Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks (both of DOCTOR WHO fame) got to together to make an adaptation of ALICE IN WONDERLAND, but however the DVD art is the best thing about this TV adaptation.  It isn’t the work of genius like the black and white fever dream produced for BBC TV back in 1966.  I find that many versions of ALICE IN WONDERLAND begin to suck more the closer they get to adapting the book.  This TV adaptation uses lots of CSO and dropping Alice and characters inside model based backgrounds.   I found Kate Dorning annoying as Alice and I found the bookend of each episode of Lewis Carroll telling the story to friends to be dreadful.  I think the best performance is from Michael Wisher as the Cheshire Cat (and you also have Elisabeth Sladen as the Dormouse).  Alice is in a pink dress with white apron and not blue dress with white apron like the cover art.  The singing grinds the whole production to a halt if it’s not for the crying of Alice (and her apparent stupidity).  

 

If you are a fan of ALICE IN WONDERLAND adaptations, you may want this for your collection.  However if you’re looking a for a good TV version by the BBC, go check out the black and white fever dream I mentioned earlier in the review.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Nothing- no featurette or audio commentary or even TV spots.  It would have been interesting to see a featurette on the various Alice In Wonderland TV productions made for the BBC.

 

This DVD review is (c)3-20-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com