Product Details

• Actors: Kathryn Beaumont, Ed Wynn, Richard Haydn, Sterling Holloway, Jerry Colonna
• Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, Wilfred Jackson
• Writers: Aldous Huxley, Bill Peet, Del Connell, Dick Huemer, Dick Kelsey
• Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Walt Disney Home Video
• VHS Release Date: July 4, 2000
• Run Time: 75 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (366 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004R99K
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,152 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Walt Disney seems to have had a special affection for Lewis Carroll's "Alice" stories. "Alice's Wonderland" (1923), a short about a live-action little girl in a cartoon world, led to his first successful series, the "Alice" comedies (collected on Walt Disney Treasures: Disney Rarities--Celebrated Shorts, 1920s -1960s). During the early '30s, he talked about making an animation/live-action feature of "Alice in Wonderland" with Mary Pickford in the title role. But almost two decades would elapse before Disney released his Alice. It's the most uneven of the classic Disney features, juxtaposing brilliant and dull sequences. The Mad Tea Party, the Queen of Hearts' Croquet Game, and Alice's encounters with the Caterpillar and Cheshire Cat fuse the spirit of Carroll's words, the vitality of the polished animation, and the stylized look and brilliant palette of designer Mary Blair. But the song "I Give Myself Very Good Advice" and the unsatisfying adaptation of "The Walrus and Carpenter" bring the story to a halt. Disney's Alice in Wonderland remains a beloved film, and its better moments are truly magical. (Rated G: cartoon violence, some scary moments, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Product Description

In the hands of Disney's extraordinary animators, Lewis Carroll's immortal literary classic comes to life like never before! The surprises begin when a daydreaming Alice encounters a White Rabbit who is frantically running late. She chases him and falls into the magical, madcap world of Wonderland with its kaleidoscope of off-the-wall characters -- including Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat, and the manic Mad Hatter, who invites her to a memorable tea party! The crowning confrontation begins when Alice meets the notorious Queen of Hearts and her enchanted deck of playing cards. Tricked into a curious game of croquet, Alice, and her patience, end up on trial. Is there no escape from this whimsical escapade? Filled with fantasy and topsy-turvy fun, ALICE IN WONDERLAND is teeming with spectacular songs and astounding animation in the highest Disney tradition!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

266 of 285 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is no bad dream, July 15, 2000

By 

Don Eldredge "1017" (Sherman, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alice in Wonderland (Disney Gold Classic Collection) (DVD)

Because of critics' reaction to Alice in Wonderland in 1951, it is written, Walt Disney actually apologized for the movie and soon after his television show became a hit a few years later, he showed it in its entirety on TV, thus relegating it to his "minor film" category. The movie has never been able to shake this image, and that is a shame. We should remember that "Wizard of Oz" wasn't a giant box office hit in 1939, and only after it was made an annual event on television did it become a classic in the eyes of the public. "Alice in Wonderland" deserves far more attention than it has ever received. The characters are wonderful. The music is humable, even singable. It's a short film that takes the viewer into a dreamland, and Disney's animated version stands up against any of the other live versions that have popped up over the years. It's time to give this movie the credit it deserves as a classic in animation. Watch it from a child's point of view, with the amazing images of a cat that disappears, talking cards, and Alice constantly growing and shrinking. And then enjoy it as an adult for the dream world into which we are all swept. And furthermore, the DVD transfer is fantastic, with as many extras as one will find on a Disney non-special edition disc. Take another look at this one and be swept away.

72 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best animated movies of all time, May 27, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Alice in Wonderland (Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The story of the animated film is similar to that of the first book, but contains parts of the second book. Dozy Alice is so silly she follows trouble by chasing a talking rabbit down hs hole. At the bottom, she drinks an unknown substance which helps her get through a talking door into Wonderland. Here she meets the Dodo, TweedleDum and TweedleDee (who tell her the story of the Walrus and the Carpenter), the Talking flowers (watch out for the snobby Iris!), the Caterpillar and the Cheshire Cat. She even has un-birthday tea with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. However, Alice gets caught up in a game of croquet with the Queen of Hearts, and later a trial. The whole thing becomes such a nightmare, Alice realises she's had a dream while she dozed off.

Firstly, I don't know why loads of people think this film is cheesy. I know Alice isn't for everyone, but when you look at the other films made based on Children's classics by Disney (eg- Jungle Book, Hunchback of Notre Dame), you'll see it's more faithful than those films to the original. However if you have read the books and haven't seen this film, some characters are missing (eg- Duchess, Mock Turtle, Knave of Hearts, White Knight). This may just think that Disney has ruined this classic forever. They haven't. It's the best adaption I've ever seen.

Although I actually have the PAL version, I suppose the movie is just the same over in North America. The best bits are the Walrus and the Carpenter, the garden of singing flowers and flamingo croquet. And the Mad Tea Party is still the funniest part of a Disney classic. So buy this movie. Wether it's a video tape or DVD.

(I also live near Carroll's birth place!)

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Disney Treasure, May 19, 2004

By 

Templeton C. Moss "Templeton Moss" (Taylorsville, KY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alice in Wonderland (Masterpiece Edition) (DVD)

This is one of the best DVDs to come out in a whlie. Though the movie it contains is not neccessarily Disney's most readily accessible title (except for during the sixties when they found out it had gained popularity on college campuses, know-what-I-mean, nudge-nudge) it is two discs of pure Disney magic.

Setting aside the feature, which we all know is one of the best adaptations of Lewis Carroll's works (and if not the most accurate, certainly the most "watchable," as it is just dark enough to keep that edge but...well, let me put it this way: have you SEEN another version of "Through the Looking Glass?" I need a stiff drink before getting into that) the real highlight of this disc is the special features.

Two TV introductions by Walt, a 1950's making-of featurette, vintage television programs includin the historic "One Hour in Wonderland" the first Disney TV show, a whole album's worth of demos for songs that were never used, concept art galleries and more. This disc is an essential for anyone, like me, who is in love with Disney animation.

If for no other reason than the "One Hour in Wonderland" show features a clip from "Song of the South." It's worth buying the whole disc just for that, since it's the closest that movie's ever going to come to a DVD release in this lifetime.