Akin to the lingering flavour of the best chocolate, Wonka continues to resonate at the UK box office. The Roald Dahl prequel has won over audiences via its sweet-natured message, entertaining characters and charming lead performance from Timothée Chalamet.
The Oscar-nominated actor plays chocolatier Willy Wonka when he is in the throes of becoming the world's greatest sweet-maker. Propelling Wonka on his way are several memorable songs from songwriter Neil Hannan (best known for The Divine Comedy) and composer Joby Talbot) and we've rounded up several of the earworms that we can't get out of our heads.
1. 'Pure Imagination'
One cannot have a Willy Wonka movie without the poignant anthem that defines him. Anthony Newley and Lesley Bricusse's resonant 'Pure Imagination' was originally crafted for the 1971 Gene Wilder movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and it's teased throughout Wonka in piecemeal fashion, anticipating the moment when the title character will fully realise his destiny.
2. 'A Hatful of Dreams'
The younger Wonka is a more idealistic character than his older counterpart (played variously by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp). The exuberant 'A Hatful of Dreams' is effectively the character's stage intro song, resounding with optimistic energy as he arrives in the undefined European town that's being held hostage by a chocolate 'cartel' to turn it around and inspire people's lives.
3. 'For a Moment'
The relationship between Chalamet's Wonka and Calah Lane's orphan Noodle lies at the heart of the movie. One of the movie's most inspiring sequences is the zoo scene, which cements their bond as Noodle vows to help Wonka get his chocolate-making ambitions off the ground. Hannan and Talbot's sweeping, emotional 'For a Moment' is a fine throwback piece, soaring in the manner of the film's characters as they fly high with their balloons.
4. 'You've Never Had Chocolate Like This'
This is one of the key musical building blocks in the story, first appearing when Wonka demonstrates his (literally) airy 'hoverchocs' to an awed crowd. However, the song only properly takes flight later in the movie was Wonka starts to put the chocolate-making pieces into place, and the piece's rhythmic energy is well-matched by Chalamet's exuberant choreography.
5. 'A World of Your Own'
There are echoes of The Beatles in this infectious and jazzy arrangement, which occurs when Wonka opens his prototype factory. The song fully captures the thrill and joy that only chocolate can induce, and it speaks to the inner-child inside all of the adults who attend the building's marvellous opening ceremony.
In the mood for more musicals this year? We've got two coming up at Cineworld: the totally fetch Mean Girls (released January 17th) and the moving The Color Purple (released January 23rd). Click the links below to book your tickets.
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