The other day, before I had finished the book, I was getting curious as to how the story ended, so I whipped out the old VHS player and got the cartoon Disney version of Alice in Wonderland, and started to watch it. I was very anxious to see the movie I watched when I was a kid and see what I thought of it now.
I was actually very surprised at what I was watching.
I hardly understood what was happening.
Later I did learn that most of the movie is from “Through the Looking Glass” but it still seemed mushed together. I was finding it hard to imagine what I liked about this movie as a kid. Maybe it was the adventure and cute little kid stuff but now that I see it today, it’s just creepy. Since Disney made this one kind of…weird…I’m pretty excited to see what Tim Burton has in store for us.
This also made me think what would a little kid would think of the movie now. And if this movie was actually meant for teens and adults rather then children.
Your opinion?
Darcy S.
Connor S.
Devon H.
Morgan P.
Scott Mitchell
Alice's Pack of Cards 
I watched the VHS version as well! The same question came to my mind, why did I like this movie when I was a kid? To me, the movie is just strange and creepy. Some of it does not make any sense to me at all. So what did I enjoy about it? Maybe all the colors and the odd things that are certainly not found in reality. I suppose when I was a child I would be attracted to all the bright colors in this movie. Even if I did not follow the movie as a kid, it took me through a whole new world I had never experienced before. Kids tend to be curious, which is also another reason children would be attracted to this movie. I mean, what is more curiouser than a young girl falling down a rabbit hole to find a whole new world?
I have also thought the same thing when I have watched a movie of the book I have recently read. Most of the time it is a disappointment and ruins how I had pictured the story in my head. When they make a movie off of a book they do seem the “mush” the plot together and leave out scenes that you looked forward to. Although an exception that I can think of off the top of my head is the “Harry Potter” movies. In my opinion they do a great job on taking the creative ideas of Rowling and make awesome movies.
I too was very surprised and sad that most of the movie was from “Through the Looking Glass”. I love Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb and I was excited to be able to read about how Carroll portrayed them and compare it to Disney. Although as I kept reading Tweedle Dee and Dumb were no where to be seen; very sad I know.
It is a very confusing and random movie and book. Perhaps Disney wanted kids to get a feel of both of the books so when they read them they can understand Carroll’s meanings (if there is any) much easier. When I was little I enjoyed the songs and the many colors dancing on the screen. I wasn’t even thinking of the messages or anything of the sort. I just wanted to be entertained.
Who knows? Perhaps that’s all Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is about; entertainment.
It will be very interesting to see how Tim Burton portrays this story. Do I hear field trip anyone?
I think you would find many of my “First Thoughts? Of Course I Ought!” to be very interesting when I compare the Disney movie to each chapter. You can check it out here http://aliceproject12.wordpress.com/category/first-thought-of-course-i-ought/ if you want to.
When I first watched this movie I would say I was about five years old and loved every second of it. Now, viewing this movie as a fifteen year old, it literally freaks me out…I don’t know whether or not its cause I am more aware of the whole story now or what, but it defiantly did not appeal to me as it did ten years ago. When I watched Alice arrive in wonderland it seemed allot more violent and scary then I remembered! It doesn’t make sense to me why I would want to watch this film as a child. Maybe it was the coloring, background, and crazy characters. Even though this may seem to be a teen or adult movie, I believe its classified under a children’s movie because it seems as if it only appeals to them.
First of all I would like to ask you if you think Disney chose this movie to show to the kids or the adults or both? Disney’s advertisers must take in consideration that it is not the kid who is buying the movie, it’s the parent. If you think about it, the child has no money therefore he or she does not have the will to buy the movie.
In your blog you questioned what you liked about the movie when you were a little kid. Let me ask you did you watch Blue’s clues when you were a kid? If so, rewatch an episode and tell me what you saw in that show. You probably would not be able to give me an answer. I believe that when you’re a certain age you don’t care what is in front of as long as it’s interesting in its own way.
The next question to ask is what makes something interesting? Well what kind of movies do you like to watch? People like movies with action, romance, comedy or a mixture of all three. All three types of movies involve something bizarre or tragic which catches the audience’s attention therefore making them want to watch it. Weather people like to admit it or not people are intrigued by bizarreness.
Alice’s adventures in Wonderland is so bizarre that it gets the child’s attention, yet it has so much hidden messages in the story that it makes the adult interested and reach out to grab the movie.
I have not seen the Disney movie in years, however I am highly anticipatory of the Tim Burton version. What I wonder, however, is how he will be able to make a full length film from such a short, fairly undetailed story. I wonder if Burton will take artistic liberties in his adaptation to make the children’s story more interesting in film form.
Whatever he creates, Burton is the right man for the job. From Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street to the more kid-friendly Corpse Bride, Burton, like Carroll, is an artistic genius and has a craft for working with unusual concepts.
Additionally, Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter is a match made in heaven. Depp is a fantastically versatile actor with knack for nailing the mad characters: Jack Sparrow, Sweeney Todd.
Overall I think the movie will be a success.
I have to agree with you on that point. I recently had a chance to view the old movie, and was also suprised. However, I went a little farther, and I had previously Through The Looking-Glass, and so I had a better grip on the material. I do have to agree with you, however, that the movie is strange and somewhat disturbing. The fact that it was seemingly pitched to teenagers and adults as well as children makes it even stranger. Because of the strange juxtaposition, all the events are ‘smushed’ together into one big mess. I really didn’t enjoy the movie, and the strange style of editing definitely contributed to the discomfort.