Alice in Wonderland Blu-Ray/DVD Review

The Disney film Alice in Wonderland directed by Tim Burton is not reminiscent of its 1951 fully animated predecessor. It is more a reflection of Charles Dodgson and his children’s novels. Most know this author better under his pseudonym Lewis Carroll.

Dodgson was a gifted genius whose books create an unsurpassed world of fantasy, double meanings, logic, and word play. He truly was a complex man who included caricatures of people even himself in his writing. His affliction of the real Alice in Wonderland Syndrome where the mind distorts what it perceives, became the basis for Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

Tim Burton uses the 1865 England as the setting of his film Alice in Wonderland released on DVD June 1, 2010. The original IMAC, 3-D, and traditional movie versions became a blockbuster hit and one which, incidentally, leaves room for a followup. Computers, filming technology, animation, and live performances together make it what it is.

Tagged by “You’ve got a date, ” I could not wait to see an aged, 19 year old Alice return to the magical world she had fallen into thirteen years earlier. Alice has had dreams and worried for years that she is mad. Her father’s reassurance that the best people are all mad helped until he died, and that is where Burton’s story begins. Rabbit, rabbit hole, shrinking, expanding, key, potion, biscuit–all begin Alice’s return to underland, its garden, its familiar wonderland characters, for another adventure.

As Alice begins to celebrate Frabjous Day, she learns her destiny is to slay the Jabberwocky. Aided by the Mad Hatter and other wonderland characters, she fulfills her destiny and brings an end to the Red Queen’s reign of terror. I just loved the Cheshire Cat and his trickery. What a visual masterpiece! I almost regretted the caterpillar Absolem giving her the vial to return to her world until I heard her say, “I’ll be back”.

Relationships can be ambiguous. Dodgson AKA Carroll’s certainly were. Alice’s return to her real world signals an epiphany. She does not marry. Instead she pursues her own life and ambitions.

Here is the cast list:
Mia Wasikowska…Alice
Johnny Depp…Mad Hatter
Helena Bonham Carter…Red Queen
Anne Hathaway…White Queen
Crispin Glover…Stayne
Matt Lucas…Tweedledee / Tweedledum
Stephen Fry…Cheshire Cat (voice)
Michael Sheen…White Rabbit (voice)
Alan Rickman…Blue Caterpillar (voice)
Barbara Windsor…Dormouse (voice)
Paul Whitehouse…March Hare (voice)
Timothy Spall…Bayard (voice)
Marton Csokas…Charles Kingsleigh
Tim Pigott-Smith…Lord Ascot
John Surman…Colleague #1
Peter Mattinson…Colleague #2
Lindsay Duncan…Helen Kingsleigh
Geraldine James…Lady Ascot
Leo Bill…Hamish
Frances de la Tour…Aunt Imogene
Jemma Powell…Margaret Kingsleigh
John Hopkins…Lowell
Eleanor Gecks…Faith Chattaway
Eleanor Tomlinson…Fiona Chattaway
Rebecca Crookshank…Strange Woman
KisserMichael Gough…Dodo Bird (voice)
Imelda Staunton…Tall Flower Faces (voice)
Christopher Lee…Jabberwocky (voice)
Mairi Ella Challen…6-Year-Old Alice

I really wanted to write the whole blog about the fab Johnny Depp crazy, wacky, zany in his carrot red hair. But since this was a review on AIW, I had to hold back. I suppose you will just have to find out for yourself.

I will share the trailer with you though.

CLICK HERE to print a coupon for $10 off the Alice In Wonderland  Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack.

The 3-disc combo pack which includes the blu-ray feature film and bonuses galore, the DVD feature film and some bonuses, and a digital copy of the feature film lists for $39.99 on line and in local stores.

The product(s) featured in this review was provided free of cost to me for the sole purpose of product testing and review. This review has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.