Classic live action ALICE gets its due
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Lewis Carroll's classic tale of fantastic creatures and clever wordplay, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, has long inspired film makers of every kind.  From the psychedelic colors of the Disney version to the latest and darker Tim Burton version, filmgoers have been enthralled with the story of a young girl, Alice, who falls down a rabbit hole and becomes immersed in a series of wild adventures with the likes of such strange characters as the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the White Rabbit, as well as the mysterious Cheshire Cat.  But for many long time film fans, one of the most beloved versions finally appears for the home viewer after being ignored through the VHS era.  Before now, this classic 1933 version could only be seen rarely on TV and more recently on You Tube.

Based on both Carroll's ALICE IN WONDERLAND and its sequel THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, and inspired by the original John Tenniel drawings, the Paramount pictures production presents this story with vivid costumes and make-up that was amazing for its time.  Many famous actors and actresses of the 30's appeared in many memorable roles, usually being unrecognizable in their costumes.  Some memorable cameos include a young Cary Grant as the Mock Turtle, Gary Cooper as the White Knight, Edward Everett Horton as the Mad Hatter, and the legendary W.C. Fields as Humpty Dumpty.  Charlotte Henry is a charmer as the inquisitive Alice.

If you love classic films, and are a particular fan of this treasured story, this film is something that I would definitely recommend.
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There have been numerous films which mixes live action with animation but never before has anything like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" been made. This movie is literally sharing the human world with the animated world.
When a detective, Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins), has his brother killed by a toon, he swears he will never work with toons again. So after doing one quick job for Roger Rabbit's boss, he believes he'll never have to be with any toon again. Unfortunately, Roger Rabbit (voice by Charles Fleischer) is framed for the murder of the man who owns toon town! With the help of Dolores (Joanna Cassidy), Eddie must discover who the murderer is, and also find out what the murderer's evil plan is. Of course Jessica Rabbit (Kathleen Turner), Roger Rabbit's wife, is acting mighty suspicious... And so is the Vile Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd). Could either of them have had anything to do with the framing of Roger Rabbit?
"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" must surely be congratulated for the spectacular cartoon and special effects work. The story and plot might be a bit overboard but just watching all the eye-popping fun is worth it. And the movie is filled with underlying jokes and lots of slapstick humor. The acting is also done pretty well, from Eddie Valiant the hard-bitten and serious detective and to most noticeably, Christopher Lloyd as Judge Doom who isn't all who he seems.
Also you get to see all of your favorite cartoons who you've known forever, along with hearing the guys who did the original voices: Mickey Mouse and his gang, and Mel Blanc doing the voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester and Tweety Bird. There also Mae Questel as Betty Boop who had done her voice from 1930 until the character was retired in 1949. And plus plenty for characters including one of my favorites, Droopy Dog!
But I can't tell you any more of the story or any of the jokes and fun parts or I'll ruin it for you. So if you're in the mood for a funny movie with lots of cartoons AND people, check out "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". The movie is rated PG for some language and some pretty obvious and sometimes subtle innuendo (just look at Jessica Rabbit...).
A bit of trivia, Kathleen Turner who did the voice of Jessica Rabbit was uncredited. And Amy Irving did Jessica's singing voice.
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Disney has been doing quite well with their live-action movies such as Maleficent and Alice In Wonderland. CGI has gotten so good that it can look absolutely real. This is used to good effect in Disney's "The Jungle Book", a remake of their popular 1967 film. The animation is superb, and the actors who provide voices for the various animals are very well chosen. Ben Kingsley is properly dignified and intellectual as the panther who watches over Mowgli, and Bill Murray is entertaining as the lazy and scheming, but loyal bear. Scarlett Johanssen provides the seductive voice for the python, and Christopher Walken is the voice of the leader of the apes, who rules them like a crime boss. The young boy who plays Mowgli is the only real human to appear on screen, except for a flashback which also briefly shows his father.

The story is a lot darker than the old cartoon version, and we understand why Shere Khan the tiger hates Mowgli so much. The moments when Mowgli is in the clutches of the python or the apes are appropriately exciting and terrifying. There are also a few lighthearted moments, and 3 of the songs from the older version have been updated and show up at least for a verse or two. One scene made me laugh out loud when Mowgli is led into the ruined city to meet the head ape. He notices a pile of rusty objects on the ground and picks up something....I won't spoil it by identifying what it is, but it was a perfect moment.
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I love syfy's adaption of some fun classics. They did a great job with Tin Man and as much as I enjoyed that one, Alice is most definitely my favorite. The casting is fantastic and the story line is unique and addicting. Love this dvd set, it's a favorite.
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This is a B&W and Colorized Blu-ray versions of this old movie, "SHE"..  Both versions are very nice picture and sound-wise, they did a nice job on cleaning it up and presenting it.  The story is a dated Victorian tale but for an old story it is well done and enjoyable.  Good film making.
"THINGS TO COME" is a really dated view of the future (the future then, not now) but they did a nice job of cleaning up this film as well.  The colorized version looks very nice and the sound is acceptable, again in Blu-ray.  Not interesting for the story but nice film making again.  I have not seen the Criterion Collection version but they will not release it in a colorized version.
"The Most Dangerous Game"  is a classic tale that has been retold many times in many ways.  Here, again, is a B&W and Colorized version but in DVD, not Blu-ray.  Reminds one of King Kong in the jungle sequences and the acting.
All in all a nice package of old classic films that you can enjoy in the original B&W or in Colorized versions (supervised by Ray Harryhausen [RIP])
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I loved this version.  Alice in Wonderland with a story line!  How wonderful is that.  The casting is great.  I really enjoyed the "Mad Hatter" the best.  Enjoy!
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Alice in Wonderland, 1985 film

This is based on the 19th century story by Lewis Carroll. It begins at a large house. Little Alice helps her mother set the table for tea, then goes outside. When will she grow up? A White Rabbit appears and runs into a cave. Alice follows and falls! She opens doors and enters an empty room. She tastes a bottle and shrinks! Then she eats a cake and grows. Her tears run like rain. Strange creatures follow in the stream. Alice wanders, the White Rabbit asks her to get his fan and gloves; she enters a small house. A bottle makes her grow again! Some cakes are thrown through the window, she changes to her previous size. She sees a caterpillar on a mushroom who is smoking a pipe. Then he disappears! Alice enters a house. Two women act strange.

This world is not a paradise. Alice runs out with the baby, who turns into a pig! She asks the Cheshire Cat for directions home. Then he disappears. Alice finds the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and a Dormouse. After this she continues her journey. Alice sings to a fawn. She enters a door and finds a garden. The people walk down the stairs, the King and Queen arrive. The Queen is excitable. Can Alice play croquet? The Queen always wins! The Cheshire Cat reappears. Grovel on the gravel says the Queen to the Duchess. Next she finds a Gryphon, then a Mock Turtle. Nothing he says makes sense. There is a dance on the grass. Then the trial begins. The witnesses testify. [Is this funny? Satirical?] Suddenly Alice grows up to free the Knave. Off with her head! Alice runs away, then falls asleep.

When she awakes she is back at home. But she is on the other side of the mirror! She finds the book Jabberwocky and reads it. There is thunder and lightning, and a monster lizard appears in her home! To Be Continued. Then the credits roll to list the characters and the players in this movie. Part Two lists the actors and their characters. The story resumes with that scary monster, who just disappears. The chess pieces are alive! The Owl explains life behind the Looking Glass. Flowers talk to Alice. She meets the Red Queen. How can she get home? She boards a train to travel. When it stops she gets off. She meets Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Next the Walrus and the Carpenter. After she meets the White Queen she turns into a sheep. A giant vulture chases Alice.

Next she meets Humpty Dumpty; they talk. The Jabberwocky appears to chase Alice! She escapes. She meets the White King. The Lion and the Unicorn fight for the crown. Can Alice cut the cake? There is a drumming noise, two knights approach to do battle. The White Knight leads Alice away towards home. She gets a crown and scepter! The Red and White Queens show up and talk to Alice. Alice goes to the house with her name on it. It has a giant hall with a banquet table. The characters encountered earlier show up. But Alice just wants to go home. There is a shocking surprise when she opens a present! Can the White Knight save Alice? Alice passes through the Looking Glass and returns home. Where have you been? She is grown up now and can join the adults for tea. The story ends and the credits roll.

I suspect some of these characters were parodies of people in mid-nineteenth century England; they are not relevant today. I never read these stories as a child and never will as an adult. Is this a movie for children or adults?
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Not as good as wonderland, but a fun movie.
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"Alice" has a bit of a slow start, and to any viewer not familiar with the story, it can be confusing for awhile. Yet it wins a person over, voice by voice, visual by visual, and step-by-Depp. Johnny continues to amaze me with his versatility as an actor. He has become one of those guys who makes anything he is in better, even if he can't save them all (like Michael Caine in that respect.) Director Burton has filled the cast with great British character actor vocalizations, and the screen with oddball colors and drawings that amuse, frighten or delight. I think the best way to enjoy his version of "Alice" is to see the Disney animated 1950's effort first, which is great, and then the new twist on the story. If a mom or dad could read the poem "Jabberwocky" to the kids and explain a bit about Lewis Carroll, the author, first, so much the better. Burton does assume a certain literacy and familiarity with the tale and the poem that may give contemporary kids too much credit, but he has done a good job overall. If watching this version of "Alice" leads some young folk to read the original prose, hurrah!
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After very disappointing "Monkeybone," Henry Selick, director of "The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)" and "James and the Giant Peach (1996)", has returned with "Coraline," a delightful stop-motion animated fantasy tale - a bit dark one as based on a Neil Gaiman book. This is a modern-day adventure of Alice-like spirited heroine encountering these eccentric characters in another universe, some of which could be as terrifying as the head-chopping Queen of Hearts.

Coraline Jones (voice by Dakota Fanning) has recently moved in the 150-year-old Pink Palace Apartments. The 11-year-old girl has no friends to talk to, except a slightly nervous boy "Wybie" (Robert Bailey, Jr.). And Coraline's parents Charlie (voice by John Hodgman) and Mel (voice by Teri Hatcher) are too busy.

But Coraline, an independent, intelligent and curious girl, finds a strange door while exploring the old house. She then discovers a big secret about it. Through the door, only at night, she can go to the "other" world, where she meets the "Other Mother" and the "Other Father." The other parents are caring and loving - and the Other Father, always delightful, is an incredibly gifted pianist!

It is only natural that Coraline starts visiting the other world frequently. But there is another big secret about the wonderful world and its inhabitants Coraline has not known yet.

The storyline itself may not b exactly original and Coraline's adventure (or "game") is not really an adventure to some, but like many classic fairy tales "Coraline" is most intriguing and disturbing when it suggests the fate of those who have made a wrong decision. With colorful and imaginative (and sometimes even creepy) visuals, strong voice acting from Dakota Fanning giving life to the heroine, "Coraline" is an engaging fantasy with some dark edges.
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To me, this movie is a classic. Robert Redford and Jane Fonda give great performances. Funny. Delightful. Cute entertainment for any night of the week
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This is a beautiful and entertaining moving. It doesn't not align to the first Alice book story. I'm unsure about the other Alice book because I haven't finished yet. In any case, the movie tells a wonderful story that's well conveyed, with messages of friendship, loyalty and good prevailing over wickedness. And, it's just plain enjoyable.
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This is the one version of Alice in wonderland i remember watching when i was a little girl. I recieved it today, and immediately put it in my dvd player ... My husband laughed and said "Awww do you feel like your 6 yrs old again ?" Actualy i was 10.

I enjoyed it all over again.

Excellent film ... more than 5 stars.

~ :o)
3195508
I am partial to the original animated version.  I like songs like the elephant march and bear necessities in the original.  The live action was a good twiist.
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Tim Burton's movie without Tim Burton turns out to be quite charming family fare. The flair is there, just toned down a notch and the characters benefit from it. I have never considered Alice books to be children's books and this is another proof. The delicious depth of tripy nonsensical whimsy of the origina can never be reached in a PG 13 movie. However, enjoyable ride, most likely going to be turned into one, the whole movie feels like a visit to Disneyland.
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I don't know why this movie didn't do better box office than it did.  Maybe people didn't understand it?  It's a re-imagining of "Lewis Carroll's" classic tale, in which perhaps the central motif [SPOILER ALERT] becomes accepting the irreversibility of losses over time.  But it is marvelously visualized, there are great whimsical performances, particularly of course from Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, plus Anne Hathaway, Sasha Baron Cohen, Mia Wasikowska and Alan Rickman's last film performance [just the voiceover for Absolem the caterpillar].
No, really, this is too good to pass up!
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This show is of Alice's late 80's early 90's "Poison" fuelled comeback. The show is unique in that Alice changes the shows theme for every tour and that the music is more focused than on some of his other tours. The tracklisting is good as well. The openning half of the show is a more straight ahead rock show with minimal props. Then at around the halfway mark Alice is dragged back stage from his regained rock glory as a mainstream rock star to emerge as the old Alice we all remember scaring parents and authority figures in our youth. The last half is well executed and anyone who doesn't appreciate the euphoria caused by "School's Out" in a packed auditorium shouldn't be watching this dvd.