alice

May 27, 2009

everytime i think about tim burton's upcoming version of alice's adventures in wonderland, i get butterflies. they're gonna be fluttering 'til 2010 when the movie's released.

as eager as i am to see burton's interpretation of my hands-down favorite book, i doubt he can cast a darker shadow on the story than jan svankmajer. svankmajer's version imagines the story less as a daydream and more as a nightmare. it's beautiful, creepy, horrifying and wonderful. but i love how far he steps from the disney standard (which has very little to do with lewis carroll's story at all).

a few shots from "alice"
just after tumbling down the rabbit hole.

alice, shrunk.

weird and random. did i mention the white rabbit is a bit of taxidermy?

alice, about to grow.

too big for the white rabbit's house. 


a. if you haven't read alice's adventures in wonderland & through the looking glass, you should. right now. sooner if possible. read it closely and you will be amazed how often it's quoted and referenced in the most random nooks and crannies of modern culture.

b. if you're brave enough to watch alice, make sure you stick around for the short, darkness light darkness. the name constantly floats around my head, it's a perfect triplet.

c. keep a sense of humor about your language. carroll demands that it be a playful thing:

'Stigand, the patriotic archbishop of Canterbury, found it advisable — "'
'Found what?' said the Duck.
'Found it,' the Mouse replied rather crossly: 'of course you know what "it" means.'
'I know what "it" means well enough, when I find a thing,' said the Duck: 'it's generally a frog or a worm. The question is, what did the archbishop find?'

3 notes:

  1. Ah, Tim Burton. Do keep in mind for every Edward Scissorhands and Nightmare Before Christmas, there's a Planet of the Apes or the ghastly Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (shudder....) Having said that, I'm excited about Alice, too. I wonder what he'll do with her? Won't it be interesting? Is it live action or stop animation?
    Also, do you have a copy of The Annotated Alice? I thought of you when I saw it. I've never read it, but it looks very interesting. It explains so much of the book.

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  2. i have both annotated alice and annotated hunting of the snark. (which i haven't had a chance to read yet.)
    annotated alice describes a lot of the political goings on behind things and some other background info that gives the story a little more depth. oh, and the "interesting" relationship between charles lutwidge dodgeson and little alice liddell.

    you're free to borrow anytime!

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  3. Cool. I just might!
    I'm so glad I asked you first, because I was thinking of buying it for you! : )

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