Alice vs. Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland

While watching both films I've realized how different they both are. The contrasts between both film are fairly obvious, yet there are some that are quite subtle. Even though they are telling the basic premise of the Alice in Wonderland the story, the meaning and the interpretations are both quite different.

First of all, the most obvious difference is the Svankmajer version has a much darker tone to it. The 1951 one by Disney and co. has a very technicolor feel to it. The colors have even become somewhat of a staple of the film, with audiences relating it to drug induced experiences. The background sometimes was black, much like the background of the play, with all the creatures being extremely colorful. This black background allowed the eyes to focus on the brightness of them.

While the Disney version is very aesthetically vibrant, the Svankmajer version could not be more different. It has a very Star Wars/Blade Runneresque feel to it in the way that everything seemed a little grimy and used. Besides the creatures and the way things work, Wonderland seems to look a lot like ours.

One scene where I'd like to point out the differences is a scene which is always associated with Alice and Wonderland, which is the one where she falls down the rabbit hole. The disney version has Alice more so floating than falling as she's making her way down the rabbit hole. This is where we really get to see the technicolor at work, changing the world and the tone. The items she encounters throughout this journey are a bit askew, for example a mirror showing her an upside down image of herself. As for some of the other items they give the impression they are in the process of melting.

The Svankmajer version has a very different take on the way this scene is conveyed. After Alice is hit with a rake and falls down the hole, she is an elevator of sorts. Unlike the Disney version as Alice is going down this elevator shaft she is observing the collection much like she is in a museum. They are not interacting with her and remain still throughout this trek.

Another difference is the way Alice changes after drinking the elixir on the table. In most versions I've seen of this scene she just shrinks to a very small size. The Svankmajer version is a very different take on this as Alice changes into a doll when she shrinks. During these scenes, there are no actors and the film and everything is told through stop motion

Finally, and one of the most important aspects of the Svankmajer film is that it is told for the most part as a silent film. There is no "connected dialogue" in the film and everything is told through Alice's perspective. The only dialogue we actually get int he film is when Alice tells what a certain character is doing, and even these scenes are few and far between.

While the Svankmajer version is a very dark sophisticated version of the tale, the Disney version is able to appeal to a more kid friendly audeince. It's really just what you are in the mood for.