Alice in Wonderland

Rating:
Summary: Neither "Awful" nor "Brilliant"; ulltimately too dull
Review: ...but most definitely strange, haunting, beautiful, boring, cold, cerebral, humorless, and disjointed. I am a longtime admirer of Jonathan Miller, going way back to an LP we had of his comedy team, "Beyond the Fringe"(hilarious pre-Monty Python skit humor) and his series aired on PBS in the late 70s, "The Body In Question", dealing with various aspects of human psychology and physiogomy in history and the present day. Miller is an extremely bright, enthusiastic man who is also-I feel unfortunately-a bit of an intellectual snob-the kind who firmly eschews anything "cute", "sentimental" or "sweet". Well, so do I-but I also love Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass", and I was disappointed in the way Miller directed this BBC hour long film, circa 1966. God knows "Alice" has been done to death in the most excrucuating fashion(No, I couldn't sit through that thing with Ann Jillian as the Queen of Hearts, produced by-wasn't it Alan Carr?!), bastardized and played around with with no understanding of the essential mood or appeal of the original stories. But Miller, while making some really wonderful decisions--the black and white cinematography, the use of victorian, abandoned-looking, frequently decrepit locations(preceding but startlingly like the work of The Brothers Quay in the 80s), the direction of some of the actors--also errs in going way too far in the other, non-Disneyesque direction. The result is frankly boring after about 20 minutes-and keep in mind I'm a really die-hard Alice 'scholar'. This is a curiousity, not a "masterpiece". The style, which is an attempt to get the "feel" of a real dream, is just off-putting after the novelty wears off. Unlike other reviewers here, I don't think the young actress playing Alice is bad, but she was apparently directed NEVER to make eye contact with any of the other characters, and while it does indeed give the impression of a sleepwalker-who wants to watch a sleepwalker for 60 minutes? There's an audio track of Miller narrating the film, and while as I say I love the guy, he gives himself way too much credit for his very basic interpretation here(I mean, okay, he didn't force the actors to wear animal costumes, great-but I do NOT agree with his contention that the characters in the book really *aren't* meant to be animals at all).

Also, while I like Ravi Shankar's sitar music enought to own at least one of his CDs, I could have dispensed with its use as the score-the SOLE score-for this film(supposedly "referencing the Raj"-come on!). It unfortunately gives the thing the mood of an acid trip, rather than a haunting fantasy. In sum-Alice fans and lovers of experimental cinema-definitely check this out. Others: it's a less than even chance you'll be glad if you buy or even rent it.

Rating:
Summary: A BRILLIANT ALICE
Review: Despite what a previous long winded, word regurgitating review said, the cast and direction is phenomenal, AS is the girl who plays Alice. Of all the Alice interpretations I have seen, this girl was the first to have the bored, world weary attitude that fits so perfectly in this film and in the book. FURTHERMORE, the cover art on this dvd is appalling, AND you will spot Monty Python's Eric Idle as an extra in the trial scene.

Rating:
Summary: A VERY odd version of Alice in Wonderland
Review: If you are expecting a light cartoon version of Alice and Wonderland, you won't get it with this.

This is one of the wierdest versions of the story I have seen yet. It is somewhere between a dream and a nightmare. The story flows like a dream where scenes jump from one spot to another in a sort of almost episodic flow. This version is also a satire of the British aristocracy and culture.

This was made for the BBC as a Christmas special in 1966.

The soundtrack is by Ravi Shankar. The cast is composed of some of the best known names of British comedy and theatre. Among the cast Peter Cook plays the Mad Hatter, Peter Sellers is the King of Hearts, But the real scene stealer is Leo McKern as the Duchess(!).

All in all, this is a pretty dark version of the story. It is also one of the more "British".

The British release also has an 8 minute silent version from 1903, director's comentary, production stills and cast bios. The American release may have more or less of these things.

Rating:
Summary: Curiouser and Curiouser...
Review: In Lewis Carroll's original work, Alice is a charming, witty and precocious 7-year old, engaging in sparkling point-counter-point exchanges with all manner of strange characters and situations as she wanders from one scene to another, not always predictably and not always to her liking or desire. This reviewer is unfamiliar with Victorian English society of the period, but surely these encounters are brilliantly realized satire, the animal characters selected to portray various characteristics of the nobility and commoners.

So it should be no surprise that this low-budget (£32,000 and a 6-week shooting schedule) 72-minute BBC B&W production is done with all live actors, no animation, yet is faithful to the book. . Quoting from the enclosed folder, "...there was no script; Miller (the director) simply typed out the dialogue from Carroll's book each day and presented it to the cast on the set, and after a few rehearsals, they would do a take." Principal characters are portrayed in human form in Victorian period costume, making full utilization of the Tenniel illustrations where possible. For example, the white rabbit (Wilfred Brambell in an outstanding portrayal) is a fussily dressed, brisk-gaited English gentleman with pocket watch, top hat, braided uniform with tails, bow-tie, white gloves, and a white fan. Alice's dress and hair style is perfectly realized.

Some of the key scenes are shortened. For example, the pool of tears leading to the caucus race (to dry off) was created by a giant Alice crying in frustration, not shown, so the sudden appearance of water is confusing. The recitation of Father Williams to the Caterpillar (an excellent Michael Redgrave) was regrettably truncated to only a verse or so. And when the Duchess throws Alice the squalling brat, it is not completely clear that the brat became a piglet only after she received it. Only someone thoroughly familiar with the original work would be able to fill in the blanks in such cases.

Another aspect of this production is the use of voice-over whispered thoughts and recitations to convey various poems, conversations with the Cheshire Cat, or Alice speaking or musing in dream conversations where her lips don't move. One must strain very hard to pick up the gist of many of these whisperings (reviewing helps), which detracts from the viewing experience. Perhaps the audio recording equipment of that day wasn't up to the job. Or more likely the diction of the persons doing the voice-overs wasn't up to the task. Yet this reviewer finally realized on subsequent viewings and after being initially annoyed, that these whisperings are an innovative way of conveying in an efficient manner elements of the book not otherwise expressed. In retrospect and because of devices like this, a surprising amount of Carroll's original work survives.

Among the best scenes are Peter Cook (superb!) as the Mad Hatter, and Leo McKern (absolutely fantastic as the Duchess!) with Avril Elgar (superb) as the Peppercook in the kitchen scene right out of the Tenniel drawings. Other characters include Michael Gough as the March Hare, Wilfred Lawson as the Dormouse, Peter Sellers as the King of Hearts, John Gielgud as the Mock Turtle, Malcolm Muggeridge as the Gryphon, John Bird as the frog footman (his performance gets progressively better with each viewing!), and a huge supporting cast of lesser players. Most characterizations are admirable, though the Queen of Hearts (Alison Leggatt, who does a pretty good job) was not quite the intimidating and threatening dominatrix this reviewer remembers. And the Cheshire Cat - alas - what a hokey disappointment! Why wasn't this crucial character portrayed by an actor just as all the other characters were?

Yet all the brilliance of this cast is barely sufficient to rescue the production from its' major and near-fatal flaw. Regrettably the young actress playing Alice (Anne-Marie Mallik) was not up to this most difficult central role, and almost succeeds in sinking the entire production. This Alice is by turns a snotty, sullen, blasé, and detached (11-year-old) girl. The director never seems to get enough of having interminable full-face close-ups of her filling the entire screen or major portions thereof, whose visage is devoid of expression or reaction and during which, little if anything else happens to advance the rest of the story. (Meanwhile all this precious screen time goes down the tubes when it could have been used so profitably elsewhere! Aarrgggghhhh!) Lewis Carroll, whose whole focus revolved around Alice, must surely have turned over in his grave.

This work was done for BBC. Using color video-tape was rejected by the director because he felt B&W camera work would better simulate a daguerreotype atmosphere characteristic of the Victorian period. (This writer's opinion is that having the Wonderland portions in color with a younger and better considered Alice, and a better Cheshire Cat, would have made this production a major classic.) Repeated viewings led this reviewer to have a progressively higher regard. Indeed, this is THE definitive version! The excellence of the satire; the cleverness of the word-play; the care the director lavished on effects and his dedication to the letter and spirit of the original work; and the highly concentrated information density (when one is not viewing Alice's complexion, that is) make this a mandatory experience for mature Lewis Carroll fans and the mature intellectually curious person. (Others need not apply.)

The DVD is well packaged in a quality case, with an enclosed three-page folder giving an interesting history of the production. Production values of picture and sound are exactly as the director intended. An optional informative voice-over commentary track by the director is also provided, as are an (un-previewed) still scene gallery and a 1903 film production.

Rating:
Summary: I found this to be rather poor
Review: It seems I stand alone in not liking this version of Alice in Wonderland. Having read the book, I know what is happening, yet I feel people not exactly fimilar with the story (Disney's version isnt good enough)would find it dry and lacking in a good solid story persay. Things are very quickly jumped into, and hardly any lines on the part of Alice. She is compleltly out of it and stares blankly off into space most of the time. Over all I found this version of Alice lacking and dull.

Rating:
Summary: Most bizarre Alice I've seen
Review: My brother and I have been searching for a black and white version of Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass that we saw on television as children in the 70's and was hoping this might be it. Alas, it was not.

Instead, what I found was probably the most bizarre version of Alice in Wonderland that I have seen to date. In fact, it starts out as downright creepy in the beginning. And, quite honestly, if you had never read the book or seen other truer-to-the-book versions of Alice in Wonderland, you would have a difficult time understanding what is going on. There are not really any fluid segways between the scenes.

Granted, while the scenery is quite enchanting at times, it can be difficult to feel like you are in Wonderland when none of the magical characters are in costume. I know that the director did this so that you could see who the famous British actor was without he/she being covered up in elaborate make-up. However, to me, using this direction method made it seem more like Alice had wandered onto the grounds of an insane asylum rather than into the fantastic world of Wonderland. I mean, that whole scene with the Caucus Race -- what in the world was going on there?!

And maybe Alice was really in a mental institution, because most of the time, Alice appears as if she is on some type of medication as she just stares off in the distance with a blank look on her face not really focusing on anyone yet perfectly engaged in the conversation.

Overall, my recommendation is this: If you are a huge Alice in Wonderland fan and enjoy seeing different versions of the story put on film, then you will probably want to add this DVD to your collection. Otherwise, skip it.

Rating:
Summary: Amazingly Appallingly Awful
Review: The worst version I've ever seen. The story is constantly modified to avoid special effects$$. The Alice actress was instructed to be deadpan throughout, which is just as well because I get the impression she can't act anyhow. About the only fun is spotting Eric Idle (future Python) as an extra a couple of times. Some of the changes seem amazing to me: at the
beginning the sisters go into the field alone - no rowboat with Dodgson and Duckworth.

Rating:
Summary: Amazingly Appallingly Awful
Review: The worst version I've ever seen. The story is constantly modified to avoid special effects$$. The Alice actress was instructed to be deadpan throughout, which is just as well because I get the impression she can't act anyhow. About the only fun is spotting Eric Idle (future Python) as an extra a couple of times. Some of the changes seem amazing to me: at the
beginning the sisters go into the field alone - no rowboat with Dodgson and Duckworth.

Rating:
Summary: BBC present wonderfully dark version of WONDERLAND
Review: This 1966 BBC-TV version of Lewis Carroll's classic story is, no doubt, one of the more strange and unusual versions of this tale that one is ever likely to see on film. Filmed in black and white, and given a Victorian Gothic look; director Jonathan Miller voted against the usual presentation of talking animals and flashy visuals. Instead, he presents a Wonderland firmly rooted in reality as seen through the distorted vision of a child's dream. Instead of a fuzzy White Rabbit hopping hurriedly to keep his appointment, we get a fussy, hyper, and wild-eyed Victorian gentleman in white top hat and coat with bristling mutton-chop sideburns and mustache. Also, some of Alice's dialogue is presented as a voice-over, as if we're reading her thoughts. Alice herself rarely looks anyone in the eye and the conversations are very fractured. Even her classic conversation with the Cheshire Cat leaves a sense of discomfort as we only see Alice, and not the Cat,during the scene. Indeed, this Wonderland is a dark and sinister place compared to the brightly colored versions of Disney and Hallmark.

For the most part, the cast of this version reads like a Who's Who of British theatre and film. Peter Cook makes for a delightfully daft Mad Hatter, while Peter Sellers makes for a loopy King of Hearts. Sir John Gielgud is a dignified Mock Turtle, while Sir Michael Redgrave is a wonderfully pedantic Caterpillar. Anne-Marie Mallik is solid as a somewhat distant Alice. Leo McKern is definitely fun to watch as he cavorts in drag as the ugly Duchess. Ravi Shankar's score perfectly captures the mood of this dark and wonderful film.

This DVD also has insightful commentary by the director, as well as an early 1906 silent film version of the story. Overall, this is an excellent film version that captures the darker elements of Carroll's classic tale and is definitely worth your while. However, this version might not appeal to youngsters who may be more inclined to the Disney or Hallmark versions.

Rating:
Summary: BBC present wonderfully dark version of WONDERLAND
Review: This 1966 BBC-TV version of Lewis Carroll's classic story is, no doubt, one of the more strange and unusual versions of this tale that one is ever likely to see on film. Filmed in black and white, and given a Victorian Gothic look; director Jonathan Miller voted against the usual presentation of talking animals and flashy visuals. Instead, he presents a Wonderland firmly rooted in reality as seen through the distorted vision of a child's dream. Instead of a fuzzy White Rabbit hopping hurriedly to keep his appointment, we get a fussy, hyper, and wild-eyed Victorian gentleman in white top hat and coat with bristling mutton-chop sideburns and mustache. Also, some of Alice's dialogue is presented as a voice-over, as if we're reading her thoughts. Alice herself rarely looks anyone in the eye and the conversations are very fractured. Even her classic conversation with the Cheshire Cat leaves a sense of discomfort as we only see Alice, and not the Cat,during the scene. Indeed, this Wonderland is a dark and sinister place compared to the brightly colored versions of Disney and Hallmark.

For the most part, the cast of this version reads like a Who's Who of British theatre and film. Peter Cook makes for a delightfully daft Mad Hatter, while Peter Sellers makes for a loopy King of Hearts. Sir John Gielgud is a dignified Mock Turtle, while Sir Michael Redgrave is a wonderfully pedantic Caterpillar. Anne-Marie Mallik is solid as a somewhat distant Alice. Leo McKern is definitely fun to watch as he cavorts in drag as the ugly Duchess. Ravi Shankar's score perfectly captures the mood of this dark and wonderful film.

This DVD also has insightful commentary by the director, as well as an early 1906 silent film version of the story. Overall, this is an excellent film version that captures the darker elements of Carroll's classic tale and is definitely worth your while. However, this version might not appeal to youngsters who may be more inclined to the Disney or Hallmark versions.