The Oompa Loompas may have a very controversial book origin, but they’re very lovable in the 1971 film. While they were featured in the remake with Johnny Depp, those Oompa Loompas don’t hold a candle to these legendary little people.

The book and both movies basically suggest that Willy Wonka found these guys in the jungle somewhere and asked them to come to his factory to be a new team of trusted workers. Instead of paying the Oompa Loompas with cash, they take sugar and candy instead. Even though it’s what they prefer, it is a little weird if you think about it too hard. But it is a tale of fantasy and not reality…

And when a little kid messes up at the factory, they immediately think and make up a song to add further humiliation to the spoiled brat that earned their fate.

Every single song is fantastic too. I can’t remember if the songs are in the book or not, but a musical number really does best on the Silver Screen… not on paper.

It does make me wonder if the dwarf actors enjoyed being the Oompa Loompas and/or the paycheck. Hopefully the face paint they had on them was more biologically safe than what they put on the Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz.