Film Review #8: Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Riding high with the success of Cinderella, Walt Disney and his animation team began to return to several older products and plans, including two of Britain's most well known stories.  The first of these animated films was finished in 1951 and was released to overwhelmingly underwhelming reviews and was a dud at the box office.  Disney's spin on the classic Lewis Carroll book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, was universally panned by critics and audiences alike, shattering Disney's confidence.  Despite an initially disastrous result, Walt Disney's thirteenth animated classic, Alice in Wonderland, is now regarded as one of the greatest animated films of all time, and the greatest re-telling of the classic stories of all time.

Plot: Set just outside of London, a young Alice is being taught history by her sister, but begins daydreaming about a world of her own.  When she spots a rabbit wearing a waistcoat and watch, she curiously follows him down a rabbit hole and stumbles into Wonderland, a place where everything is topsy turvy. 

Through an episodic run of pursuing the rabbit across Wonderland, Alice meets with many of the land's eccentric inhabitants, including Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, Absolem the Caterpillar, The Mad Hatter and March Hare, The Cheshire Cat, and many other bizarre and insane creatures.  Alice's curiosity lands her in the middle of the Queen of Heart's rose garden, where she has to avoid losing her head in the most insane court trial since O.J. Simpson's (Oh Snap!)

What's Bad?: This, like Fantasia, is different when compared to other Disney animated films.  This film is different because it doesn't really have a plot or central antagonist.  The difference between this and another kind of episodic film like The Sword in the Stone, is that this film has a very entertaining musical score and a fun antagonist.  But, like The Sword in the Stone, the film often slows when you'd think the film would begin to build momentum.  Lewis Carroll's books are almost impossible to adapt faithfully into a motion picture.  Just the fact that Disney made this film should give them some legitimacy. 

What's Good?: Alice is Disney's first legitimate female lead, as both Cinderella and Snow White are more passive to the story than reactive.  Alice reacts in this story and is a driving force behind the plot.  Kathryn Beaumont does a good job with what she is given.  The music is well written and the side characters are very memorable, especially Sterling Holloway's portrayal as the Cheshire Cat. 

 The Queen of Hearts is a funny villain, despite not being in the film until the last act.  She reminds me a lot of a spoiled child, who yells and complains when she doesn't get her way. 

The animation is great, but I think it could have been better.  The tone and mood of the animation is dark and not like Wonderland should be.  Most of the backgrounds are either black or dark blue and do not really resonate something like Wonderland should be. 

Overall: I think the film is okay.  It isn't something Disney should brag about making, but it does deserve the title of Walt Disney's Classic.  While I understand why Disney usually never puts the film in the Disney Vault, it is a Walt Disney Classic and while not the best of the 1950's, it is a good film nonetheless.

Report Card

Hero:                       N/A
Heroine:                  A
Villain:                     A
Side Character:       A-
Songs:                      B+
Musical Score:        B
Animation:              B-
Special Effects:       B-
Theme:                    B
Story:                      B-

Final Grade: B