Review of Alice in Wonderland (1951) by Chrismizerak — 09 Feb 2020

Me and my relationship with “Alice in Wonderland” go all the way the back to when I was in kindergarten. Around the time I discovered Disney’s 1951 adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s legendary tale, I also discovered “The Wizard of Oz” around that time.

Both films offer somewhat paralleling experiences in some respects. They’re both about a young girl who is transported to a fantasy world with magical spells and fanciful creatures inhabiting the land.

The difference is that while the protagonist from “The Wizard of Oz” has either an end goal in mind or is working to return home, our titular lead in “Alice in Wonderland” is far more adventurous and curious of her unusual surroundings.

In fact, I’ll make a pat argument that Alice is a far stronger and more captivating lead here than Dorothy was in “The Wizard of Oz”. Although both leads are strong, I feel that the journey Alice goes on teaches us more about its world and has more valuable lessons to learn.

As you’ll see in Wonderland, nothing is ever what it seems. Eating a tiny bite of a cookie can transform you into a giant. Taking a sip of something from a bottle can shrink you to the size of a mouse.

Early on as a history lesson is being forced on her, Alice dreams of a world that is the exact opposite of the one she came from. Little life lessons such as being careful what you wish for or how “curiosity often leads to trouble” can easily be obtained by watching Alice’s journey through Wonderland unfold.

“Alice in Wonderland” is a rare story that benefits from just exploring the world through the lens of its likeable young heroine without a particular end goal in mind. Even if there was a goal, it’s not exactly the focus.

The real focus is with whom Alice encounters next in her odyssey and whatever chaos ensues. Whether it’s the Mad Hatter and March Hare or the Cheshire Cat or of course the Queen of Hearts, every person or creature gives Alice a good reason to tread lightly.

If the film simply consisted of one odd encounter to the next, it wouldn’t have much structural form. But because our protagonist Alice is so relatable and proactive, everything comes together. A strong argument can be made for Alice being the best Disney animated heroine while Walt Disney was alive.

That’s Kathryn Beaumont as the voice of Alice, and she hits it out of the park in terms of giving life to Alice. She bestows personality into a girl who tries to put logic into a world where logic ceases to exist.

The animation is stellar any way you look at it. Human animation has come a long way since “Snow White”, just look at how realistic yet full of life Alice and her older sister are. The characters within Wonderland are all brimming with expressiveness and zaniness.

None of them are either a clear hero or villain, which is refreshing since it adds a layer of mystery to the world. There’s some great songs and music by Oliver Wallace and many other contributors. This is surely one rabbit hole worth going down.