5 Great Moments from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the iconic 1971 film featuring Gene Wilder at his zany best in the titular role, is easily one of the most humorously thought-provoking movies of its generation. Chock-full of tongue in cheek social commentary, outlandish comedic stunts and a chocolate vat of unforgettable Oompa Loompa action, it's hard to pick just a few great moments, but here are five of the very best, in no particular order.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory great moment #1: Charlie's golden discovery. Okay, so it's completely contrived; I mean, how utterly unlikely is it that destitute Charlie would find money in the street, buy a couple of Wonka bars and then wham, news of a fraudulent fifth ticket breaks not even two minutes later? Only in fiction. But still, it's heartwarming to see the downtrodden nice-guy catch a break. (That and it's an essential plot element. If Charlie fails to find a ticket, he doesn't visit the factory, doesn't meet Willy Wonka... bad news.)

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory great moment #2: That first glimpse of the Wonka factory. It's a deserted, gothic Disneyland, complete with an intimidating black wrought iron fence and a lonely sign that silently blinks out W-O-N-K-A in dull white lights. It's everything that a candy factory shouldn't be, which gives it that fabulously forbidden air. Oh, and the creepy guy with the cart full of knives and the freaky-deaky speech just adds to the bizarre sense of foreboding.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory great moment #3: Worth his weight in chocolate? It's an ancillary little side bit intended to show just how gaga folks are over those elusive golden tickets and is easily overlook-able, but it's 45 seconds of pure hilarity. A soap opera-animated woman desperate for her husband's return from the hands of kidnappers promises to exchange anything at all - anything! - to get him back. However, she changes her tune when they crooks ask for her case of Wonka bars. Oh, what to do? A moment of greatness for any woman who's silently contemplated swapping her hubby for a Coach bag or some Jimmy Choos.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory great moment #4: The Oompa Loompas' first moralizing sing-along. Although many (many) more followed, the little orange guys' first-ever musical foray, brought on by gluttonous Augustus Gloop's unfortunate trip through the river fudge and up into a giant tube, is perhaps the best of the bunch. After all, how shocking is it to see a bunch of previously silent little worker bees bust into random song? Defintely a 'what the dooce?'! moment to remember.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory great moment #5: The birth of Blueberry Head. Gum-obsessed Violet Beauregard really has it coming when she steals a piece of super-duper flavor-changing gum, going against Wonka's half-hearted requests that she stop. I bust a gut laughing every time she swells into a giant, succulent blueberry and a team of singing Oompa Loompas roll her away for her just desserts: A hearty juicing.

There you have 'em: Five great moments from the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Hankering for more tidbits? Stay tuned for volume two!