Alice In Wonderland (1951) (Disney)

Beautifully adapted and animated from Lewis Carroll's highly imaginative, high-trippin' classic, the imagery and illustrated puns amaze and amuse, especially the little things like the rocking-horse fly, the bread-and-butter flies, the vultures, the pencil and hammer birds, the momeraths, and the bird in the tree (Queenie Leonard) yelling "Ser-peeeeeeeent !"

The animators drew each frame based on the portrayals by the actors voicing the parts, and the stand-outs are Kathryn Beaumont as Alice, Ed Wynn as the Mad Hatter, Verna Felton as the Queen of Hearts, Bill Thompson as the White Rabbit, and the very flexible and versatile J. Pat O'Malley as Tweedle Dum, Tweedle Dee, the Walrus AND the Carpenter, in one of the best scenes in the movie.

With fourteen songs, this is the most musical Disney around, but unfortunately, the songs are not very easy to sing along to, making me sound like William Hung every time I try to impress people with my thorough knowledge of the lyrics.

There are lots of interesting tidbits in the extras, such as the discarded Cheshire Cat song, and the fact that one of the songs was later re-worded for Peter Pan. There are other links between Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, but you'll have to watch the extras to find out just what, cause I'm not telling.

For those who don't want to watch the previews at the beginning of the DVD, just press "Menu" and get plugged directly into Wonderland.

Amanda Richards, July 18, 2004


More Disney than Carroll   February 9, 2002
Dennis E. Sisterson (London, United Kingdom)
10 out of 13 found this review helpful

An entertaining and inventive interpretetion of Lewis Carroll's book, albeit one which neglects most of the author's clever logic-play in favour of mere absurdity. Certainly not the definitive version of the book - which has yet to be made - but a fun film.
Incidentally the studio's attitiude towards the source text might be guessed at by the fact that the opening credits not only get the name of the book wrong - they also mis-spell the author's name!


Beautiful, surreal escapism encased by true Disney magic!   October 25, 2000
sscarth@hotmail.com (London, England)
6 out of 8 found this review helpful

This classis adaptation of the Lewis Carroll novel is absolutely stunning. It combines the surreal with the musical style so reminiscent of the 50's - very upbeat and charmingly dated. All of the characters are hilarious, particularly the Walrus and the Carpenter, and the Cheshire Cat, and the scene with the Queen of Hearts and the playing cards is just fantastic. A perfect late night - early morning post-night out watch, it is fab visually and a very feel-good movie. Highly recommended.


classic disney   January 28, 2002
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

this is the disney classic brought to you in the new medium tidied up print for DVD. great songs and had my 3 year old daughter enthralled. Bonus material includes a Mickey Mouse cartoon Thru the looking glass, tarilers, a documentary on 'the making off' from 1951 and an art gallery


Wonderland awaits......................Come in !!!!!   January 30, 2005
5 out of 7 found this review helpful

When i was a little girl, (I'm fourteen now) Alice in Wonderland was my favourite film (besides the little mermaid) I had a lot of disney videos as a child but this shines through all of them.

I love the sheer beauty of the way the characters have been made and the voice of Alice is perfect. I'ts an indescribable film. For a mere few hours, you can get lost in wonderfully strange world of wonderland. No wonder Gwen Stefani chose to do Alice in Wonderland for her What you waiting for video !!!!!!!!!

Wonderland awaits you..........so what you waiting for? Come on in !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!