I'm with him there, the second adaptation was closer to the book, but when it strayed, it strayed in WEIRD ways.

I call that one the Daddy Issues version.

I know, and I hate that because Gene Wilder is such an incredible actor, I've always wondered if Roald hating the movie made him sad at all.

Agreed! I grew up reading the original printing, so the movie confused me as a kid. I didn't realize until I researched it as an adult that they'd changed them twice, once into the hippies for the book, then into the orange guys for the movie.

I think that was the first edit, because the original printing I have, they aren't hippies.

Have you read the ORIGINAL original Charlie & The Chocolate Factory?