Wonkavision

We had a good time tonight at the Journey Fellowship Drive In Movie. Willy Wonka is a singularly unique movie. I don't really know anything else like it. In some ways it's a morality play. It's a musical with some of the most memorable melodies. It's incredibly sentimental, yet somehow never becomes cheesy.

Maybe the key is Gene Wilder's genius presentation of Wonka, which is as crazy as his Frankenstein, yet simultaneously much more scary and lovable. On his own he would seem obsessive and spiteful. But surrounded by the likes of Veronica Salt, he's positively a humanitarian.

The structure of the movie is also fascinating. The introduction takes about 45 minutes, and Wilder doesn't appear in person till the second half of the movie. Once he does, things moves so fast, and you don't know the way the river's flowing.

Life should be more like Willy Wonka, sentimental, unpredictable, scary, and loving.