Irwin Allen presents "Alice in Wonderland"--and it's another disaster movie (though not as intended). With gloomy songs by Steve Allen and a redundant teleplay by Paul Zindel, this "Alice" is about as far removed from Lewis Carroll's fantasy as one can imagine. Zindel reduces Alice's adventures to elemental deductions (viewers are constantly being told exactly what is happening), and yet Carroll was anything but elementary. In the lead, little Natalie Gregory chatters away, berating herself for her own behavior, but why has she been encouraged to play the role on the verge of tears (and always with a disgusted look on her face)? This Alice finds the magically nonsensical characters shockingly rude, but suddenly does an about-face when she spots the Mad Tea Party and exclaims, "Oh goody!" Alice follows the White Rabbit down a thunder-and-lightning enhanced cavern 2mns into the production and, 3mns later, is already whining about wanting to go home. Irwin Allen happily filled the many eccentric roles with most of his Hollywood pals, but the cronyism doesn't pay off: everyone looks terribly aged and fatigued. They also appear to have been over-rehearsed, and nobody's actions are spontaneous or exciting (even Alice's cat Dinah looks nonplussed). The whole production, televised in two-parts, was likely expensive, and yet the magic is canned. The set design, which goes heavy on the shrubbery and stepping stones, is disappointing, while the cameos come off like vaudeville turns. Most likely, Irwin Allen meant this to be a treat, but ill-chosen Natalie Gregory is childish without being childlike. What happened to all the wonderment? Five Emmy nominations--including Outstanding Art Direction!--with no wins.
Review of Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland
(II) (1985)
Nothing wonderful about this fatigued television production...
30 December 2006