I'm about to commit blasphemy here: I did not like the movie Alice in Wonderland. We saw it while we were on spring break on the Isle of Plams, SC. The weather, was, of course, unseasonably cold. It always is, when we visit. So we were looking for indoor actitivies, and Alice was playing. I should acknowledge out right that I love Johnny Depp, but generally dislike Tim Burton movies. They are self-consciously whimsical, even when they are called Corpse Bride. To me, the movies he makes always seem to be proclaiming, "Oh! What a Genius am I! You've noticed my Genius? Of course you have!!"
Johnny Depp will do anything to ugly himself up, because I don't think he's comfortable with being beautiful. He is also one of the biggest stars in the world, so if he wants to keep playing variations on Jack Sparrow for the rest of his life, who's to stop him?
When Burton and Depp get together, they only reinforce each other's worst tendencies.
So we get super-ugly Depp as the Mad Hatter who seems to kind of be a boyfriend to Alice. We get flowers with weirdly large stamens poking out everywhere, we have Anne Hathaway looking strangely old (and she is so young and pretty). I know, I know she was wearing makeup, but still, no one is allowed to just be pretty in Burton movies. Even the girl who played Alice had shadows around her eyes that were so deep, she looked like a ghoul.
The "Alice" stories do fall into the fairy tale category, so discussing the movie has a place here. I suppose I should admit that I never liked the books. Alice is just so boring and foolish. Plus, the life of Lewis Carroll, who wrote the books (born Charles Dodgson), is inexcusably unsavory.
I came into the movie prepared to be bored, and I was. Go ahead, disagree with me. I know you will. Bring it on!
Image by John Tenniel
28 comments:
Kate, you make me laugh. You're better than me because at least you saw it. I've had many a jaw drop the last several months when I've explained to friends and acquaintances that I have no interest in seeing the movie. Your post only supports my instincts, so thank you!
Although, I do like the Alice books - they're so immensely quotable - I have to agree with your views on Tim Burton! Compulsive cleverness does tend to get very annoying.
I have NEVER been a fan of anything produced or created by Tim Burton, and can hardly stand the actor Johnny Depp (be it in a Tim Burton film, or in a pirate movie or action or horror). I don’t see why women (and men) find him so attractive! But it looks like from the previews of the movie Alice and Wonderland that the actors (and especially Johnny Depp) are made to look even less attractive! I have never seen Anne Hathaway look more grotesque! And Johnny Depp looks more like Madonna than Johnny Depp! Additionally, I hated Alice and Wonderland as a child (both in written and movie form). Needless to say, I do not plan to waste my money on the movie. Now that I have been reading the “real” or “original” fairy tales in their original form in Professor Wolford’s Beauty and Fairy Tales class, I find the Disney and Tim Burton versions less intriguing and prefer the originals. ~ Angie J.
HAHA!! You make me laugh, but have to say I completely agree. I love Johnny Depp and I think he is gorgeous but find him slightly creepy due to some of his roles. I never looked at him the same after Charlie and Chocolate factory. I loved your statement about he and Tim Burton and Depp renforcing each others worst tendancies... soooo true. My daughter loved it, I thought it was ok... actually better than I expected because I cannot STAND Tim burtons work. Love reading your insight though.
Rasonda
I liked the movie overall--visually quite amazing. I never read the books and the only memory I have of Alice in Wonderland was the old animated Disney film which creeped me out to no end. So I grew up with negative feelings toward the story. Tim Burton's "sequel" was not great, but enjoyable (except the Fudderwackin dance--god, that moment's hideousness is seared into my brain like a burning iron brand).
I thought, though, that the actress' performance as Alice was dull, dull, dull.
I am not going to disagree with you, though I am not attempting to be a "Yes Man" here. I have not yet bothered to watch the movie because it does not appeal to me. I adored Burton-Depp for Sleepy Hollow and Sweeney Todd, but Charlie & The Chocolate Factory was almost entirely painful. (Notable exception: Missi Pyle as Mrs. Beauregarde was amazing; her competitive smile was fantastically scary.) I anticipate that Alice in Wonderland is more like Choclate Factory than like the other two.
I am not even going to disagree with you on the books, since I love the imagination of the books, but not the execution... so I enjoy adaptations better than the original writing. As Sugar Magnolia noted, the books are immensely quotable, but I feel like they have many great quotes and scenes strung together in an awkward and meaningless manner.
I have to agree and disagree with the post. I love Johnny Deeps movies, most of them. But in some of them he does like weird and freaky it’s kind of scary that I can’t take my niece and nephew to see if because I think they would freak out. I am not that interested in Alice and Wonderland, to tell you the truth I don’t even remember what it’s about. I love the way Johnny acts and his way of being because he is unique but I wouldn’t waste seven dollars or more to watch that movie I would just wait and rent it for a dollar :) . I just don’t see Alice and Wonderland that interested as it might be, I am not sayings it’s a bad story or movie I am just not that interested in it. With the new technology that a director can use for the movie it might not be that bad but watching the trailer part of the movie it looks confusing. But don’t get me wrong I love Johnny Deeps movies but sometime he can go overboard.
Maria G
Well as a long time lover of the Alice books I'm going to be the voice of dissent here. Alice is about loving words and playing with words. It's about finding joy in the absolutely nonsensical and letting imagination go to the extremes found usually only in dreams. Most importantly, I think it comes closest to remembering childhood the way it actually is, a place of authoritarian adults and rules that seem to make very little sense to children, not the idyllic world most of the children's books of that time portrayed.
And I loved most of the movie. It was about growing up and realizing you are part of that crazy adult world with all its nonsense and inconsistencies. I've hated Burton's last several movies so I was completely surprised by how much I liked this one.
Wow! This post brought out the comments.
Not a big Tim Burton fan, but Johnny Depp is a quality actor. This first pirate film was superb (the sequels were just to make the studio money).
I saw the Alice trailer and was intrigued. Saw the film and was disappointed. Burton has his style, but his films are almost always missing heart.
I am so very disappointed but I am not at the same time. I was hoping it would be a good movie because I loved the animated Disney version way more than the non animated version. What a bummer I am not sure whether I will allow this review to deter me from viewing the film for myself. It has to be better than the 1990s version with the girl from Corrina, Corrina. I honestly had high hopes for this version only because of its plethora of talented actors. I loved the story but I think maybe it too weird of a book to try over and over, I mean honestly how many remakes does Hollywood need, to realize that they will never succeed in casting for the characters of Alice in Wonderland and I say this only because of the previews I saw. And yes, Mr. Depp looked rather atrocious.
I thought about going to go see the film when it first came out a few weeks ago. I liked the old Disney film and thought the idea of a live action version could be cool. I’m alsofan of Depp, Burton not so much, and the film was receiving good early buzz and looked like a lot of fun. I immediately changed my mind after reading the middling reviews. Also I’m not down with this new 3-D craze, I find that it often makes films gimmicky. Also its interesting how you point out that Burton’s “Im so edgy and dark” shtick, I’ve always found it tired. Now there are reports that he is going to be attached to a film remake of the “The Addams Family” in 3-D no less, which granted sounds like a much better fit than this. I wonder if Depp will don drag to play Morticia?
Giovanni
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First of all- a disclaimer! I am a HUGE Tim Burton fan. I think that Buton is absolutely brilliant in the way he turns reality on its head and messes with people's expectations of what a children's make believe world should look like. I am also a HUGE "Alice" fan, and I have been waiting for a visual representation of Wonderland that I finally like. As with fairy tales, Wonderland is often disturbing, startling, and even down right upsetting. I have always thought Burton would do "Alice in Wonderland," and for one, I am glad he did.
Reading "Alice" and many fairy tales growing up, I have always thought it falls into this category. I was happily surprised to see how Burton took Alice's agency in the stories and wrote a script around it for her as (almost) a woman. I had always wondered what sort of person Alice would grow up to be, and I think Burton's work here fits in nicely with the Wonderland canon.
As for Burton's ego- I am also in agreement. But I would rather see fairy tales retold in bizarre and thought provoking ways than an army of Disneyfied fairy tales. In fact, I would love to see Burton take on a project like "Hansel and Gretel"!
Mo.
I too hate Tim Burton films. I am not much of a fan of Johnny Depp either for that matter. I think that he is talented in the Pirates films but anything short of that and I agree with you Kate, for the simple reason is that he has done so many drug induced roles that I feel that is all that he can do anymore. Before he did “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” he was a phenomenal actor and now – eh – subpar at best!
Tim Burton on the other hand has only done two films that I really like – ironically enough one of them has Johnny Depp in it – “Edward Scissorhands” and “Batman” with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson. I think that Tim Burton and Johnny Depp really only go for the weird and not the subtle type either. So on the basis that you have said the you do not like the “Alice in Wonderland” I will definitely not see it either.
Well from what i understand about the movie is that Johnny Depp lost alot of fans as his charactor was awfully scarey. I retrieved this from the mouth of many who have seen the film. Heard that it was nothing like the actual story and left quite a few stammored as to why they took thier children to see something that was considered to be "so far out there" that they regretted it. Although i did not go and see the film. my wife and children did go see it and i was told by them that i was the lucky one. My mother in law who by the way was in love with Johnny depp, is no longer in love with him. So i have heard the term life changing rolls but this is definitely taking it to the extreme.
I was not interested in seeing the Alice in Wonderland movie; however my oldest daughter is beyond fanatical about Tim Burton. She loves his artwork and therefore, avoiding the movie was not an option. I took my 15 year old daughter, 14 year old niece, and my 6 year old daughter to this movie. Out of the four of us watching it none of us were amused. My 15 year old was very disappointed as was my niece, and my 6 year old complained for days afterward about how long and boring the movie was for her. I, myself could have cared less about the movie, but I did have to struggle not to all asleep movie.
The special effects of the movie were ok and even though it had big names like Johnny Depp and Anne Hathaway, I don’t think it was their best movie. Johnny Depp, in my opinion, was his usual bizarre self and Anne Hathaway’s character just weirded me out.
Kristi S.-T390
I have to admit that when I was heading to the movies to watch Alice and Wonderland I was quite excited! I had watched the movie all the time when I was younger, and I will admit that I do not remember much of it. Anyway, as soon as the movie started I began to wonder if this was going to be like what I thought it would be. Unfortunately, it rather disappointed me because it seemed so different from what I remember. I agree with what you say when you said they looked ugly! It just freaked me out more than anything did. I felt like I was focusing more on the ugly characters than the actual story line. Overall, I would not say it is the best recreation done, like I thought it could possibly be. It is definitely not a movie I would want children seeing. So may I will just stick with the Disney versions!
I am so happy that I found this post! I find Alice and Wonderland, even the original animated movie, to be interesting just because it is flat out weird. A friend of mine even wrote me a short book titled Rachel in Wonderland. Another friend has also bought me a book filled with Lewis Carroll's short stories and the pictures themselves are enough to keep my turning pages for hours. I have never thought of Tim Burton that way but I do have to agree with you. I had just watched The Nightmare before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach the other day. Although I find Tim Burton interesting just because he is so strange, he does seem to flaunt his madness a little bit. I had also never thought of Johnny Depp that way. I mean of course I understand that the man is strange, but I had never thought of him as wanting to be less attractive. Now I've got creepy Alice on the brain and will have to go flipping through the book.
I am so glad to know other people have not enjoyed this movie too! The movie was incredibly boring… for such an imaginative and creative concept that Tim Burton had to work with from the basis of the characters and story. I was not impressed with this story line at all, it was simple and easy to predict. I am a mixed fan of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp... I own many Tim Burton films ranging from Edward Scissorhands to the Corpse Bride. My three year old can’t get enough of his animated ones. I think movies such as the Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas are interesting and different, and maybe that’s because I am used Disney’s Cinderella and Peter Pan. I do agree though, Burton is cocky in his own subtle way. As for Johnny Depp, he could be in anything and I am interested to at least see the film. From what I can tell, I feel he is very private individual and uses his roles to stand out against the typical Hollywood Hunk. And as for the original Disney version of Alice in Wonderland, I can’t stand it enough to even watch it. The one positive aspect of this story in my eyes, is the Halloween costumes imitating the characters.
I agree with you about the costumes and make-up in Burton’s movies, they all seem unnecessarily dark and drab. I’m not so sure if I agree with the outlook of Alice in Wonderland. I read the book and I didn’t think it was the worst book I’ve read.
The movie did seem to be over the top with whimsical scenes. I never imagined that kind of scene in my head when I read the book. I also picked up that weird relationship between the Mad Hatter and Alice, I’d like to know where Burton got that one.
I do like his idea of plot that he created for the movie. Correct me if I’m wrong, I have only seen the movie once last April, but I thought the movie took place after Alice’s first visit to Wonderland? I remember that Alice was younger in the book. Also, the characters in the movie kept referring to her as someone they have seen before. I thought this was clever on Burton’s part. There are not many movies that can compete with the books they are based off of. So either Burton made a follow-up plot for his movie, or completely screwed up the plot.
I went into the movie hoping it would be good, and I was thoroughly disappointed. I will admit that I am I Johnny Depp and a Tim Burton fan, but I did not like Alice in Wonder Land. I read the books by Lewis Carroll, I didn’t like them; I have seen the Disney version, I didn’t like it; I was really hoping that Tim Burton would make me a fan, but again I didn’t like it. I honestly could only understand about every five words out of Johnny Depp’s mouth! I really needed subtitles for the movie. As for the fact that everyone has to be ugly in Burton’s films, I really enjoy that about him. I love that he doesn’t make beauty the focal point of his movies; I find it refreshing. I think the only part of the movie I did like was that everyone in the red queens court were faking that they were ugly, it cracked me up.
Stacey B. T390
I will have to agree with you in terms of the most recent Alice in Wonderland movie. The Mad Hatter was completely torn apart by Tim Burton. What was with that make up? And that sense of fashion? Awful. Of course the only Alice in Wonderland I know of really is the Disney movie. I can’t say I cared for the original Disney version either. It was just okay and I feel the same about this recent Tim Burton style movie as well. While I didn’t like most of the characters or how they were presented, the movie and plot itself was just okay. The original Disney version was much better in my opinion and even then, like I said, that one was just okay. That version was a little stranger than Tim Burton’s version and Burton’s version was really weird too. Wonderland doesn’t seem like a place I would like to visit anytime soon.
One day I’m going to get around to reading the original Alice book and see how the plot is actually supposed to be laid out.
Paul W. :: T390
Brittani H. I really enjoyed the new version of Alice in Wonderland, I also loved the original. I must say though I am a Johhny Depp LOVER, he is amazing. I thought that the movie had a really dark, and interesting twist. I have heard many bad reviews on the movie but I think it just depends on the person. I loved the oversized flowers and queens head. It makes you feel like you are in a different universe. I must also admit that I did have a nightmare after I watched the movie. I would not allow a young child to watch it. I thought the Mad Hatter was a little too scary for a children’s movie, and especially the scene with the heads floating in the moat…that was a little much. Overall I thought it was wonderful, it kept me on the edge of my seat, and loved that it kept some of the same wacky tendencies of the Disney version.
I completely agree with the assessment of the movie. I did not like it at all. I was bored to death, and as much as I LOVE Johnny Depp, this movie did nothing for me. I agree with you on the idea that Burton and Depp bring out the worst in each other because I am not a fan of any of their movies together. The problem is that they get me excited to see every film they come out with and I am disappointed each and every time. You would think I would learn by now not to get my hopes up. Johnny Depp and Anne Hathaway are very attractive people and this movie makes them as ugly as I've seen either of them. I on the other hand love the written story of Alice in Wonderland along with the movie versions, in particular the film with Martin Short as the Mad Hatter. Alice in Wonderland is meant to be funny when adapted to film, and the attempt to bring the dark side was a fail for Burton. Visually, the movie was great, but the makeup on the characters was terrible. The queen of hearts was very entertaining as usual, but that was about the best and most accurate character. I also agree with an above post that Alice was DULL. She bored me to tears.
-Kelly H.
I have read pieces of the comments on this blog, but I didn’t read all of them so I apologize if some one has already said any of this. I love Johnny Depp mainly because he is weird and his rebelliousness to the Hollywood typecast he found himself trapped in when he was in the TV series 21 Jumpstreet. He didn’t like how he was being molded into the pretty-boy image. Which is the reason he went for movies like Cry Baby and Edward Scissorhands, and to Alice in Wonderland and so on, to show that he was more than a pretty face. (I got most of this information from the TV show Biography)
Alice in Wonderland I liked it for what it was (I, however, didn’t like Corpse Bride and I am really tired of seeing Tim Burton’s girlfriend in every movie he makes lately) but when it comes to Tim Burton movies I like it, I love it, or I don’t. I will admit this movie miffed me a little before I saw it, because the movie trailers led people, and me, into believing it was a retelling of the book with really cool special effects, which I was excited to see. My brother, being into movies and games like he is, told me it was actually a movie based off of a story line in a video game. There was also a TV series based off of the same story line called Alice that I did like and in that one the Mad Hatter/Alice relationship was totally there.
Anyway, maybe I liked Alice in Wonderland because I was forewarned about what it was really going to be about in the first place by my brother and I settled for seeing an interpretation of Wonderland rather than the story line, which I found myself enjoying for what it was. But I still love Johnny Depp I never really expect him to be hot, or what have you, all the time, like in the Libertine –shudders- (besides the poetry he recites in the beginning and end I really didn’t like that movie.) In this movie he didn’t look that bad or maybe I was just scarred by the Libertine. Although, I am getting tired of not understanding what he is saying in movies most of the time.
silvaan c.
My opinion differs entirely from yours, other than agreeing that the author of Alice is a sick freak as you explained his life in class. I also love Depp but I love Burton’s work and definitely enjoy the combination of them together. I love the twisted dark view they portray the world to be. They see the world through strange lenses I enjoy. I’ve never been disappointed with a Tim Burton movie, especially Batman. We watched the original musical Sweeny Todd in high school and the choir after my senior year did the melody from the Broadway production. I love the steam-punk/gothic style and envy the dresses in the Burton version of Alice in Wonderland. I enjoyed the original Alice when I was younger, though it was not my favorite, (mine was Roger and Hammerstein’s Thumbelina) and find this world a fascinating one to explore. It reminds me of the Wizard of Oz in the dreamy world reminiscent of possibility. I liked the updated version of Alice, still not my favorite, but a good movie in my opinion.
-Ashley M
I would have to agree with you in one sense. Johnny Depp is an absolutely fabulous actor. There has not been one movie starring him that ever left me disappointed. However, I would have to agree to disagree with you in one aspect, because I love Tim Burton videos. I have always been impressed by the whimsical and dramatic approach he took when producing his videos. I like that he is not afraid to step outside of the norm of 'fairy tales' and take a more dark and twisted route. I found "Alice in Wonderland" to be an amazing video with great special features, and it definitely drew me in. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp did a wonderful job with this video and I enjoyed everything about it... OK, not everything. I had a hard time watching the video in 3D, but that is my only complaint.
Chelsea Tessier
I also went and saw the movie when it came out. I have always been a huge fan of the cartoon movie by Disney. When I heard that they were making another movie with Johnny Depp I got really excited. I was disappointed that the movie was so different from the one I grew up watching. I like Johnny Depp but I’m not a huge fan, and the movie was just alright. The scenery and the costumes and everything were great but the story line was uncomfortable. I agree that it was weird that the Mad Hatter was almost a boyfriend to Alice. The characters didn’t really seem to be much like the characters in the cartoon, which disappointed me. The one character I really liked was Anne Hathaways.
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