Alice in Wonderland (1951)
So, I have a question.... and I'm gonna get a little philosophical here, so bare with me.
What is it about the human race as a species that makes us so attracted to escaping the normal everyday lives we build for ourselves? Why do we always find the grass greener on the other side? Is there something established deep within our DNA that makes us long for adventure, and yearn for what we don't have? I begin to ask myself these questions not just in relation to this movie, but almost all of the Disney movies resonate this theme in some way, shape, or form.
Anyway, adventure and escape has begun to draw itself to the forefront as the undercurrent which connects these movies with each other, and perhaps in some way, explains why Disney is so popular. The company specializes in scratching that itch we all have, to escape the norm, fall down the rabbit hole, see and experience outside of what is possible in our own lives, and perhaps keep us persevering to chase down our own happily ever after....
Anyway, sorry to ramble, but it was a bit of an epiphany for myself after this movie, but back on topic with the review!!!
So, this movie, and story in general, is such a phenomenon in so many ways. It exists so firmly in pop culture and popularity with so many people, and the odd thing about it is, it truly is a story about nothing. The original book, which the movie is based off of has almost no plot to carry it. Its mostly a series of strange and unusual scenarios, with a young girl as the only grounded character drifting her way through them all. How does this earn itself at the heights of popular storytelling?
Disney, after the massive success of Cinderella, poured the cash-flow immediately into more projects with bigger and grander ideas, the first of which was the adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic.
Unfortunately, the film under performed in the box office, which would become an ongoing theme with every film incarnation of the Alice stories. And, like Fantasia before it, found new life in the 1960's with it's surreal and head tripping themes. And now hold a cult following, with many ranking it among the best animated films.
Again, I must ask what it is about this nonsense story that holds itself with such high regard?? It has some amusement in the odd characters that populate Wonderland with their strange backwards behaviors. But other than that, the plot is simple; A young girl is bored with her everyday life, wishes for a world where everything is nonsense, gets to see it, and finds out what an awful choice that is.
As a kid, I fell into the herd, finding this movie endlessly entertaining with it's fantastic art style (due to the contribution if long time Disney artist, Mary Blair). Now, as an adult, revisiting Wonderland has me questioning what about it is so appealing. Every character Alice encounters is rude, short tempered, childish, stubborn, contrary, and even mildly malicious. Again, what about this literary place is so appealing?
I fall back once again to my earlier epiphanies. Wonderland exists to give us what we all want, in addition to reminding us of what we already have. And that perhaps is what we're supposed to walk away with from it. Turning our lives upside down to pursue ambivalence and bewilderment has its ups and downs, and most of the time, it gets old. The simplicity of everyday life may get dreary, but we must never take it for granted, otherwise you may fall too far, and truly lose your head. But every once in a while, we need adventure, to cleanse our spirit, awaken our values, and to breathe new life into the norm, and make us cherish it for what it is!
So while head cases, and shrinks can try and pick apart the symbolism that may exist between the lines of this story, I see it as an adventure for those who long for a piece of chaos to satisfy their craving, without the repercussions.
All in all, a Disney classic that will continue to reincarnate itself in every generation to come.
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