Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (DVD)

The wonderful Victorial classic, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland was very first published in 1865. Written by acclaimed author, Lewis Carroll (real name - Charles Dodgson), this fantasy-adventure story has been adapted to the stage and screen countless times.

There's the familiar, misreably underated Walt Disney animated classic of Alice In Wonderland whilst there are a listless number of live-action adaptations that have largely ...
...telling Alice the story of Alice's adventures underground.

The nightmarish Duchess and Cook sequence is ignited by a fittingly off-beat performance from Peter Bull as the Duchess. Patsy Rolands as the demented, pepper-loving, plate-throwing Cook takes this role to fabulous new heights!

The sullen, ever-crying Gryphon is played marvelously by Spike Milligan whilst Michael Hordern is equally excellent as the Mock Turtle. ... more

The wonderful Victorial classic, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland was very first published in 1865. Written by acclaimed author, Lewis Carroll (real name - Charles Dodgson), this fantasy-adventure story has been adapted to the stage and screen countless times.

There's the familiar, misreably underated Walt Disney animated classic of Alice In Wonderland whilst there are a listless number of live-action adaptations that have largely failed to truly capture the spirit and flavour of Lewis Carrolls vivid vision of Wonderland.

This 1972 adptation is something of an exception and stands out as the best live-action version of the book. Director William Sterling, shrewdly manages to encapsulate the dark, frightening vision of Wonderland as dreamed up by Lewis Carroll.

Fiona Fullerton heads the cast making a pleasantly bland Alice. What Fullerton succeeds in doing is taking with you with her on a magical journey, allowing you to view the strange adventures through her eyes, evoking a feeling of
being drawn into a childs dream that escalates into a nightmare.

Fiona Fullerton is not least given noble support from a stellar cast that were some of the best of that era. The multi-talented Michael Crawford assumes the role of the jittering White Rabbit. Crawford playes the White Rabbit with a certain flair, relying mostly (and appropriately) on his inimitable comic skills.

Sir Robert Helpmann (who is more well known for his famous role as the child catcher in another excellent classic childrens movie, Chitty,Chitty, Bang, Bang) shines as the notorious Mad Hatter during the manic Mad Hatter's tea party sequence. Helpmann's comic facial expressions and
spirited playing makes the sequence work extremely well. Helpmann shares the spotlight in this madcap scene with Peter Sellers who gives a fine supporting turn as the March Hare whilst Dudley Moore causes some amusement as the poor, put-upon Dormouse.

Sir Ralph Richardson delivers a fairly adequate performance as the Catepillar in a very vivid scene whilst Davy Kaye as the Mouse during the dreamy Caucus Race Sequence, playes the role with a degree of subtelty. Much more effective though is Dame Flora Robson, putting in a fantastic intepretation of the ferocious Queen Of Hearts
who is both comical and scary in the role.

Michael Jayston appears in the opening scene as Dodgson (Jayston) and Duckworth (Hywel Bennett)sit on a river bank one hot summers afternoon. It is here where Dodgson begins telling Alice the story of Alice's adventures underground.

The nightmarish Duchess and Cook sequence is ignited by a fittingly off-beat performance from Peter Bull as the Duchess. Patsy Rolands as the demented, pepper-loving, plate-throwing Cook takes this role to fabulous new heights!

The sullen, ever-crying Gryphon is played marvelously by Spike Milligan whilst Michael Hordern is equally excellent as the Mock Turtle. This fun sequence where Alice, the Gryphon and the Mock Turtle are seen running and dancing
their way round a deserted beach, is speeded up at points to add to its comical and magical effect. This scene is also accompanied by one of the very few effective songs of the saccharine soundtrack, Will You, Won't You Join The Dance?

Roy Kinnear is fabulous as the permanently grinning Cheshire Cat whilst other notable players in the more than capable cast include Dennis Price in a small but efficent role as the King Of Hearts, Rodney Bewes as the bumbling
Knave Of Hearts, Julian Chagrin as Bill The Lizard (seen during the scene where Alice has grown large and is stuck in the White Rabbit's house - Bill the Lizard attempts to slide down the chimney into the house but Alice then swiftly kicks him back up again), Freddie Earlle as Guinea Pig Pat (also seen during the White Rabbit's house scene), Ray Brooks as 1 of Spades, Dennis Waterman as 2 of spades and of course not forgetting twin brothers Frank and Freddie Cox who make the definitive Tweedledee and Tweedledum (characters that were taken from a segment in
Lewis Carroll's sequel, Through The Looking Glass And What Alice Found There - most stage and screen versions often tend to draw large segments from both Alice books).

Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (1972) draws on a somewhat dreamy, hazy-like effect that largely gives the film an intentionally dark, scary edge. It strikes an even balance between moments of fun, magical comedy to more frightening settings.

Most of the film is engaging and totally enchanting. the surreal sequence at the beginning of the adventure is one of the scenes that really stands out in my mind as it is doen so effectively. Alice wakes up in a giant story book
garden and spots the White Rabbit gazing at his waist watch. Alice proceeds to follow the White Rabbit into a long, dark tunnell. Keeping up with the whole familiar ethos of Alices In Wonderland's famous catchphrase, "curiouser and
curiouser", Alice continues following the White Rabbit unaware of the danger lying in front of her and then finds herself tumbling down a large rabbit hole which leads to the whimsical, topsy-turvy world of Wonderland. The score during this sequence is masterful and hauntingly
atmospheric.

The Pool Of Tears sequence also works incredibly well where Alice finds herself in a large hall full of doors. A small door, to her delight, leads into a beautiful garden. It is here where she discovers potions and cakes that alternately make her shrink or grow large. At one point, Alice grows large and begins crying which subsequently leads to her shrinking and swimming in her own pool of tears.

Alice is washed ashore from the pool of tears and finds herself indulging in the Caucus Race with a mouse, dod, owl, magpie, frod, duck and an eagle in a vastly trippy sequence! I've heard (as i'm sure you all have) various myths that Lewis Carroll was high on LSD at the time of writing the book. I have no idea whether this is true or not but you certianly can see peoples notions on this when you watch all the bizarre goings on in Alice's Adventures In Wonderland. I put it all down to a bizarre but great imagination on Lewis Carroll's part and this film merely reflects that. Even so theres something that distinctley gives me the creeps when watching scenes such as The Pool Of Tears, the Caucus Race.

Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (1972) is even more disturbingly surreal later on in the film such as the scene in the forest where a torrential storm occurs and a a giant black emerges from the gloomy sky ready to attack Alice.

The Duchess and Cook sequence also used to really give me the creeps when I first watched this at 4 years old back in 1983. There was just something eerie and nightmarish about the whole scene but again this ties in closley with the book. The Trial of the Knave Of Hearts is where it gets most off the wall and at the close of this scenes there are lots of swirling, hallucegenic close-ups of the characters. Alice, of course, then wakes up on the riverbank to discover it was all just a dream.

What compliments the mesmerising, hypnotic vibe of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland is a bewitching, hauntingly atmospheric score by BAFTA-winning, John Barry. The film also boasts maginificent cinematography from Geoffrey Unsworth which sticks closely to the original illustrations of the book. Some of the cardboard-like sets look far more suited for a stage production but many are eye catchingly beautiful.

Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (1972) is an extremely faithful adaptation that's most noble in its loyalty to the book. In that fact it deserved far greater recognition than it has, perharps, received. Widely regarded as the best live-action screen version by lovers of the book, it was still unfairly slated by critics of the day where some claimed it was too long, tedious and boring. To a point I can see where they're coming from so you really have to be in the right mood to take this film on. On the right day it proves a thrilling, almost hypnotic viewing experience (even though i'm 26 years old!).

In an attempt to ignite the films fortunes, Fiona Fullerton was being promoted as the new Julie Andrews (though Fullerton is a remarkable actress in her own right, this was something of an overstatement) but this did little to help the films fate. Making matters worse was Peter Sellers who blatantly criticised the film to the media before it had even opened at cinemas! Sadly Alice's Adventures In Wonderland did not endure the high Box Office turn over as anticipated.

It's true that Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (1972) is too slow and bland at points but on casting its shortcomings (which you can over-look) aside, it's most definitely worth a look. Fans of Alice In Wonderland that have not yet had the delight of watching this charming, atmospheric version, will be thoroughly enthralled.

Ian Phillips

July 2006
 

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