Wonka: How 'Pure Imagination' Was Revamped and Why

The Evolution of 'Pure Imagination'

Wonka features a revised version of Gene Wilder's 'Pure Imagination,' with the director and music producer explaining the creative decision. A prequel to Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and a companion piece to the 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory movie, the latest iteration explores how Willy Wonka (Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet) came to develop his chocolate factory and his overall fascination as a chocolatier.

Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka dancing on the stairs of the factory in front of the kids and their parents

A prequel to Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and a companion piece to the 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory movie, the latest iteration explores how Willy Wonka (Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet) came to develop his chocolate factory and his overall fascination as a chocolatier. Along the way, it honors prior movies by including nods, such as Wilder's iconic song, which plays at the end of Wonka. However, it's a revised version with brand-new lyrics.

In an interview with the LA Times, director and co-writer Paul King and songwriter Neil Hannon spoke about why 'Pure Imagination' is different in Wonka. King elaborated on how Wonka helped make Noodle's (Calah Lane) dream come true by assisting her in finding out about her family. He felt that the ending that played the song resonated with Wilder's emotions in the 1971 version. Hannon then explained the latter half of the song, which deviates from the melancholy and is more uplifting.

King: So much of what the movie is about is when Willy is able to make dreams come true. Noodle is somebody who is wise and clever, but she lost the ability to believe that good things can happen. He\u2019s happy as can be for her, but he\u2019s also saying goodbye to her and sending her off. That bittersweet sensation is part of what made the 1971 version great \u2014 Gene Wilder with tears in his eyes as he\u2019s looking around, and you never quite know why \u2014 and those same emotions worked beautifully for our story as well.

Hannon: Chordally, it\u2019s a vast simplification, but I wanted it to sound a bit more contemporary. We needed to do repetitive, straight chords over a shuffling beat, and build to the big finish.

The Revised 'Pure Imagination'

The original 'Pure Imagination' is a song introduced in the middle of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. As the children are first introduced to the factory, Wonka slowly eases them into his work with a slow and oddly paced song filled with repetition. There is an odd march that starts and stops at seemingly random points. Wilder sings with the sense of a building gloominess as he prepares to retire and pass on his life's work.

The Wonka version revamps the song by adding a more positive tone to Willy's sinking one. Unlike the original Wilder performance, Chalamet is singing with the knowledge that Wonka has already achieved everything he has been fighting for. He manages to reunite Noodle with her mother, and he has a long and prosperous career ahead of him with his newly built chocolate factory and partnership with the Oompa Loompa. There is no need for testing children, so Wonka can laugh and celebrate as the song continues. As a result, his confidence is much more pronounced than in the original.

The lyrics have also changed, welcoming a sense of trepidation and urging a connection through friendship and love. The movie adjusts the words specifically to suit the movie's themes, as it becomes more of a celebration than Wilder's initially dry and uneasy delivery. Some lines stay the same, such as the assurance that anyone can change the world. That is a sign of the homage that the Wonka soundtrack makes to Wilder's 'Pure Imagination,' while still adding a new meaning and a different tone to the iconic song.

Source: LA Times

The Creative Decisions

The revised version of 'Pure Imagination' in Wonka not only adds a positive tone to the iconic song but also reflects the character development and storyline of Willy Wonka. The changes in the lyrics and the music serve to align the song with the themes and emotions of the latest iteration of the story.

The interview with director Paul King and songwriter Neil Hannon sheds light on the thought process behind the revamp. King emphasized the significance of making dreams come true in the movie, particularly in the context of Noodle's character. He highlighted the bittersweet sensation that resonated from the 1971 version and how it beautifully worked for their story as well.

Hannon, on the other hand, discussed the musical aspect of the revamp, focusing on the chordal simplification and the contemporary sound they aimed to achieve. The decision to build the song to a big finish reflects the celebratory and uplifting nature of the movie's themes.