Alice in Wonderland (July 28, 1951)

I failed to mention in pervious reviews but in this film, it is particularly noticeable: I quite enjoy the RKO picture logos as they change a bit to fit the movie they are distributing on behalf of Disney during this time period. It is a nice touch, one that Disney has continued to do with their logo in modern times. Now to focus on this film. I have not seen Alice in Wonderland in years, so I had forgotten the specifics of it (it was never a favorite Disney film of mine.) The story is about Alice who falls into Wonderland, a madcap world filed with fantastical creatures and she has to find a way to return to her own world. This film is filled with memorable lines and characters such as the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the White Rabbit. The story is based on the novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland published in 1865 by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym, Lewis Carroll. The film is simply a series of delightful misadventures by Alice with no real driving plot besides somehow finding a way home after she wandered into Wonderland. The movie feels much longer than it is (only 78 minutes) as I was getting bored two thirds of the way through. It is filled with charming songs and wacky characters (the hookah smoking caterpillar is particularly odd and slightly inappropriate), though for the most part we do not get to know them well. Even Alice is a bit unknown- all that I am sure off is she has her head in the clouds, not particularly likable, and is easily bored. I never connected with her as she accepts everything far too easily. I enjoy the animation though it does not seem as polished as Cinderella or Bambi, but it does include an increased range of motion in its characters. The character designs are fabulous, however! Overall, Alice in Wonderland, while a fine and entertaining watch with a fantastical style, it lacks the charm of the previous Disney classics and fails to create a connection between me and the characters.

Final Rating: 5.5/10