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Alice
in Wonderland
was Walt Disney’s
unattainable goal
early in his career.
Before putting the
film out
theatrically in
1951, it was a
project that he
tried to get done
several times. He
did a story based on
Alice independently
before he started
the studio, but it
featured animation
mixed with live
action.
He
also had the project
in development in
the 40’s but had to
shelve it due to
some budget
constraints. Even
people in his
creative department
pitched different
Alice projects
before Walt did what
he wanted to do.
Basically, as
attached to other
projects that Walt
was; Mickey,
Fantasia, Snow
White, and others-
Alice in Wonderland
was always waiting.
The movie was a big
peak that he had to
work to climb and
create. Of course,
there wasn’t a lot
that Walt didn’t
accomplish that he
ultimately wanted to
do and Alice was
released in 1951 the
way he saw fit. The
critics bashed it
after it came out
theatrically and it
wasn’t a box office
hit, but it’s had a
lasting effect in
the world of Disney,
both as a film and
equally as an
influence.
Disney’s 1951
release of
Alice
in Wonderland
tackles the Lewis
Carroll story in
addition to
Carroll’s
Through the Looking
Glass.
But instead of
making a dreary
British affair, Walt
and his choice of
directors on the
project turned it
into a whimsical
silly adventure.
Although
received somewhat
harshly at first,
it’s turned into the
most memorable movie
made from the book.
It mixed a great
story with some
underrated music and
made Disney magic.
Yes, it was a bit
Americanized, but it
was also
internationalized
and geared towards a
mainstream audience
effectively. It
contrasts with the
book, but the
essence of the story
remains the same.
Alice goes through a
wild adventure in
Wonderland where the
ridiculous is
normal. Basically
Disney created a
visual of Alice
better than anyone
else could have done
in the 20th
Century.
It’s
a shame that Walt
couldn’t have been
around in the 1990’s
to see people praise
the work that the
studio put together
with the film.
In
addition to the
great feature on
this 60th
Anniversary edition
of
Alice
in Wonderland
there are some
brilliant bonus
features, one being
the optional ways to
watch the movie. You
can watch the movie
in its original
format with the
black border not
being used on your
HDTV, or you can
watch the movie with
artwork done by
Disney artist
Michael Humphries
adding some extra
flair in the
borders. In addition
to the different
ways to watch the
movie, you get the
original bonus
features on the DVD
that were released a
few years back as
well as a very cool
“Through the
Keyhole” feature
that has the voice
of Alice- Kathryn
Beaumont- taking you
through a trip of
Disney Historians
and artists talking
about Alice and the
studio’s work on the
film to Tim Burton
release that came
out recently. It’s a
fantastic feature
fitting for this 60th
Anniversary release.
Alice in
Wonderland
is a lot like
Disney’s work in its
early years… pure
magic. It’s a
timeless movie that
people from 9 to 90
can enjoy. The music
and the story mixed
with some fantastic
artwork make it a
mastery of animation
and this Blu-ray is
a great way for a
new group to
discover it and the
older audience to
rediscover it.
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