The Oompa-Loompas were the workers at Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, who were imported by Willy Wonka direct from Loompaland.
In the early edition of the novel, they are shown as African pygmies. Following criticism, in later editions of the book, they are white-skinned and golden hair.[1]
They come from Loompaland, which is a region of Loompa, a small isolated island in the hangdoodles.
When Mr. Wonka went to Loompaland and saw the terrible conditions in which the Oompa Loompas were living, he invited them to come and work at his factory to get away from the terrible country they inhabited and the creatures that preyed on them: namely, the Whangdoodles, the Hornswogglers, and the Snozzwangers.
In the book, the Oompa Loompas are the only people Mr. Wonka will allow to work in his factory, because of the risk of industrial espionage committed by his candy-making rivals. They are only knee-high, with astonishing haircuts, and are paid in their favorite food, cocoa beans, which were difficult to find in Loompaland. Although the Oompa Loompas initially spoke only their own language, Oompa-Loompish (which Mr. Wonka was fortunately fluent in), they all now spoke English. However, the Oompa Loompas insisted on retaining their native clothing: men wore skins and women wore leaves, while the children wore nothing at all. (In both movies, they wore typical factory worker uniforms.)
Only the male Oompa-Loompas are seen working in the factory, though in Quentin Blake's illustrations, both male and female Oompa-Loompas are shown rolling away Violet Beauregarde after her transformation into a blueberry. Presumably, the females remain in the village seen briefly from the Great Glass Elevator.
They are also mischievous, love practical funny jokes, and singing. As each child makes his/her exit, they sing disparative songs accompanied by a drum beat.
- In the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, they are portrayed as orange-skinned characters with green hair and white eyebrows and were portrayed by Rudy Borgstaller, George Claydon, Malcolm Dixon, Rusty Goffe, Ismed Hassan, Norman McGlen, Angelo Muscat, Pepe Poupee, Marcus Powell, and Albert Wilkinson. In the film, Vermicious Knids were also the Oompa-Loompas' enemies alongside the Whangdoodles, Hornswogglers, and Snozzwangers.
- In the 2005 film adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Johnny Depp, the Kenyan actor Deep Roy played all 165 Oompa Loompas. Deep Roy had to take Pilates and dance classes for this role which involves numerous songs and dances. Also, he was dressed as some female Oompa-Loompas that worked in the administration offices.
- In the 2023 film Wonka, the Oompa-Loompas are portrayed identically to how they are in the 1971 film, the only difference being their size is more akin to the book and 2005 film. The only Oompa-Loompa to make a full appearance in the film was Lofty, as portrayed by Hugh Grant, who became Willy Wonka’s ally and the first factory worker for Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.
Oompa Loompa team (2005-2006)[]
The Oompa Loompa team promotion picture
Back in 2005, the official Charlie and the chocolate factory page on Warner brothers site (got removed in 2006 and got replaced by the movies trailer and reviews) had a option called "teams" (along with some games on flash) Each team had a competition that ends in 2006 in which the most followers in each golden ticket winners teams would be the favourited character out of society. The Oompa Loompa team design includes 5 Oompa Loompas with 4 of them having red jumpsuits with red skin with white shine meanwhile the Oompa Loompa in the middle is wearing a black jumpsuit with jet black skin with white shine. The Oompa Loompa's had 872,595 followers in their team in late 2006 until the Charlie and the chocolate factory page got taken down. This is what their welcome page says: "Join the ranks of the Oompa Invasion! The other teams don't know their snozzwanger from their whangdoodle. Only one team has the know-how and the team spirit to get the job done! There's strength in numbers, so grab some friends and join the invasion!". The Oompa Loompa team won 1st place in the competition!
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- In the book, there were female and young Oompa Loompa's and also mostly male and a few female Oompa Loompas in the 2005 adaptation, but in the 1971 adaptation, there were only male Oompa Loompas.
- Due to a competition that happened in 2005-2006, the Oompa Loompas are considered to be the favourited Charlie and the chocolate factory character known to society! You go Oompa Loompas!
References[]
External links[]
- Oompa-Loompa on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Wiki
- Oompa-Loompa Songs at the website of the NationCHNEal Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
- Official Oompa–Loompa Songbook - Roalddahlfans.com
- Politically Correct Oompa–Loompa Evolution - Roalddahlfans.com
- Charlie: Back to the Factory - https://www.youtube.com/user/TheReportOfTheWeek
