Gene Wilder deserves an honorary Oscar...

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory is one of the worst adaptations of book to film ever made.

Updated On: 11/5/15 at 05:01 PM

I can't agree strongly enough.

His performances in YF and Willy Wonka are iconic and inimitable (sorry Johnny Depp).

And don't forget Stir Crazy and Silver Streak, 2 more classics.

We bad We bad

Not to mention that as an adaptation it's miles better than the Johnny Depp/Tim Burton disaster from a few years back.

I would totally support Wilder getting an honorary Oscar. He's given some of the funniest film performances I've ever seen, and has a unique gift of overplaying everything without simply mugging or becoming grating.

"I'm wet! I'm hysterical and I'm wet!"

Gene Wilder is the best. I've been a fan since I was a kid and first saw Willy Wonka. Then my mom introduced me to Silver Streak, which is kind of a silly movie but I really enjoyed it even at a young age and watched it multiple times (and to this day, train travel is inextricably linked to that movie in my mind).

But as much as I love Willy Wonka, I love the Tim Burton version even more. It's funnier, darker, and more faithful to the source.

I disagree with the idea that "being true to the original" makes something inherently better, especially in reference to Tim Burton's utterly misguided and joyless adaptation featuring one of the most unnecessarily studied performances I've seen. Wilder was perfect, and quite dark in a much more interesting and subtler way than Depp, in the original film.

His performance in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is one of the greats.

ray-andallthatjazz86 said: "I disagree with the idea that "being true to the original" makes something inherently better,

It doesn't. Actually, its faithfulness to the novel has nothing to do with my love for the film, so I'm not sure why I said that. I just think it's hilarious and wonderful, but I understand I'm very much in the minority on this one.

wonderfulwizard11 said: "I would totally support Wilder getting an honorary Oscar. He's given some of the funniest film performances I've ever seen, and has a unique gift of overplaying everything without simply mugging or becoming grating.

What's so amazing is how he can play broadly and subtly at the same time, to hilarious, often subversive effect. Check out the Willy Wonka scene where he is stroking Mike Teevee's hair so tenderly but with such intensity that it's lascivious, giving his whole performance and the entire movie a wicked subtext. Brilliant!

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Technology...you gotta love it!

Updated On: 11/9/15 at 12:12 PM

On a sidenote, anyone see the Wonka children reunion on the Today show?

He was underestimated for his great comic timing. He has made some of the funniest films in film history.His role in Silver Streak was a classic

But he was clearly adored and in his latter interviews it seems he was aware of that, at least.

I hope he could feel the love- he deserved to.