Alice In Wonderland (DVD)

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Nor are the songs and music in "Alice" as extraordinary for older folks as they had been in Disney films that preceded it, like "Snow White," "Pinocchio," "Dumbo," "Song of the South," or "Cinderella." Not that the songs in "Alice" are bad or boring; they're just not the kind of things you leave the movie humming as in previous Disney films. Can you remember any of these tunes: "In a World of My Own," "All in the Golden Afternoon," "How D'Ye Do and Shake Hands," or "Very Good Advice"? Maybe "The Unbirthday Party" and "Painting the Roses Red" stand out because they're at least a little catchy, but most of the music is quite bland from an adult perspective.

On a happier note, the single most striking elements in Disney's "Alice" are the voices. With the exception of Ms. Beaumont, who sounds a little too old and a little too sophisticated for her role as Alice, the other inhabitants of the narrative are wonderfully characterized. The White Rabbit is voiced by Bill Thompson; the Mad Hatter by Ed Wynn; the Caterpillar by Richard Haydn; the March Hare by Jerry Colonna; the Walrus, Carpenter, Dum, and Dee by J. Pat O'Malley; the Queen of Hearts by Verna Felton (so notable in "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty"); and the Cheshire Cat best of all by Sterling Holloway. These talented actors lend the film its greatest energy, and without them I might have fallen asleep rather than just feeling a bit listless.

Video:
The THX mastered picture quality could hardly be bettered. Transferred at a relatively high bit rate, the colors are brilliant (except for Alice, whose skin and blond hair appear slightly too dark and muted), the definition is sharp, and any signs of age are nil. The image seems almost three-dimensional at times, and the screen is totally free of grain or other artifacts. For the most part, it's as lovely a picture as we could hope for.

Audio:
The movie's original monaural sound is still available for those who wouldn't be without it, but for the rest of us there is a remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 track available in all three language choices, English, French, or Spanish. This is not to say that the new remix is comparable to modern DD 5.1 tracks, but it is smooth and agreeable. The sound has been spread out across the front speakers to resemble a limited stereo, and a small amount of information is fed to the surround channels, mostly in terms of musical ambiance. There is almost no trace of background noise, but the frequency extremes and dynamic range are not too well extended. However, the result is quite pleasing to the ear, and the songs and dialogue come across naturally and realistically.

Extras:
I'm not sure that a second disc was necessary, because most of the best stuff fits neatly onto disc one. Still, a special edition is hardly "special" these days unless it has at least two discs to its credit, to say nothing of a "Masterpiece Edition." So, on disc one we find the standard screen presentation of the movie with its various soundtracks; English, French, and Spanish spoken languages; and English captions for the hearing impaired. Then, for bonuses, we get mainly things for kids: a "Virtual Wonderland Party" of interactive scenes, games, and puzzles; two sing-along songs, "The Unbirthday Song" and "All in the Golden Afternoon"; a newly discovered song from the Cheshire Cat, "I'm Odd"; an eight-minute Mickey Mouse animated short, "Thru the Mirror"; some Sneak Peeks at other Disney releases; a THX Optimizer set of audiovisual tests; and twenty-seven scene selections.

Disc two features a "One Hour in Wonderland" television special from 1950, Walt Disney's first TV show, with Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Mortimer Snerd, and Alice. Then, there's "An Alice Comedy: Alice's Wonderland," a 1923 Disney silent film; "Operation Wonderland," a ten-minute behind-the-scenes segment from 1951; a thirty-minute "Fred Waring Show" excerpt, also from 1951, promoting "Alice"; some assorted deleted materials; Walt Disney's TV introductions; and an art gallery. Bringing things to a close are several theatrical trailers, a four-page booklet insert, and, within the slim-line keep case, a "Wonderland" card game.

Parting Thoughts:
"Alice in Wonderland" was never one of my favorite Disney cartoons, and watching it again after an absence of many years merely confirmed my earlier suspicions. I'm sure it's pleasant enough entertainment for younger children, but it may not suit the tastes of all adults. The songs aren't clever or memorable enough, the pacing is too hit-and-miss, and the art work is never particularly imaginative, despite the subject matter. Nonetheless, "Alice" is not as bad as I remembered it, either, with the better parts still giving much pleasure; I just wouldn't confuse it with things like "Snow White," "Fantasia," "Pinocchio," "The Lion King," or "Beauty and the Beast."

All in all, "Alice in Wonderland" has its charms despite its variable output, even if its strongest appeal may be to kids or to folks who haven't read the books. The Wife-O-Meter suggested a Film Value rating of 8/10 for children, 6/10 for adults. I concur.

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