Tim Burton’s version of Alice In Wonderland is now available for your to view at home. I missed this one in the theaters, so was eagerly anticipating finally getting to view it for the first time. In hindsight, I think Burton was the perfect choice to envision the madness and glory of Lewis Carroll’s nonsensical imaginings. Certainly, all of Burton’s films have had a slightly off-kilter and fantastical shine to them, but it has never been more perfectly suited than in depicting concepts like the Mad Hatter and the frumious Bandersnatch, not to mention the Jabberwocky. Through it all Burton manages to make the surreal seem perfectly plausible and normal.
Burton calls upon old favorites Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter (Burton’s domestic partner of the last decade) and Danny Elfman and mixes them in with new friends Anne Hathaway, Stephen Fry, Crispin Glover, Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski to make a wonderful take on an old classic. I’ve been a fan of Wolski since The Crow and I think he may be the perfect visual match for Burton’s mad, mad worlds (watch Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for further proof). And the aforementioned actors are well placed for their roles. I’m still in awe with the juxtaposition of a marvelously scene-chewing Bonham Carter and a mellow, neo-hipster Rickman. Depp is such a chameleon at this point that I don’t there is a role he couldn’t portray, he’s just amazing to watch from film to film and he delights and frightens here with aplomb.
This is Disney’s second feature film revolving around Alice’s adventures in Wonderland, the first being the classic animated film from fifty years ago. That first film is still considered one of the finest animated films produced by the Disney Studios and has been the definitive non-literary version of Carrol’s strange and magical world for half a century. This would seem and impossible act to follow, but Tim Burton and company may have just succeeded in the impossible task of redefining the iconic tale.
Alice In Wonderland is digitally mastered and looks incredible on DVD. The Blu-ray will make your jaw drop. The audio is in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and is indeed all around you. Once again Disney gives you choice of formats, whether it be DVD, Blu-ray or the awesome combo pack of both formats plus a digital copy of the film for your computer. I recommend picking up the combo pack and preparing yourself for a leap down the rabbit hole like you’ve never experienced before.
Bonus Features:
DVD:
Finding Alice – It’s all things Alice. This featurette includes Tim Burton’s vision for the characters, differences from the book and Disney’s version of Alice and how she evolves as both a character and actor as she takes an adventure through Wonderland.
The Mad Hatter – Audiences are provided with a deeper look into the world of the Mad Hatter. Check out Johnny Depp’s early sketches, make-up, costumes and how they digitally enhanced his eyes.
Effecting Wonderland – A behind-the-scenes piece on the different technologies used to create some of the most beloved characters in the film – Stayne, Tweedledee, Tweedledum, Bandersnatch and the Red Queen.
BLU-RAY:
Everything on the DVD plus:
The Futterwacken Dance – Futterwhat? Check out the making of the timeless dance called the Futterwacken.
The Red Queen – The creation of the Red Queen from start to finish, including early Tim Burton sketches showcasing costume designs, make-up and digital effects.
Time-Lapse: Sculpting the Red Queen – A short time-lapse piece showing Helena Bonham Carter as she gets her make-up done. A three-hour process can be watched in just a few short minutes.
The White Queen – An interview with Anne Hathaway, who plays Wonderland’s good queen, about her character’s journey throughout the process of the film.
Scoring Wonderland – Composer Danny Elfman and Tim Burton discuss the music for the movie.
Stunts of Wonderland – A featurette highlighting some of the biggest stunts in the film.
Making the Proper Size – An inside look at the visual effects process of growing and shrinking Alice. See how filmmakers used different techniques to stay true to the storyline.
Cakes of Wonderland – Take a trip to “Cake Divas” where the creators of the EAT ME cakes provide viewers with details about how they made the smallest crumb to the largest cake in scale.
Tea Party Props – Tea cups, saucers, cakes and more. Prop master Doug Harlocker gives an overview of all the props used to bring the famous tea party scene together visually.