Alice in Wonderland

I was so thrilled to find this movie on DVD. We had it on VHS until about 2012, when our VCR finally kicked the bucket and we weren't able to replace it. This is one of my favourite movies, and is one of the great fantasy films from back when people still had fun making movies (I wish Hallmark had kept producing fantasies - like this one and "The 10th Kingdom"). Excellent costumes, fun and fantastic performances - Whoopi Goldberg, Miranda Richardson, Martin Short, GENE WILDER! (And more!) - if you haven't had a chance to see this film I really recommend it. This DVD arrived in fantastic and safe condition, quickly and well packaged.

Unlike the vapid and cloying confections of Disney and Hollywood, this version of the Reverend Dodgeson's tale does not assume that its audience is mentally retarded. Instead, it operates on many layers simultaneously, so that a three year old can watch captivated while its parent can enjoy the allusions and subtlety. The under-fives may not catch the Oxford-Cambridge rivalry that surfaces in the Red Queen's courtroom, but they will enjoy the Hatter's impromptu rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle" while accompanied by the March Hare on banjo. In this rare case, the cliche of "something for everyone" is actually true.The acting is of a superior quality and there are some amusing vignettes, particularly from Gene Wilder as the Mock Turtle, who duets with Donald Sinden's Griffin (and ignores the interjected elocution lesson). The special effects are additive rather than scene-stealing, which is how it should be. Although Whoopi Goldberg's name is employed to market this video in the USA, her role is in fact quite slender and one of the least successful. This video should be purchased for its wit and elegance rather than because one expects to see one's favorite Hollywood stars in cameo roles.In conclusion, this is a delightful production of taste and charm, quite unlike the sterile and mind-numbing fare that issues from North America. Watch it and enjoy - and then think how much more interesting and exuberant life would be if Disney and Hollywood should cease to exist, replaced instead by the likes of those who bring us this modern-day enchantment of Alice in her wonderland.

Keeps my special occupied the whole day! He loves watching it!

I actually purchased this 4 DVD movie set to watch “Alice in Wonderland” because I remember how much I really liked it when I first watched it on tv many years ago. I am so happy for my purchase.It really amazes me how great the visual effects are in this movie, considering that it was made for tv back in 1999. I think the visual effects are comparable to what you would see in a move released in a movie theater today.Tina Majorino, who plays Alice, in my opinion, does a great job of doing an English accent. Martin Short is just great at portraying a very hilarious Mad Hatter. Whoopi Goldberg is a very convincing Cheshire Cat. Gene Wilder is really funny as the Mock Turtle. Ben Kingsley is great at portraying Major Caterpillar with very traditional British military bearing. Peter Ustinov is also great at playing the Walrus.The movie soundtrack is also very delightful. I especially enjoyed the “Turtle Soup” song performed by the Mock Turtle, the Gryphon, and Alice. The song “Auntie’s Wooden Leg” performed by the Mad Hatter and accompanied by the March Hare on banjo was quite catchy as well.I also admire the Jim Henson creature creations, such as the Gryphon and the flamingos and the cute little hedgehogs that were used for the Queen of Hearts’ croquet game.I tried watching the other 3 movies on this 4 DVD set; “Pinocchio”, “Snow White” and “Jack and the Beanstalk”, but they were not as good as “Alice in Wonderland” and really were not worth watching. They lacked the same charm and magic as with “Alice in Wonderland”.

This movie is one of my absolute FAVORITE renditions of this classic tale! It sticks as closely to the book as possible and avoids cutting out the last half of the whole story, unlike most modern versions. The cast is incredible, the best as a whole that I can see for Alice in Wonderland. There are not just one or two big stars, but a multitude, including the late Gene Wilder, that make this story very fun and colorful. I recommend this movie to anyone, my son and I absolutely ADORE IT!! But a bit of a warning, the caterpillar is smoking a hookah, which is actually the case in most of these movies, but if you are worried about that, I thought it only polite to mention it. Happy watching!!!

This is the best original adaptation of Alice in Wonderland out there. I have seen the 2010 version and can say no matter how much CGI you add to that film it doesn't have the emotional conviction the way this one does. Tina Majorino does an amazing job with the role of Alice in this version of the classic we all know and love. I love how they did the characters and how they made them real. They didn't seem silly or over the top in anyway to me. They seemed like people you could see in person at one point or another.I also loved the darkness of this film and I feel that gave it a truth and honesty about it. Alice being truly scared and learning more about herself through this movie seemed realistic. Where in the 2010 remake it was more of a random and out of place plot. I didn't understand the ending and the point of the story in that remake. Where this one has a beginning middle and end.The start where you see Alice is nervous to sing in front of all the party guests and her mother is guilting her into it. ( That was just mean). She ends up falling into the rabbit hole and along the way she learns to stand up for herself and have a voice. Which in the end comes into play in every way. I know when I was a kid and growing up and I came across this it was very much an important film in my life. I just loved everything about it. The darkness and intrigue and the mystery of Wonderland.I think if you love the story of Wonderland give this a chance it's such a brilliant told story in this adaptation.