Like Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland thrives for a variety of reasons, but the primary reason is that its main character is one of the ages. Alice isn't royalty, and yet, she is one of the best characters Disney has ever brought to life. She is a heroine that every single of us can relate to because we all have days where we would rather be off in our own personal Wonderland than living in the real world. Alice's imagination is truly unrivaled as she inspires generation after generation of Disney fans to never stop dreaming. Walt's Alice in Wonderland has stood the test of time as perhaps the greatest adaption of Lewis Carroll's stories because the film's challenge to dream regardless of the circumstances is something that is desperately needed in our world today.
As fantastic as Alice is, her supporting characters are just as superb. The Queen of Hearts is one of my favorite Disney villains because of the simplicity of her anger. Other kings or kingdoms do not cause her to lose her temper, but roses painted red will motivate her to cut off someone's head. In a mere fifteen minutes on screen, the Queen of Hearts becomes a Disney legend. The dynamic duo of the March Hare and the Mad Hatter are simply hilarious. Their scene, also starring the impeccable Dormouse, featuring the celebration of everyone's "unbirthday" is one of the most insanely entertaining sequences in Disney history. The Cheshire Cat and the Blue Caterpillar are the perfect additions to this diverse cast of characters as both have an incredible chance to shine, and they do just that and more. Every citizen of Wonderland is exquisitely brought to life in such a way that you cannot help but leave with a smile on your face after each scene.
Admittedly, Alice in Wonderland is not a film for everyone. Some people just cannot understand why people enjoy it so much, but for me, this is one of my absolute favorite films from the first Golden Age of Disney. Its uniqueness is unparalleled, and that is why I keep coming back for more. There has never been, nor will there ever be, another Disney film like Alice in Wonderland. The animation is surreal and beautiful. The characters are well developed and legendary. The soundtrack is phenomenal. Like I wrote in my review of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, this is a film that displays what Disney does best: telling excellent stories about legendary characters with spectacular artistry.
Rating: 10/10
Historical Significance: A number of Disney Legends lend their voices to Alice in Wonderland. Kathryn Beaumont (1998 Legend) provided the voice for Alice. Two years later in 1953, she would voice Wendy Darling in Peter Pan. Sterling Holloway (1991 Legend) portrayed the Cheshire Cat. Some of his other notable Disney roles include Kaa in The Jungle Book, Roquefort in The AristoCats, and Winnie the Pooh in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Ed Wynn (2013 Legend) was not only the voice of the Mad Hatter, but he was also the human model for the Hatter. Wynn would later play Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins. Alice in Wonderland became the first Disney animated film in which the voice talent is credited on-screen with the characters the actors portrayed.
Behind the Scenes: One day, while taking a break from recording, Ed Wynn was nonchalantly explaining to the filmmakers how the Mad Hatter would fix the White Rabbit's watch with the Hatter's voice. Unbeknownst to Wynn, Walt Disney was in a nearby room listening to Wynn and noticed that the recording devices were still operating. Walt loved Wynn's monologue so much that he told the sound crew to use that recording in the final product. They protested, pleading with Walt that the recording was unusable because there was too much background noise. Walt smiled and said, "That's your problem," and then quietly exited the room. The sound crew made it work, and the scene where the Mad Hatter "fixes" the White Rabbit's watch is the ad-libbed moments from Wynn on that fateful day.
Favorite Character: Alice is a literary and cinematic icon. Her imagination is simply awe-inspiring. Before arriving in Wonderland, we get a nice glimpse at Alice's vision for this mystical land with the song, "In A World of My Own." It's a simple song, but it works perfectly for Alice's character. She is a dreamer with reason, and that is a radical character type.Wonderland is not full of riches or prosperity, but instead, she dreams of a land where cats and rabbits would reside in fancy little houses and all the flowers would have extra-special powers (Listen to it here). Alice is such a unique Disney creation, just like everything else in Alice in Wonderland.
Favorite Scene: The Unbirthday Party scene with the March Hare, Mad Hatter, Dormouse, and Alice is extreme entertainment. The dialogue on display here is so witty and quick that I laugh at something different every time I watch it. This scene features everything that makes Alice in Wonderland one ofmy favorites. It has classic characters with hilarity and heart to spare. Never has tea been more appealing to me than after watching this phenomenal scene (Listen to the song here).
Favorite Song: The music played during the opening credits is quite wonderful. As much as I love "The Unbirthday Song" and "Painting the Roses Red," the track simply called "Main Title" is classic Disney music at its finest. There is nothing particularly flashy about thissong, but the combination of every song from the film into one medley is just a joyful listen (Don't believe me? Check it out here with the opening credits).
Updated Ranking: From now on, if a film receives a ten out of ten from me (and that will happen quite often), it is nearly impossible to rank one ten-star rating over the next. However, every film must be ranked, so here's where Alice in Wonderland stands.
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Cinderella
- Pinocchio
- Alice in Wonderland
- Dumbo
- Bambi
- Fantasia
- The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
- Fun and Fancy Free
- Melody Time
- The Three Caballeros
- Saludos Amigos
- Make Mine Music
The recent live action adaptions of this classic tale are admirable, but Walt's original masterpiece is still the best. The timelessness of it all amazes me as the characters, songs, and animation become even more legendary as I grow up. Tomorrow, though, I will wish that I never have to grow up as I fly off to Neverland and watch Peter Pan!
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