From sfgate.com...
BURTON TRAINS UP SQUIRRELS FOR WONKA FILM
Director Tim Burton has spent six months training 200 squirrels for a scene in his latest movie, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
The original 1971 movie didn't include any animals, but the eccentric filmmaker was so desperate to create the "nut room" from Roald Dahl's original novel, he spent millions of dollars teaching the bushy-tailed rodents how to crack nuts and load them onto a conveyor belt.
The painstaking scene took another 10 weeks to shoot at London's Pinewood Studios.
A source says, "We used actual rodents. From birth, we sent them to training school for six months.
"Tim was determined to bring the nut room to life. Using squirrels proved too difficult in the first film but he spent millions of dollars getting it right."
He also created an 80-foot chocolate waterfall and a chocolate river for the movie, which stars Burton's fiancee Helena Bonham Carter and Hollywood hunk Johnny Depp.
BURTON TRAINS UP SQUIRRELS FOR WONKA FILM
Director Tim Burton has spent six months training 200 squirrels for a scene in his latest movie, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
The original 1971 movie didn't include any animals, but the eccentric filmmaker was so desperate to create the "nut room" from Roald Dahl's original novel, he spent millions of dollars teaching the bushy-tailed rodents how to crack nuts and load them onto a conveyor belt.
The painstaking scene took another 10 weeks to shoot at London's Pinewood Studios.
A source says, "We used actual rodents. From birth, we sent them to training school for six months.
"Tim was determined to bring the nut room to life. Using squirrels proved too difficult in the first film but he spent millions of dollars getting it right."
He also created an 80-foot chocolate waterfall and a chocolate river for the movie, which stars Burton's fiancee Helena Bonham Carter and Hollywood hunk Johnny Depp.
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Seattle
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Re: Trained squirrels!
Tue, April 26, 2005 - 10:05 AMIT'S ABOUT TIME! It just isn't the same without the squirrels!
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Re: Trained squirrels!
Tue, April 26, 2005 - 10:16 AMAnybody care to take bets on their being atleast one post in this tribe saying Burton messed up the "re-make" because he used squirrels instead of geese??
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Unsu...
Re: Trained squirrels!
Tue, April 26, 2005 - 11:41 AMI think that's amazing, and Tim Burton has done so many great films that I think we owe him a chance atleast.
Remember the remake for "The Shining"?
Words cannot describe how awful that movie was, but it was done because Stephen King hated the original so much! Everyone has their vision.
We're all for Wonka. The original was amazing, and I think we're all going to be beside ourselves with oompa loopa love.
So would everyone please shut up about remakes and pass the popcorn? -
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Unsu...
Re: Trained squirrels!
Tue, April 26, 2005 - 11:58 AMI agree whole heartedly. Like it has been said before, it's not really a "remake", it's another interpretation, and I can't wait to see it. -
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Re: Trained squirrels!
Tue, April 26, 2005 - 5:12 PM
Hmmm....I was going to suggest that perhaps Mr. Burton should have left "Chocolate Factory" alone and done the sequel "The Great Glass Elevator"....
but as much as I love both books, I can understand wanting to tackle "Factory".
T. -
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Unsu...
Re: Trained squirrels!
Tue, April 26, 2005 - 5:40 PMOkay Terry...that was a good idea...damn! Maybe we can convince him :) -
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Unsu...
Re: Trained squirrels!
Tue, April 26, 2005 - 5:48 PMThat is a marvel idea. Why didn't I think of that?
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Re: Trained squirrels!
Fri, July 15, 2005 - 8:25 AMI wish I could drag myself out to see it. I love Johnny and Burton, so I'm torn, but I am so obsessed with the cheese and wonder of the original, I just can't do it. I'd feel like I need a shower, I think. Or like orange haired Oompa Loompas would break into my house and jump on my beds and steal my underpants.
Maybe I'll go in disguise.........................
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Re: Trained squirrels!
Tue, June 21, 2005 - 9:06 AMThat is amazing. Sounds like this is going to be one heck of a production. BTW, I thought the Glass Elevator theory was the way they were going to go with this too. Maybe that is what they're planning to do since we all know this one is going to be a real hit.
