‘Mountains of Manila’ mentioned in ‘Wonka’

Particularly, the Philippine capital was mentioned as among the sources of an ingredient of one of Wonka’s special concoctions, the Hair Repair Éclair.

“Lost your hair? Can’t think quite where? Feeling fairly bare up there? Don’t despair! Wonka’s prepared! Behold his hair repair eclair. Made from ground vanilla, from the mountains of Manila, it includes a single drop of yeti sweat which will prompt full, thick growth. Try mixing it with chameleon juice for even more colorful results!” the Hair Repair Éclair was described in a statement.

Although Manila does not really have any known mountains, it is surrounded by mountains from its neighboring provinces, including Mount Daraitan in Rizal, Batulao in Batangas and Manalmon in Bulacan.

Manila also rhymes with “vanilla,” which is probably why it has been chosen to be part of the lyrics.

Besides Hair Repair Éclair, here are the other sweets to catch as one watches “Wonka” now showing in Philippine cinemas, including IMAX:

• Hoverchoc: A marvelous morsel, an incredible edible, the Hoverchoc is an exotic combination of purest Wonka chocolate, marshmallow (from the mallow-marshes of Peru), caramel (salted with the bitter-sweet tears of a Russian Clown) and cherry (cherry-picked by the pick of the cherry pickers in the Imperial Gardens of Japan.) But the real secret lies at the center: a microscopic hover-fly that beats its wings so powerfully it allows the consumer to float. After 20 minutes, the hover-fly will tire and exit through the rear.
• Silver Lining: Made of condensed thunder clouds and liquid sunlight, the Silver Lining helps you see that faint ray of hope beyond the shadow of despair. Side effects may include saying the word “huh” more often than normal.
• Big Night Out: A single chocolate that mimics a night on the town. The outer layer is champagne truffle. Then comes white wine, followed by red. That’s when the singing and dancing starts. Next is a layer of whisky fudge (which may prompt deep emotions and reckless behavior), followed by some old port which prompts a deep lasting sleep. A tiny aspirin at the center of the chocolate fizzes on the tongue causing the victim / consumer to wake up with a strange aftertaste of shame and regret, but come five o’clock they will want to do it all over again.
• Giraffe Milk Macaroon: Made with the distilled milk of a giraffe, this macaroon will restore your zeal and make you feel the tallest in the room. Say farewell to feeling small, and frightened of it all. With Wonka’s Giraffe Milk Macaroon, you’ll feel 10 feet tall!
• Forty Second Sweet: This little marvel – known colloquially as the Broadway Choc – will make you break into song and dance. Share it with your friends and soon your whole life will be like a perfectly choreographed Broadway Show!
• Acacia Mint: Along with a good scratch behind the ears, nothing soothes the inquisitive soul of Abigail the Giraffe – or puts her in a more generous mood – like a handful of Willy Wonka’s Acacia Mints.
• The Wonka Bar: Every year for his birthday, Willy’s Mamma gave him a single bar of chocolate, lovingly secured in a homemade wrapper. Willy has saved the last bar of Mamma’s Chocolate, until the moment when he fulfills his promise to her, that one day he would share their chocolate with the world. A lucky few may find a golden ticket hidden within.

“Wonka,” starring Chalamet as the beloved chocolate maker, is the perfect Christmas movie. Based on the extraordinary character at the center of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” Roald Dahl’s most iconic children’s book and one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, “Wonka” tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.

To make sure he does the iconic character of Willy Wonka justice, Chalamet worked hard in preparation for the role, especially for the singing and dancing bits. “I had a lot of singing and vocal training with our head of the music department, the British James Taylor, not the other James Taylor,” shared the actor. “Also, there was a lot of dance training with Chris Gattelli, a fellow New Yorker and a fantastic choreographer. Then, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition. It was smart, because by the time the movie started, the physical stamina was there.”

According to Chalamet, who has worked on action films like “Dune,” “Wonka” was the most physically challenging project he has ever worked on.

“This was every scene. There’s the enthusiasm of the character coupled with the fact that there isn’t a scene that’s really static. That’s not only great for the story, but it was also a great lesson as an actor. I was grateful to have that run up because of the shape I was able to get into.”

“Wonka” is an intoxicating mix of magic and music, mayhem and emotion, all told with fabulous heart and humor. Starring Chalamet in the title role, this irresistibly vivid and inventive big screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time — proving that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.

Directed by Paul King, with a screenplay he co-wrote with Simon Farnaby, the film was produced by David Heyman, Alexandra Derbyshire and Luke Kelly.

Starring alongside Chalamet are Calah Lane (“The Day Shall Come”), Emmy and Peabody Award winner Keegan-Michael Key (“The Prom,” “Schmigadoon”), Paterson Joseph (“Vigil,” “Noughts + Crosses”), Matt Lucas (“Paddington,” “Little Britain”), Mathew Baynton (“The Wrong Mans,” “Ghosts”), Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins (“The Shape of Water,” the “Paddington” films, “Spencer”), Rowan Atkinson (the “Johnny English” and “Mr. Bean” films, “Love Actually”), Jim Carter (“Downton Abbey”), with Oscar winner Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”). The film also stars Natasha Rothwell (“White Lotus,” “Insecure”), Rich Fulcher (“Marriage Story,” “Disenchantment”), Rakhee Thakrar (“Sex Education,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral”), Tom Davis (“Paddington 2,” “King Gary”) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (“Paddington 2,” “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” “Mary Poppins Returns”). — Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo