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spartanscrollentertainment
Falling into ‘wonder’ous world 03.12.2010
BY VERONICA JIMENEZ ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
O Frabjous day! “Alice in the Wonderland” returns to the big screen in a whole new way. Influenced by the creative writing of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by his pseudonym Lewis Carroll, Tim Burton applies his signature dark and quirky style to his latest project. Although the movie features an angst-filled Alice Kingsley (Mia Wasikowska) at the age of 19 and other familiar characters, like the whimsical Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) and the emotionally volatile Queen of Hearts (Helena Bonham Carter), the movie is not a sequel, and die hard Carroll fans should not expect a loyal depiction of the original story. Burton has often criticized Carroll’s original stories, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and its sequel, “Through the Looking Glass,” as a series of random events, rather than a coherent sequence of events with an interesting plot. “The goal was taking elements of the books and making its own story,” said Burton during an interview with Disney’s D23 website. Faced with a life-changing decision, Alice takes off into her lush surroundings and
accidentally falls down an all-too-familiar rabbit hole. The treacherous fall leaves Alice topsy turvy, literally. While she fumbles around trying to find a way out, old friends watch this unrecognizable Alice in uncertainty. Is this the Alice they had been waiting for? Soon enough, Alice finds herself at a loss, wandering through Underland. That is, until she is taken under the wings of the familiar white rabbit Nivens McTwisp (Michael Sheen), the senseless Mad Hatter, the endearing Tweedle Brothers (Matt Lucas), the spunky little dormouse Mallymkun, the deranged march hare Thackery Earwicket (Paul Whitehouse) and the perceptive blue caterpillar Absolem (Alan Rickman). Alice is enlightened about Underland’s state of affairs by her old friends. The Queen of Hearts had conquered Underland, ruling it with the sound of her four favorite words, “Off with their heads!” Alice is hit by even more surprising news. It was foretold that their savior, Alice, would arrive and slay the tormenting Jabberwocky on Frabjous Day using the Vorpal Sword. From there, the plot dwindles down to the cliché battle between the forces of good and evil. While the overall story line failed to
surprise the audience, the themes of self-discovery and staying true to one’s beliefs shone through the blunted version of this classic and captured the hearts of viewers. Ultimately, it is the visual landscape that makes Alice’s newest adventure so spectacular, as technology has finally been able to catch up with Burton’s imagination and allowed him to experiment with playful visual trickery. While the film was originally filmed to be screened in 2D, it was later manipulated to be screened in 3D, and adjusting to the newly emerged status quo. Burton makes efficient use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) and other innovative film techniques to bring the movie to life. Regardless of the version, the movie is sure to be sheer delight for the eyes. Through its captivating aesthetic intensity and kooky Tim Burton twist, the film offers something for all audiences. “Alice in Wonderland,” rated PG, is now playing in theaters everywhere. It is also being screened in Digital Disney 3D and IMAX 3D.
Down the Rabbit Hole: Meet the dwellers of Underland
Cheshire Cat
The Cheshire Cat is a dapper tabby cat with the ability to appear and disappear. He is casual and has a wide grin which masks his cowardice. He is one of the first dwellers of Underland that Alice encounters on her journey. He leads her to the Hatter’s tea party.
Mad Hatter
The Mad Hatter does not just wear his heart on his sleeve: his ever-changing moods are quite literally reflected in his face and attire. He is willing to go to great lengths to protect Alice and is her one true friend in Underland.
Tweedledee & Tweedledum White Queen Twins Tweedledee and Tweedledum accompany Alice as she walks through Underland but are quickly snatched away by the Jubjub Bird. They constantly argue with one another and hit each other.
The White Queen is the younger sister of the Red Queen but is the complete opposite of her sister. While her older sister is cruel, she radiates sweetness.
Alice
After running away from a surprise engagement party, Alice tumbles down a rabbit hole and into Underland, also known as Wonderland. Although she first discovered it when she was a child, she has no memory of it or its inhabitants.
Red Queen
The Red Queen is the tyrannical monarch of Underland who has a fiery temper and a tendency to scream for peoples’ heads to be chopped off.Her character in the film is based on the Queen of Hearts and the Red Queen in the original storyline.
White Rabbit
The White Rabbit was sent by the Mad Hatter to search for Alice in London and lead her back to Underland. He acts as a double agent for the Underland Underground Resistance.
All cartoons by LIANE PETERSEN