"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn't be, and what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?" - Alice (this is also mission statement for the year 2020 🤪)
Initial thoughts before viewing: This movie was a part of my massive VHS collection as a kid, so I'd say I was pretty familiar with this one. My most vivid memories of it are the bright colors and many, many characters. This large cast of characters makes this movie a popular choice come Halloween time (woot woot). One of my favorite costumes ever was this Cheshire Cat inspired outfit:
This pic was taken at Disneyland of course, where Alice is has its own thematic area within Fantasyland. Alice in Wonderland is VERY represented in the Disney Parks across the globe, particularly at Disneyland where it has 2 dedicated rides (plus the White Rabbit's hole in the Storybook Land Canal Boats).
Outside of Disney, all of Lewis Carroll's works are in the public domain, which means that they are not subjected to copyright. This is why you see so many references and adaptations of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass in popular culture.
If you've never seen Disney's Alice in Wonderland or need a refresher, here is a link to the movie's Disney Wiki page where you can read the plot summary.
Highlights:
-Let's SPILL THE TEA on one of the BEST SCENES EVER MADE 🏆
There is nothing more iconic when it comes to Alice than the tea party scene, and for good reason: the music, the colors, the comedy -- everything about this scene is gold. After this rewatch, it's clear to me that this is one of the best scenes in all of Disney's canon.
My favorite parts:
☕ "NO ROOM!": When Alice first appears, the Hatter and the March Hare vigorously shout that there is no room for her at the tea party despite the fact that the table is completely empty. 🤣
🎂 When the March Hare breaks the fourth wall. As he's trying to explain to Alice the concept of an unbirthday, he gets flustered and stares directly at the camera, exclaiming "She doesn't know what an unbirthday is!" I love the idea that the March Hare knows he's in an animated movie, it's VERY Wonderland!
🟡 The audacity of mustard. The Hatter tries to fix the White Rabbit's watch ("Why this clock is exactly 2 days slow") by adding butter, tea, sugar, and jam to its insides. When the March Hare suggests mustard, the Hatter draws the line: "MUSTARD? Don't lets be silly. Lemon, that's different. " 🤣
⌚ "There's only one way to stop a mad watch." The watch starts to go crazy after all the added ingredients, so the March Hare smashes it with a mallet. When this happens, the screen flashes to black and white for a few moments to symbolize the stoppage of time and destruction of the watch. There is debate as to whether this was intentional or not, but I think its an ingeniously subtle way to reinforce the manic, uncontrollable environment of the tea party (where even colors can change).
-An honorable mention goes to Dinah. She is Alice's adorable cat. LOOK AT THIS BEBE. 💋
Disliked:
-Those poor little oysters! 😢 Early on in the movie, Tweedledum and Tweedledee tell Alice the story of "The Walrus and the Carpenter", a narrative poem which originally appeared in Through the Looking-Glass. I never liked this part because the cute little oysters get eaten! As herself Alice remarks, "That was a very sad story." YUP! It also feels like a pretty random departure from the main Wonderland narrative.
Random thoughts I had while Watching:
-Is the Cheshire Cat a villain? 😼 Last year while at Disneyland, I was horrified and perplexed to see the Cheshire Cat as a character on the villains float during the Frightfully Fun Parade. I felt very strongly at the time that Disney got it wrong here.
I paid close attention to the Cheshire Cat during this rewatch, and have concluded that although he is NOT a clear cut villain, he certainly has mischievous tendencies that both help and hurt Alice on her journey. He provides Alice with a shortcut to the Queen of Hearts, for example, but then also causes massive trouble at the croquet match shortly after.
Ultimately, the Cheshire Cat has a neutral moral alignment and is motivated only by his own desire for amusement. So he's not a villain, but certainly not a hero. (Get him OFF that villains float next year, Disneyland!)
-How old is Alice supposed to be? 🎀 Yes she's a little girl, but I always thought she was somewhere around 11-13 years old. Imagine my surprise when Google told me this: "Alice is a fictional child living during the middle of the Victorian era. The character is widely assumed to be seven years old." 😲 Did anyone else think she way older?!
Closing Thoughts:
-Does Alice lack heart? 💔
Alice in Wonderland did not receive great reviews and was considered somewhat of a disappointment upon its initial release in 1951. According sources on the Disney fandom wiki page, Walt Disney felt that the film failed because Alice the character had no "heart." Ouch.
So let's break it down: what is Alice's motivation, aside from curiosity? The opening song "In a World of My Own" makes it clear that she longs to break free from her boring, monotonous life...but when she falls down the rabbit hole, she bites off far much more than she can chew. Halfway through the movie, Alice's motivation shifts from pursuing the White Rabbit to finding a way home. Anyone else getting a serious Dorothy/Wizard of Oz vibe?
With all do respect to Mr. Disney, I don't think Alice lacks heart as a character. She's shows growth and learns to appreciate what she has after her experiences in Wonderland. She learns and takes to heart the lesson that there's no place like home.
-"I have an excellent idea, LET'S CHANGE THE SUBJECT!" 😆
This movie is a fun ride and a nice departure from some of Disney's more serious animated works. It's packed with whimsy, mischief, and a wonderful frenetic energy that makes it a joy to watch. I've seen a few adaptations of this story take a much darker, sinister, and mature route (*cough*cough*TimBurton*cough*cough*). I much prefer this colorful, lighthearted version (it is a children's book, after all).
The animation is not particularly distinguished, but that doesn't really bother me. A big part of why this film is so enduring is because of its crazy and surreal characters. They are memorable and unique -- so much so that almost 70 years after its release, we still dress like them for Halloween! 😜
My Rating: 6.5/10
Next up, Peter Pan!
My Rating Scale/System:
10 - Masterpiece / Award Worthy 🤩
9 - Almost perfect / Exceptional 🥰
8 - Great / Well-crafted 😁
7 - Good / Noteworthy 😊
6 - Above average / Memorable 🙂
5 - Solidly average 😐
4 - Mixed feelings / Mediocre 😕
3 - Uninteresting / Struggle bus 🥱
2 - Barely watchable 😡
1 - Failure / Why is this a thing? 💩
