5. Willy Wonka - Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory
In the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the mysterious Willy Wonka is a character whose presence looms large long before he's ever actually seen. The entire world is caught up with the idea of getting a glimpse of his legendary chocolate factory and, of course, getting to meet Mr. Wonka himself. But when the day finally comes and the crowds are gathered outside his gates, they're a little disappointed by what they see. He appears to be a frail man, inching his way along a ceremonial carpet with the help of a cane. Is this really the wonderful amazing Willy Wonka? But then his cane gets stuck in a crack, and he falls into a perfectly executed somersault, waving and smiling at the audience. It's important that during the first experience seeing Mr Willy Wonka, he's intentionally misleading filmgoers. Because from that moment on, tgey're never really sure if he's telling the truth or not. They may see more of Wonka as the movie unfolds, but he remains almost as much of an enigma at the end of the film as he is at the beginning.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
