brad_and_ethan Review of Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland (1966 TV Movie)

Hardly a Masterpiece... PLEASE!!

[6/10 · 2 January 2008]

I recently bought this DVD, and finally had a chance to sit down with it - and also with the director's commentary. You know you're in trouble when they get the film's director to do a commentary; they're more often than not extremely biased toward their 'baby' - and Mr. Miller is no exception. Okay, the 1972 version is not perfect, but I could watch it again and again - as opposed to this ambitious misfire. Miller defends his postmodern interpretation with something like, 'Well, Alice in Wonderland is basically melancholy, and that's why Alice is sullen, etc.'. That's a pretty general statement about this work of fiction, isn't it? It's a lot of things, Mr. Miller. It's absurd, humorous, ironic, ridiculous - not just melancholy. The scene at the Mad Hatter's tea party nearly put me to sleep. The scene from the 1972 version is far more dynamic and entertaining. The problem with champions of this film is that they mistake form and style as heightened content. Some filmmakers understand this relationship and make it work better, filmmakers like Antonioni. This director is just trying to be different for it's own sake. Sorry, I give this a 6 only because of the great talent he assembled.