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Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland

List Price: $9.98
Your Price: $9.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best Yet!
Review: I think this is the best yet rendition of this story. According to the Director this is the first time it has been shown as it was written. Martin Short plays the Mad Hatter, Whoopi Goldberg plays the Cheshire Cat and The Queen of Hearts is excellent in her "off with her head!" It was aired on TV in Feb. 99. I can't wait to get my copy!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: ALICE IN WONDERLAND!
Review: After having great success with lavish productions of "Merlin" and "The Odyssey," NBC followed up with this ambitious adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic! Tina Majorino stars as Alice with one of those star-studded casts we have come to expect when Hollywood visits Wonderland (remember Gary Cooper as the White Knight or the Smothers Brothers as Tweedledum and Tweedledee?)! This time around we have Whoppi Goldberg as the Chesire Cat, Martin Short as the Mad Hatter, Christopher Lloyd as the White Knight, Ben Kingsley as the Caterpiller and Miranda Richardson as the Red Queen! This is a fairly faithful adaptation of the beloved book and the framing device is simply a chance to give the cast a curtain call! Nothing wrong with that! They can remake "Alice in Wonderland" every decade as far as I am concerned!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Big budget does not a good Wonderland make
Review: When I first read of this adaptation in 1999, I was so excited to hear of a huge Hollywood version of my favourite book of all time. Another Wonderland to get lost in, another Alice to follow on her nonsensical, whimsical journey. What I ended up with was another reason not to trust American telemovies.

The last telemovie attempt at 'Alice In Wonderland' was in 1985 when Irwin Allen made a very admirable attempt at recreating both 'Wonderland' and its sequel 'Through The Looking-Glass'. In comparison to modern film technology, the sets are a bit plastic looking and there are one too many distractingly sickening songs, not to mention some embarrassing moments of 'special effects' (see the model train used to cringeworthy effect in 'Lookin-Glass'). However when stacked up against this travesty, Allen's creation is an absolute opus.

The biggest problem with this latest Wonderland is it gets lost in its own surface. As a result, it is a horribly stilted, detached and depthless rendering of one of the most exciting fictional worlds in modern literature. Nearly every setting is CGI'd beyond recognition, with unnecessary inclusions and digital touch-ups in almost as many scenes. As for the cast, for a group of actors who are arguably the cream of the Hollywood crop they turn in rather unimpressive performances. Tina is a solid Alice, but talented actors like the divine Whoopi Goldberg are wasted on parts like the Cheshire Cat. It comes off as another reviewer stated like a furry grey Whoopi Goldberg, not Goldberg playing a role. Unfortunately, this can be said for most of the other famous names in the film as well. As for the White Rabbit, I don't think I've ever seen a more unconvincing and irritating creature in my life. It looks like the perverted brother of the Energiser Bunny.

My other peeves with this version lie in the seemingly obligatory 'American-isation' of the original text, with the pointless and insulting inclusion of a journey of self-discovery to somewhat validate Alice's encounter with Wonderland. This not only subverts but trivialises the genius of Carroll's novels set against the backdrop of the morally-conscious Victorian world.

I will give props where necessary, however. Miranda Richardson's reading of the Queen is at first jarring with her high pitched screeching, but by the end of the film it becomes rather appealing. Her make-up and costume is not what is usually rendered as the Queen of Hearts, but quite a stellar variation. The card-house / court scene at the end is wonderful, as is the gloriously sensitive portrayal of the Mock Turtle by Gene Wilder (accompanied by one of the more convincing Henson creature creations as the Gryphon). If there is one reason to see this version of 'Wonderland', it is Martin Short as the deranged Hatter. His Hatter - and his friend, a mildly psychotic, slightly disturbing reading of the March Hare - is for me the perfect portrayal of Carroll's character and John Tenniel's original illustrations. The entire tea party sequence is delicious, pivotal, and embodies everything that Wonderland is - nonsensical, entertaining and slightly darker than you'd first realise.

Shame the rest of the film is miles away from this superb scene.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It quickly became a week-end tradition!
Review: Since the first time I saw this version of Alice in Wonderland on TV, I have loved it. It seems to be the only decent adaptation of this wonderful book that has been made, especially comparing it to that dreadful Disney version made back in the 1950's. This movie is a true inspiration to reading both of Lewis Carroll's books, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass". I have boutht a beautiful hardcover edition of the book, and I'm really looking forward to reading it. Anyways, back to the film, the characters are the most lovable ever, really fitting the characters with distinguished personalities, the music is excellent, giving the film's different a scenes a pleasent and fresh atmosphere. I have seen this movie been sold for $4.99 and given away in cereal boxes which is really somewhat of a humiliation, being this such an outstanding film, and destined to become a classic. I'll be sharing this one with my friends and continuing the tradition of watching it every other week-end.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: ENJOYABLE FAMILY MOVIE WITH A TWIST ON THE ORIGINAL MOVIE
Review: This is one of those movies that really throws you for a loop; most fantasy movies don't have anywhere near this stunning or detailed sets and effects. Some of the costumes and props were very nice as well.

I think they should have spent some money on a writer though. And it is very slow paced; I could barely sit and watch the whole thing so I doubt most children will.

Despite the big name cast no one really delivers any kind of memorable performance. Miranda Richardson spends most of her scenes doing an impression of Madeline Khan's trademark whine that got old fast. I actually felt sorry for Gene Wilder; why he felt the need to do this compared to what he usually does...the rest of the musical numbers weren't much any better.

It has it's moments but unless you really want to watch you shouldn't bother with this version.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't let the all star cast fool you...
Review: This is the worse production of Alice in Wonderland EVER! The acting is awful... I actually noticed them reading their cue cards. I was shocked that Ben Kingsley, Gene Wilder and Whoopi agreed to do this movie. I found myself fast forwarding through the singing and musical scenes. It's also extremely boring. Miranda was the worst Queen of Hearts ever... she worked my nerve saying "off with their heads" in a high pitch squeel!! Don't waste your money.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A for attempt. F for flop
Review: Having read "Alice in Wonderland" I looked forward to a modern adaptation of the story. I was not disappointed in some aspects of the film. The special effects, make-up, and costumes are absolutly grand, and the Mad Hatter scene is probably one of Martin Short's best performances. Whoopi Goldberg breathed life into the Cheshire Cat and made the role lively. The casting director did a great job overall assigning roles. Sadly, the movie did not quite take off. This is because the director didn't cut out a lot of unnecessary "junk scenes", such as the Black Knight-White knight mace fight on horseback. The scene was unnecessary, and coupled with the many other scenes took an adventure story and turned it into a drawn-out sequence of events that never seem to end. The Mock-turtle scene was, in my mind, an insult to Gene Wilder's talent, and to see his turtle-shell costume crumple up (destroying the illusion of a turtle) as he tried to get off the floor was tedious to watch and it made me think the producer was asleep or drunk in not catching this error. I would expect to see such an error in a grade-school play but not in a movie with high-talent actors. Sometimes I think maybe the Ghost of Ed Woods was present during the producing of this film. Not recommended.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It's good because I say so
Review: These folks with their "one star" tirades against this film version of Alice must have been having a very bad day when they were watching it. Or maybe they're just bitter to begin with. This is a delightful adaptation. Miranda Richardson and Martin Short, just to name my two favorites, were WONDERful. And I fell in love with Alice. If you want perfection, well, you probably shouldn't be watching movies anyway.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Masterpeice
Review:
An absolute all star cast Masterpiece. + its long too + by the end your brain will be melting :-) . A WONDERFUL experience :-)


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