Alice’s Adventures in WonderlandandThrough the Looking-Glass,Lewis Carroll’s immortal fantasy novels, are some of the most adapted works of literature of all time, with countless iterations reaching back tothe dawn of cinema. Most people are probably very familiar withDisney’s famous animated take from 1951, orTim Burton’s CGI fantasias from 2010 and 2016, but there are plenty of other more obscure adaptations out there, each seeking to put their own spin on the classic tale.
One such largely forgotten adaptation aired on NBC in February 1999. Directed by Nick Willing from a script by Peter Barnes and starring Tina Majorino as Alice, NBC’sAlice in Wonderlandisn’t as fondly remembered as some of its fellow incarnations, but it has plenty of charms all its own, especially for millennials who might have thought it was just some half-remembered fever dream. And with the whole thing streaming for free on Tubi, those who might have missed its original airing have another chance to take the trip.
‘Alice in Wonderland’s Trip Down the Rabbit Hole
The 1999Alice in Wonderlandsticks pretty closely to Carroll’s original works, hitting all the expected story beats. It begins in the “real world,” as young Alice, nervous about singing in front of her parents’ high-society friends, escapes into the fantastical world of Wonderland, encountering all the strange characters that have long made the story so memorable. It follows Carroll’s episodic structure, as Alice finds herself moving from one surreal situation to the next.
Majorino makes for an enjoyable Alice, with a solid British accent and the right air of haughtiness.Her performance is appealingly low-key, particularly since every other actor around her leaves no scenery unchewed.Martin Short is predictably bonkersas the Mad Hatter, his head digitally enlarged so as to sit uncannily atop his slender frame. Miranda Richardson is great fun as the Red Queen, shrilly shrieking “off with their heads!” at every opportunity in a ludicrously posh voice.
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The actors all seem to understand the assignment, and deliver appropriately loony performances regardless of the size of the role. The cast is stacked with recognizable faces like Sir Ben Kingsley as the regimental Caterpillar, Christopher Lloyd as the batty White Knight, and the late-greats Robbie Coltrane and George Wendt as Tweedledum and Tweedledee.Gene Wilder makes an appearanceas the Mock Turtle, in one of his final onscreen roles before retiring.
Easily one of the most memorable turns comes from Whoopi Goldberg as the Cheshire Cat, her face digitally superimposed on a cat puppet’s body in a manner both oddly perfect and deeply unsettling. Though to be honest, the effect isn’t really that much worse than what the VFX team behind theCatsmovie would do 20 years later.
Why It Isn’t Better Remembered (and Why It Should Be)
Ultimately, there’s one thing that holds 1999’sAlice in Wonderlandback from being one of the better-remembered adaptations. It was a made-for-TV movie, and it’s very much paced like one, with plenty of scenes that go on longer than they need to in order to fill what was likely three hours of runtime, including commercials.It’s one of the rare movies that might actually be improved by ad breaks, allowing its episodic structure to unfold more organically. By the time Wilder’s Mock Turtle and his friend the Gryphon (voiced by Donald Sinden) are singing their fourth chorus of “Beautiful Soup,” viewers might want to make like Alice and get out of there.
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That said, there’s still plenty to enjoy about the film, particularly on a craft level.It’s chock-full of the kind of old-school television skill that just isn’t done these days, with gorgeous scenic design, costumes, and makeup. It does employ some wonky late-’90s CGI at times, but it really just adds to the uncanniness of the whole experience. When it sticks to practical effects, the film really shines. The puppets and animatronics are a wonder to behold, designed and built by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop with their typical wizardry. Any viewer who enjoys the handmade charms of classics likeLabyrinthorThe Dark Crystalwill likely find plenty to enjoy.
NBC’sAlice in Wonderlandmight not sit at the top of the pile ofthe many, many adaptationsof its source material, but it’s a charming affair that manages to strike the right tone to bring Carroll’s mad world to life. It might test viewers' patience at times, but anyone who loves to revel in the vanishing crafts of practical moviemaking, ever so rare in a digitally obsessed world, will likely want to stick around for a while. With streaming increasingly taking the place of linear TV for most viewers, these sorts of primetime TV events are largely a thing of the past, butputting onAlice in Wonderland,ad breaks and all, might make even the most cynical millennial feel nostalgic.
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