Down the Rabbit Hole: A Ranking of Films (Under)Grounded in Lewis Carroll's Alice Books
See my other "Alice in Wonderland" ranking, Through the Looking-Glass: A Ranking of Films Reflecting Lewis Carroll's Alice Books.
The two Alice books, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and its sequel "Through the Looking-Glass" by Charles Dodgson, under the pen name of Lewis Carroll, besides remaining the greatest writing in the history of children's literature, have provided for many motion-picture adaptations and even more cinematic allusions. Despite these films tending to (but not always) ignore the class-based Victorian age in which the books were written, the texts continue to provide cinema imaginative visuals, which are sometimes inspired by John Tenniel's illustrations, poems and songs for musicals, and the amusements of the literary nonsense genre, as well as for parables on the transition between childhood and adulthood, sexual interpretations (including for porn), and psychedelic drug-induced trips, and there's also the witty wordplay, parody of nursery rhymes and games of logic (from an author who was also a mathematician, as well as perhaps more relevant to film adaptation, a photographer).
I'm breaking these up into two rankings. This one includes mostly straightforward adaptations, paratextual reworkings, sequels based in the books and parodies that mostly focus on the texts, as well. The other and longer ranking is about films that significantly reflect or reference the Alice books but are otherwise not adaptations or are largely about things other than the books.
Links to my reviews of the films provided below. Also note that I've skipped some of the more kiddie-looking, usually TV, adaptations. Comments may be made at my corresponding list at Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/7IwJa
My average rating of ranked movies: 4.9 stars.
The two Alice books, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and its sequel "Through the Looking-Glass" by Charles Dodgson, under the pen name of Lewis Carroll, besides remaining the greatest writing in the history of children's literature, have provided for many motion-picture adaptations and even more cinematic allusions. Despite these films tending to (but not always) ignore the class-based Victorian age in which the books were written, the texts continue to provide cinema imaginative visuals, which are sometimes inspired by John Tenniel's illustrations, poems and songs for musicals, and the amusements of the literary nonsense genre, as well as for parables on the transition between childhood and adulthood, sexual interpretations (including for porn), and psychedelic drug-induced trips, and there's also the witty wordplay, parody of nursery rhymes and games of logic (from an author who was also a mathematician, as well as perhaps more relevant to film adaptation, a photographer).
I'm breaking these up into two rankings. This one includes mostly straightforward adaptations, paratextual reworkings, sequels based in the books and parodies that mostly focus on the texts, as well. The other and longer ranking is about films that significantly reflect or reference the Alice books but are otherwise not adaptations or are largely about things other than the books.
Links to my reviews of the films provided below. Also note that I've skipped some of the more kiddie-looking, usually TV, adaptations. Comments may be made at my corresponding list at Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/7IwJa
My average rating of ranked movies: 4.9 stars.
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- DirectorJan SvankmajerStarsKristýna KohoutováCamilla PowerA surrealistic revision of Alice in Wonderland.Surreal, Czech adaptation of the first Alice book, it mixes live-action and stop-motion animation. Many claim the Alice books and films--usually, falsely, I would argue--are surreal, but this one actually and intentionally is a piece of Surrealist art.
My Full Review - DirectorJonathan MillerStarsAnne-Marie MallikFreda DowieJo Maxwell MullerA girl named Alice falls down a rabbit-hole and wanders into the strange Wonderland.Arty BBC black-and-white TV adaptation of the first Alice book. Arguably, the most faithful one to the text despite the actors not appearing in animal costumes.
My Full Review - DirectorDavid HandStarsPinto ColvigClarence NashPurv PullenMickey has been reading Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There", and falls asleep. He finds himself on the other side of the mirror, where the furniture is alive. He eats a walnut, which makes him briefly larger, then small. He dances around a lot, ultimately doing a major number with a deck of cards. He dances with the queen, making the king jealous. He comes after Mickey with swords, and Mickey defends himself with a sewing needle. Mickey gets the upper hand, and the king calls for reinforcements. Mickey finds himself chased by several decks, which throw their spots at him. He turns on a fan and blows them away, back through the mirror, where his alarm is ringing.
- DirectorGavin MillarStarsCoral BrowneIan HolmPeter GallagherIan Holm is children's author Lewis Carroll in this poignant fantasy-drama set in 1930s New York and populated by the fabulous special effects creatures of Muppet master Jim Henson.Paratextual reworking about the later life of Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for the books, with episodes from the first book, which include puppetry in the otherwise live-action feature.
My Full Review - DirectorsDave FleischerRoland CrandallStarBonnie PoeThe White Rabbit materializes from a jigsaw puzzle and leads Betty Boop through the looking glass into Wonderland.Fleischer Studios black-and-white cartoon musical short parody of the Alice books and starring Betty Boop.
My Full Review - DirectorDallas BowerStarsStephen MurrayErnest MiltonPamela BrownThis theatrical version of Lewis Carroll's 1865 classic features a combination of live characters and stop-motion animation.
- DirectorsClyde GeronimiWilfred JacksonHamilton LuskeStarsKathryn BeaumontEd WynnRichard HaydnAlice stumbles into the world of Wonderland. Will she get home? Not if the Queen of Hearts has her way.Disney animated feature-length musical adaptation of both books, it has been the most popular and influential film version.
My Full Review - DirectorEmile ArdolinoStarsMeryl StreepBetty AberlinDebbie AllenYoung Alice falls down a rabbit hole and meets a variety of fantastic creatures.Musical stage performance adapted from both books, filmed for TV, and starring Meryl Streep as Alice.
My Full Review - DirectorBud PollardStarsRuth GilbertRalph HertzLillian ArdellA young girl named Alice falls down a rabbit-hole and wanders into the strange world of Wonderland.
- StarsElizabeth JonesSparkyThis is an education film for public school children, about drugs, narcotics, psychedelics, alcohol, amphetamines, and barbiturates abuse in the context of the Alice In Wonderland story.
- DirectorGareth DaviesStarsGeorge BakerDeborah WatlingRosalie CrutchleyWritten for THE WEDNESDAY PLAY (1964-70), which the BBC retitled PLAY FOR TODAY in 1970, ALICE has the earliest airdate (10/13/65) of the Potter productions to survive on tape. After THE CONFIDENCE COURSE (1965), it's the second of the nine Potter plays seen on THE WEDNESDAY PLAY. In this look at Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-1898), aka Lewis Carroll, Potter mixed biographical drama with a psychological profile to explore the roots of Dodgson's creativity. Dodgson tells stories to ten-year-old Alice Liddell, leading to recreations of scenes adapted from ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND (1865), designed to resemble the original Sir John Tenniel illustrations.Paratextual biographical TV episode/movie of Dodgson's life mixed with episodes from the first book.
My Full Review - DirectorAlex LovyStarsSammy Davis Jr.Zsa Zsa GaborBill DanaAlice needs to do her homework but she ends up in televisionland where she meets characters from Alice in Wonderland and some Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
- DirectorWilliam SterlingStarsFiona FullertonMichael JaystonHywel BennettAlice (Fiona Fullerton) falls down a rabbit hole and into a magical dream world populated by surreal characters and bewildering adventures. It's a journey of self-discovery for Alice as she searches for a way out of Wonderland and encounters many bizarre creatures such as the White Rabbit (Michael Crawford), the March Hare (Peter Sellers), the Queen of Hearts (Dame Flora Robson), and the Dormouse (Dudley Moore). Musical highlights include the inspiring song "The Me I Never Knew".Adaptation of both books with some paratextual episodes. By the word, one of the more faithful versions.
My Full Review - DirectorsNorman Z. McLeodHugh HarmanRudolf IsingStarsRichard ArlenRoscoe AtesWilliam AustinIn Victorian England a bored young girl dreams that she has entered a fantasy world called Wonderland populated by even more fantastic characters.All-star cast Paramount adaptation of both books, with an animated film-within-film sequence.
My Full Review - DirectorJohn HendersonStarsKate BeckinsaleCharlotte CurleyPenelope WiltonAlice visits the magical kingdom on the other side of the looking glass.
- DirectorW.W. YoungStarsViola SavoyHerbert RiceElmo LincolnAlice goes with her sister to a picnic and then she falls asleep and starts dreaming about a wonderland full of talking animals and walking playing cards.
- DirectorsCecil M. HepworthPercy StowStarsMay ClarkCecil M. HepworthBlairThis is the first movie version of the famous story. Alice dozes in a garden, awakened by a dithering white rabbit in waistcoat with pocket watch. She follows him down a hole and finds herself in a hall of many doors.
- DirectorEdwin S. PorterStarsGladys HuletteYale BossFilm "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" based on the novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll.
- StarsNatalie GregorySheila AllenRed ButtonsAlice is in Looking Glass Land, where she meets many creatures and attempts to avoid the Jabberwocky (Tom McLoughlin), a monster that appears due to her being afraid.
- DirectorNick WillingStarsTina MajorinoWhoopi GoldbergRobbie ColtraneAlice falls down a rabbit hole, and finds herself in Wonderland, a fantasy land of strange characters and ideas.
- StarsCaterina ScorsoneAndrew Lee PottsMatt FrewerEverything you know about Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is about to be turned upside down in this modern-day mini-series. The cast includes Kathy Bates, Caterina Scorsone, Matt Frewer, Harry Dean Stanton, and Tim Curry.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMia WasikowskaJohnny DeppHelena Bonham CarterNineteen-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen's reign of terror.
- DirectorJames BobinStarsMia WasikowskaJohnny DeppHelena Bonham CarterAlice is appointed to save her beloved Mad Hatter from deadly grief by travelling back to the past, but this means fatally harming Time himself, the noble clockwork man with the device needed to save the Hatter's family from the Red Queen.
