Limelight: Alice in 3D land By Lubna Abdel-Aziz Alice is back! That enchanting, curious, mischievous, little English girl, will once again take us down the rabbit hole to experience the mystical mystery and fanciful fantasies of wonderland. Not really! This new production of Alice in Wonderland is not quite what we anticipate. This is a Tim Burton film, which predictably transports us to darker realms of creepy creatures and weird happenings in a bizarre visual style that is distinctly Burtonesque. Our fond memory of the children's classic, the 1865 book by Lewis Carrol, or the many film versions of the popular tale, particularly the 1951 Disney animated musical film version, will have to lay dormant for now, as we explore the new Disney/Burton concept of the Victorian masterpiece. The film, as was Avatar, is also shown in a 3D and IMAX versions, proven to be a lucrative method for both productions. Alice has had the biggest March opening ever, and has the 6th highest grossing week-end opening of all time. It has even broken the IMAX record held by Avatar, and so far has grossed over $ 430 million, making it the highest grossing film of 2010 and by far by Tim Burton. The film combines live action and animation starring Mia Wasikowska as Alice, Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Christopher Lee as the Jabberwocky, a dragon controlled by the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). Alice is now 19, and her previous visit to Wonderland 13 years ago, is written off as a vague childhood-fever dream. This version of Alice, a combination of the two books Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, is at best a sequel to the familiar adventures of the 19th century heroine. The story opens with Alice Kingsley at an extravagant estate party, held shortly after the loss of her beloved father. She soon discovers that the formal affair is an engagement party to eventually wed Hamish Ascott, whose family now owns her father's trading firm. The moment Hamish is ready to propose, Alice, unsure of how to reply, runs away, and follows the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole, into the whole new dark world of Underland. It is a far cry from the old familiar Wonderland, now a faint memory almost totally lost to Alice. Things have changed drastically. The Red Queen iracebeth has now conquered Underland and stolen the ruling crown from her sister Mirana, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway). It is up to Alice to restore the crown to Mirana. First she must sleigh Jabberwocky who has the upper hand until the Mad Hatter distracts him and saves Alice's life. Alice finally beheads the Jabberwocky. Without her protection the Red Queen is defeated and banished to the Outland forever, and the White Queen resumes her seat on the throne of Underworld. Mission accomplished, Alice returns home. Empowered by her adventure, she refuses Hamish's proposal. The film ends with Alice sailing away on a ship with Absolem the caterpillar, now a butterfly, fluttering away from her shoulder. This may, or may not be the film you wish to take your 6 or 7 year old to see, it caters more to adults with a plethora of the now familiar special effects to razzle and dazzle anew. Screenwriter Linda Woolverton created an independent 19 year old young lady struggling with the over-structured Victorian society. Her return to Wonderland "becomes a rite of passage, as she discovers her voice and herself." What many readers of the book, throughout its 145 years may or may not have realized, is that while it is one of the most entertaining children's stories, translated into 33 languages including Arabic and Chinese, it is simultaneously "a running commentary on social structures" of Victorian England. Adults can appreciate Carrol's superb word play, the satire, and the political and even psychological implications. Says Richard Lars chan, English professor of the University of Massachusetts who teaches the novel in his comedy and satire course: "You go down a hole, get a little bigger, come our knowing more!" The story of the author Lewis Carrol, his (nom-de- plume), may well be as intriguing and complex as that of Alice herself. His real name, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, born in Daresbury, England (1832- 1898), graduated from Christ Church of Oxford University in 1854, and began teaching mathematics there in 1855. He spent most of his life teaching and serving as Deacon in the Church of England. He was devoted to his boss, the Rev. Henry Liddell, the Dean of ChristChurch, his wife Lorena, and their 4 children, a boy and three girls. He would often look after the children and take them on outings. As the story goes, on July 4th 1862, he took them on a riverside ramble where he told young Alice a story starring herself. Alice was delighted and begged Dodgson to write it down. He eventually presented her with a handwritten manuscript in 1864. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, commonly known as Alice in Wonderland, it was published under his pen name Lewis Carrol in 1865. The illustrations by Sir John Tenniel, were almost as popular as the story. Carol had several other publications and was a fine photographer counting Queen Victoria as one of the admirers of his work. A sequel Through the Looking Glass, was published in 1871 starring Humpty Dumpty. Twiddle Dum and Twiddle Dee, the Jabberwocky and the Walrus and the Carpenter, and it has been printed countless times, translated in virtually every modern language and adapted for film or television 23 times. This Alice revival has opened the floodgates in sales of earlier adaptations, most popular among them is a DVD 2- disc edition of the 1951 Disney animated version which remains the standard bearer for a kid-friendly Alice. This original children's classic has continued to inspire untold authors, artists, musicians and scientists, wherever imagination is a requirement for the creation of a great work that serves as well as entertain the human race. You must write for children the same way you write for adults, only better. -- Maxim Gorky (1868 -- 1936)
