Last night, my 4-year-old son and I watched the original Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory from 1971. (Coincidentally, it was re-released today on Blu-ray!) I had forgotten that the tunnel scene is so deeply dark and psychedelic. Of course Wonka’s poem, below, is amazing, but my favorite line from that part is spoken by Violet Beauregarde: “What is this, a freak out?” Hell yes it is. At one point, I asked my son if he was scared and he calmly responded, “No, because I’m not in that tunnel.”
There’s no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going.
There’s no knowing where we’re rowing
Or which way the river’s flowing.
Is it raining?
Is it snowing?
Is a hurricane a blowing?Not a speck of light is showing
so the danger must be growing.
Are the fires of hell a glowing?
Is the grisly reaper mowing?
Yes! The danger must be growing
For the rowers keep on rowing.
And they’re certainly not showing
any signs that they are slowing!