Last Fall, Beyond the Marquee was invited to a special WONKA fan event to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the film and got a chance to chat with some of the stars of the Oompa Loompa-laden production; Paris Themmen (Mike Teevee), Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt) and Denise Nickerson (Violet Beauregarde).  They shared stories, recapped their favorite moments and answered some burning questions from our fans on the current whereabouts of some of the key props and costumes from the film.

Earlier this month the world lost legendary director, producer and documentarian, Mel Stuart, at the age of 83. Stuart’s extensive film credits (over 180) included such works as the 1964 Oscar-nominated documentary about the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy entitled Four Days in November, the 1969 movie comedy If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, and the 1971 musical film adaptation of the psychedelic fantasy;  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from novelist Roald Dahl’s.  That film, retitled as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, would go on to become a cult classic for decades to follow.

Due to the holidays and a couple scheduling conflicts last year we never got around to airing the videos we shot we did with the Wonka kids. With the recent passing of Mel Stuart, we felt we owed it to him and his vast legion of fans to pull those interviews out of the BTM archives and finally show them.  Thanks to Mel Stuart and the entire cast of the film for supplying us with decades of memories filled with nothing but pure imagination.

Gene Wilder as legendary inventor and candyman; Willy Wonka

Own the 40th Anniversary of ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’, now on Blu-ray

Actor; Gene Wilder (L) and Director; Mel Stuart (R) share a fun moment off camera during the filming of ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ (1971)

Pure Imagination: The Making of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Mel Stuart with Josh Young. A compendium of facts, photos, film stills, and personal anecdotes concerning the creation of the movie Roger Ebert called “probably the best film of its sort since The Wizard of Oz.” Stuart explains the role Roald Dahl played in the film, who the candidates for the role of Willy Wonka were (besides Gene Wilder), how the whimsical set-from the chocolate river to Mike Teevee’s TV room-was created, what went into Violet Beauregarde’s blueberry costume and more. Stuart also provides an intriguing look at special effects in the pre-Spielbergian early 1970s, an overview of critics’ responses and a “where are they now” section.

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