The 15 Beats of a Film

Gene Wilder (1933-2016) as Wonka.

Every film has unique aspects (The good ones, at least), but most stories follow the same basic rudimentary structure that can be characterized as the '15 Beats'. In honor of the comedic legend, Gene Wilder (RIP), I'
ve decided to use Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Paramount, 1971) as my example.

The Opening Image of Wonka features a machine churning chocolate. The image goes hand in hand with the theme- that, more or less, that the little things make life great. After the credits, which feature an elaborate chocolate making process in the background, we are introduced to Charlie Bucket, a young boy who maintains his hopes and dreams despite the crushing adversity of his family's current financial situation.

Charlie Bucket finds a
Golden Ticket

The catalyst is introduced fairly early in the pictures. Willy Wonka, regarded as the greatest 'chocolateer', and also a shut-in, has placed five golden tickets into various candy-bars around the world. Charlie, extremely hopeful at the prospect of getting both a tour of Wonka's factory (The lifetime supply of chocolate is a bonus, too) and buys, with what little money he has acquired, two candy bars, neither of which contain a Golden Ticket. Charlie debates buying more candy, and accidentally stumbles across the last ticket in the entire world. He decides to take his eccentric and optimistic grandpa, Joe, with him to Wonka's factory, but not before the B story is introduced. Arthur Slugworth, a rival businessman attempts to bribe Charlie and the other children to give him an 'everlasting gobstopper' so he can discover the secret formula. 

The big day rolls around, and the five lucky winners and their chaperones visit the factory, which features a series of lush and extravagant rooms- with one parent commenting that it is a 'fun house'. Our fun and games continue, eventually leading to our midpoint- where Augustus Gloop, an overweight German child, becomes stuck in a pipe after falling into a chocolate river. (If you've never seen this before, this must sound quite alarming). The Bad Guys Close In, but in this film, there's a bit of a twist. Each child represents some element of greed, and ultimately their treachery is shown as they one by one succumb to their greed and lose out on the prospect of winning the Grand Prize. 

The Glass Elevator

Charlie is the last man standing, but All is Lost Wonka says he is disqualified for drinking the Fizzy Lifting drinks after Wonka specifically told them not to. Charlie regrets his decision, his 'Dark night of the soul moment', and prepares to leave empty handed, but first he returns the Gobstopper. Wonka then reveals that Sluggworth was a plant to test the children's loyalties, and congratulates Charlie for winning not only the chocolate, but also his entire factory. The Finale is quite epic, Wonka and co travel through a glass elevator into the ceiling, revealing the city, which is our final image.