDR enhancement and obvious improvements in disc encoding since 2009. Although it's sourced from what WB advertises as a "previous 4K restoration of the film", this UHD presentation offers consistently clear improvements across the board: fine detail, textures, color reproduction (a clear byproduct of its tasteful use of HDR enhancement), film grain, and... framing? It's common knowledge by now, but Warner Bros.' previous Blu-ray editions of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory were incorrectly framed; not only 1.78:1 rather than the film's true 1.85:1 aspect ratio, but with a noticeable amount of extra information at the left-hand side. Although the compositions are much tighter now and perhaps a touch low in some spots, a number of pleasingly centered shots give many memorable moments a more natural look that just seemed off beforehand. Without some sort of insider knowledge of the film's true theatrical framing, it's difficult to know whether or not this 4K transfer is 100% accurate... but it's at least a solid step in the right direction.

Overall image quality is extremely good here, with what looks to be a newfound commitment to realism... or at least what passes for realism in a movie about a man-child who lives in a candy-colored dream world. (Or nightmare world, if you're a bad egg.) The first thing I noticed was a much more natural film-like texture: gone are the Blu-ray's boosted contrast and saturation levels, as well as its edge enhancement and occasionally chunky artifacts. One thing most people forget is that many early Blu-rays, and even DVDs, were routinely boosted to give an impression of clarity that just doesn't hold up on larger screens nowadays... and when it's taken away, the more natural look almost requires an adjustment period. Anyway... the end result is a pleasingly consistent image, and one that's impressive even during the film's much less visually inventive first half. Depth, fine detail, strong black levels: these are all greatly improved with a supportive amount of film grain that's apparent but not intrusive, while only a handful of moments and the darkest black levels flatten out a bit. The picture simply looks great in-motion... better than what any screenshots can replicate, with excellent overall density that looks much closer to the film's early 1970s roots than ever before.

As for the color? It's much improved as well, with a much more natural appearance -- again, considering the subject matter -- that gets a nice boost from its tasteful HDR enhancement. It's easy to forget that almost the entire first half of Willy Wonka takes place outside the factory's hallowed halls, with much more muted and occasionally drab locales that still aren't without their share of vivid highlights: the colorful Wonka candy wrappers, Charlie's bright red scarf, and of course other clothing details as well as certain interior decorations. But once inside Wonka's world, all bets are off: from the first sight of the expansive Chocolate River Room to edible plant life (and tea cups), the LSD-fueled boat ride, the bubble machine, that horrific "human blueberry" transformation, and beyond, no shortage of eye-popping color details stand out for all the right reasons, while each comes through cleanly with only trace amounts of bleeding. It's a wonderfully dialed-in presentation that really lets loose at the right moments and, though not as tonally top-tier as Warner's HDR treatments of Beetlejuice or The Wizard of Oz (which seem like distant cousins of Willy Wonka, if you squint hard enough), plant this 4K disc pretty firmly in the "win" column. It's just good, solid work and a fine upgrade all around, so I can't imagine too many die-hard fans reacting to it with any real disappointment.

For our thoughts on the included Blu-ray (which again, is just a recycled disc rather than a 2K downscale of this brand-new restoration), please see our reviews of the previous discs. Geez, how lazy can a studio get?

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Although labeled as a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix (much like the previous Blu-rays) with no indication of any further restoration or remix efforts, it appears that this 4K's default audio offers an an improved surround presence and better bass response than the earlier version. It's still not a crystal-clear experience -- thanks to a few persistent problems with some of the original recordings, such as gauzy distortion and other signs of damage during a few song breaks -- but, for obvious reasons, this lossless track can be regarded as an overall improvement. However... once again, Warner Bros. has not included the original mono mix, one of their nasty audio habits that has persisted since the launch of the Blu-ray format. A simple one-channel track could have easily been added to the 4K's remaining disc space.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are included on both discs -- see above for the complete lists.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release ships in an eco-friendly keepcase with attractive new cover art and a faux glittery finish on the matching slipcover. A Digital Copy redemption slip is also tucked inside. The included extras are identical to all previous releases and can be found on the Blu-ray, although the the audio commentary is repeated on the 4K disc.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Inviting and kind of repulsive in equal measure, Mel Stuart's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is still a pretty fun ride 50 years after its theatrical release. There are plenty of great performances here -- including almost all of the child actors, which is rare -- and Gene Wilder's title role is one for the books. Its candy-colored production design makes this a natural fit for HDR-enhanced 4K, as Warner Bros.' Blu-ray was never a top-level effort even before it was re-issued several times. And while this combo pack certainly isn't a perfect package (still no original audio, and that same creaky old Blu-ray too), those currently equipped for 4K will find it to be a welcome upgrade worth picking up.