Customer Reviews

Dreamchild [VHS]

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

What if you were ten years old, and a genius fell in love with you?

I'm not sure what category of people I would reccomend this movie to -- the story is like nothing I've ever seen before. Half of the time it's a very dark and introspective piece, which refuses to outright *give* us the straight answers we are used to be handed during a 90 minute movie. Other times it's a funny and rather poignant tale about three unlikely friends -- two of whom happen to be in love with each other. This movie tackles a LOT for an hour and a half, and doesn't do everything it attempts well. But even when it fails, it's thrilling. The actors are also amazing. I can't give enough kudos to the performers who worked on this piece. As someone who works in theater, I have a harder-than-usual time loosing myself to the illusion, but I was *sold* on all of these characters, even if I recognized the actor from another movie.

Alice Liddel, the original little girl that so inspired Lewis Carrol, is all grown up, widowed, and turned into a crochety old woman. She is embarking on her first trip to America to receive an honarary degree from Columbia in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Rev. Charles Dodgeson's (the real name of L.C.) birthday. She travels with Lucy, her sweet-as-cream companion who Alice has (apparently) rescued from life as an orphan. As soon as they set foot on dry land, it's clear this is not ordinary trip.

America in 1930s, struggling to emerge from the Depression, is crass, commercial, and desperate for dreams. The era that embraced Shirley Temple is all about the cuteness of little girls, and to discover that the Alice of Wonderland was a *real* little girl threw the country into a frenzy. Enter Gallagher's character: an out-of-work reporter who is willing to do anything -- and use anyone -- to get a break.

The problem with all this Alice-mania is that the REAL Alice hardly remembers the man who penned her. Her memories of her childhood in sunny, Victorian England (sequences which are done spectacularly, and are really beautiful and nostalgic) are mixed in with scenes of a child's vivid imagining of the scenes in the storybook. This is where Henson's genius comes into play. It probably helped that I never considered the Mad Hatter, March Hare, Red and White Queens, et. all very nice, but I thought the sinister characterization of those characters perfect for the wanderings of a confused old woman. Along with the audience, she struggles to understand the relationship between herself and the Reverend, so many years ago.

I really can't give justice to this movie with a written review. The visual aspects, as well as some of the counterpoints used (swtiching between old and young Alices in Wonderland scenes) really deserve to be SEEN, not talked about. Suffice to say that this is a very powerful movie, in its own subtle way. I've read a few reviews that criticized the movie's "softening" of historical facts. I honestly don't believe it sugar-coats all that much. It doesn't touch on Carrol's friendships with other little girls, and ignores the fact that he kept in touch with Alice Liddel long after her marriage for the sake of drama. But otherwise it gives a fair protrayal of events -- at least, one interpretation of them. Because that's another aspect of this movie. Dodgeson was a dreamer, and through his dreams transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary. But did that make it any less true?

This is a story about love. The 1930s romance gets admittedly lost in the shuffle (expected, since it's only a subplot of a 90 minute movie), but the love that created a legend shines through.

Let me start by simply saying that the reaction I had viewing this film was unlike any other viewing experience I can recall. Although I found it well written and produced, I was so disappointed by the 2/3's point that I almost stopped watching. Yet by the end I was absolutely embracing the whole thing. So if you are a Lewis Carroll fan keep an open mind and watch the whole thing, you may find the whole much greater than the sum of its parts. And you may even find yourself willing to accept the historical fiction as necessary to better tell the story.

I suppose a large part of my initial negative reaction was due to the film's puzzling failure to capture a fundamental aspect of Alice Liddell's childhood personality. Alice spent much of her time in "Wonderland" being p....d off; at the illogic, the rudeness, and the selfishness of the characters she met there. Both Alice's were proper and confident little Victorian girls who took themselves very seriously. I am sure that this was one of many "Real Alice" personality traits that Carroll transplanted to his "Wonderland" Alice. Often amused by her reactions of irritation and frustration, he constructed many of the story elements with the intention of getting indigent reactions from Alice and her sisters. I had hoped that this connection would be made by the film and was disappointed that it was not explored, although in retrospect you could argue that the older Alice's reactions to the characters she meets in America are identical to Alice's reactions to the characters in Wonderland. That the film does not explore my pet topic was disappointing but ultimately not fatal.

In all other respects the portrayal of young Alice Liddell was excellent. Amelia Shankley turned in a fine performance. She is clearly the best film Alice so far and it is a shame that they did not star her in an actual Alice film right after "Dreamchild" was completed. And Coral Browne was equally excellent as the older Alice.

This film is about how Alice's mother (who felt her daughter could find much better candidates for marriage as she moved into her teens) essentially poisoned her memories of Dodgson, leading her to believe that there was something wrong about his feelings for her (when in fact he was just a childlike personality who loved her more than his other child friends, but always with a shy innocence). It is also about the guilt the older Alice still feels over abandoning him just as she entered her teens, especially after all the innocent kindness he had shown. She is in denial about her affection for Dodgson and irritated because all the attention of his centennial is forcing her to recall those long-suppressed years of her life. And finally she feels that since she was not actually the little heroine who exhibited so much courage in "Wonderland", she does not deserve her sudden celebrity status. In her view she was catapulted into fame "by simply doing nothing". Remember that Wonderland Alice is arguably the bravest literary heroine of all time.

What ultimately redeems the film is the climatic scene in the hall of Columbia University. Alice Liddell flashes back to a scene late in her relationship with Dodgson, a symbolic scene meant to represent the end of their relationship. She had outgrown him at this point in her life and she laughs and humiliates him as he attempts to sing his Lobster Quadrille song to the three Liddell sisters and their male suitors. When her mind returns to the present she hears the Columbia University orchestra and glee club performing the same song. She realizes that the story which she once rejected was in fact his personal tribute to her and that even after all these years each little detail of his creation is admired throughout the world. At this point she finally gets it. She goes back to the symbolic scene as her older sister Lorina reads the final paragraph from the Wonderland book, the one in which Dodgson reveals the reason he made up the story. Then the child Alice walks over, kisses Dodgson in apology, and places her head on his chest (an omission for which she has long felt guilty). Then we are back in the hall and find that in place of her prepared speech she has read this same passage to the now applauding crowd.

The point is that she finally understood that the story was a gift to her and to future generations of children, that she had inspired the story and had been the model for his heroine. With this realization came the final gift of knowing that the virtues Mr. Dodgson gave his heroine: innocence, courage, curiosity, wonder, kindness, intelligence, courtesy, humor, dignity, and a sense of justice; were virtues he credited to the real Alice.

It is hard to imagine a better scene (or sequence of scenes) than the climatic one detailed above. Film and video cannot hope to compete with books in communicating thoughts. But with the right players film can visually communicate moments of character realization and transformation to a degree much more subtle and personal than what any author can write. This is the real magic of film and acting for the camera. In the end these climatic moments say everything that needs be said about the relationship between Dodgson and his "dreamchild". A truly great cinematic moment and my all-time favorite.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

"Dreamchild" is a pleasant drama based on a 1967 BBC television play by Johnathan Miller. While being entirely fictional, the film drew much inspiration from the historical figures involved in developing the "Alice in Wonderland" book. At the same time, this movie features playful yet disturbing characters created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, which at the time had finished working on "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth."
The year is 1932. The dignified Mrs. Alice Hargreaves (Coral Browne) has arrived to New York City to receive an honorary degree from Columbia University. The institution is planning to celebrate the 100th birthday of Charles Dodgeson (Ian Holm), AKA Lewis Carroll. Upon hearing the news about her arrival, New York's hungry reporters and photographers surround the old woman like vultures, treating her like celebrity. While they are anxious to know the relationship she once had with Lewis Carroll, she doesn't understand why so much fuss is placed into her association with a children's novel. In fact, after 70 years of strict, Victorian etiquette, Mrs. Hargreaves has almost forgotton about the simple joys of childhood nonsense. In the first half of the film, she is proud in her upper-class pomposity, reprimanding any stranger who calls her by her first name. Occasionally, there is humor in the clash between British and American behaviors. Later on, Jack Dolan (Peter Gallagher), a handsome and ambitious ex-reporter from the Harold Tribune, tries to convince Mrs. Hargreaves to capitalize on her identity; to rely on her childhood memories as a method of endorsing a feature film and radio ads. For further persuasion, Jack even uses his charms to woo Lucy (Nicola Cowper), Mrs. Hargreaves fragile and obedient daughter. Gradually, behind closed doors, the old woman becomes more vulnerable as she begins recalling the buried memories of her past. Throughout the film, viewers will see flashbacks of Alice's childhood; as a spirited, 10-year-old girl (Amelia Shankley), she has a blossoming love for her mathematics teacher Charles Dodgeson, who once told the adventures of Wonderland to her and her older sisters. Mr. Dodgeson, meanwhile, is a shy, private individual who stutters in the company of other people. He also feared that the little girl he knew as Alice would soon forget about the gift he gave her. It's clear that he's much more comfortable in the warmth of his own imaginative world than in the coldness of reality.
As Mrs. Hargreaves struggles to recall what Mr. Dodgeson said to her, several hallucinating scenes show her walking INTO the fantastic world of Wonderland. While her image flips back and forth between that of a child and an elder, she is tormented by the grotesque characters she encounters. The Griffin, for example, appears as a fierce predator, bearing the head of a hairy rooster and the large wings of a hawk. The purple Caterpiller has an unpleasant, almost pulpy body while he sternly stares at Alice with his yellow eyes. The March Hare looks like a diseased animal with his crooked buck teeth and gray fur. The Mad Hatter is perhap the most abusive character of all; when Mrs. Hargreaves forgets what day of the month it is, he snarls, "You stupid, ugly old hag. You should be DEAD!"
The movie, overall, is quite a treat to watch. Not only does it picture the stylish look of the early 1930's, but it also emits a mystery caught between both the fantastic and the real worlds. Fans of "Alice in Wonderland" will enjoy it because it captures the lovely summer days of the 19th century; it's a time when ladies were dressed in lace and children played croquet on the grassy lawns.

"Dreamchild" hypothesizes the relationship of _Alice in Wonderland"'s author Lewis Carroll (Rev. Dodson)and Alice Liddell, the little girl to and for whom he told the tale. It does this through flashbacks in the psyche of the now 80-year old Alice, en route to America to be honored in a centenary of Dodson's birth.

This movie's premise is that Alice has just plain forgotten, or deliberately put the 70-year old relationship with Dodson out of her mind, repressed it, because of the slightly sinister, decidedly unnatural spin her suspicious mother placed on it all those years ago. In the end, she realizes that "I was too young to recognize the gift" at the time it was offerred--namely, that Dodson simply loved her--and that she loved him.

I found the movie spellbinding, the hypothesis believable, and Coral Browne, Ian Holm, Jane Asher, and Amelia Shankley mesmerising; but most of all, it's the dreamy, brooding soundtrack that haunts...! I've seen this movie many times; from opening credits to final logo it reduces me to tears, and even for days afterward. Just thinking of a few bars of it has me running for tissues.

If you read this, you're probably already taken by this weird gem so there's no use for more arguments about its unusual charms. You're considering buying the above DVD-R item issued by MGM? Well don't hesitate for a second. Image is clear (a revelation after the darkish VHS) and WIDESCREEN, formated for 16x9 TVs such as mine. DREAMCHILD looked just right on it. Hope it helps.

Alice in Wonderland is a stroy which seems vastly different when read as a child and then reread as an adult. In this, a truly amazing movie which examines the lives of the real Alice in Wonderland and the real Lewis Carroll, the story told from Mrs. Hargreves (Alice's) point of view. She is now a woman in her eighties who has come to America for a ceremony in honor of the late Reverand better known as Lewis Carroll.
Travelling with Mrs. Hargreves is a young lady, who falls in love with an out-of-work reporter who is determined to get the "real story" out of Mrs. Hargreves. The love story is very charming.
Jim Hensons puppetry is also in the film, but this is not a movie for young children. The puppets are fierce and scary (indeed, very well done) The other reason that this is not an appropriate movie for young children is because it examines the awkward attraction and the Reverand's inappropriate love for young Alice. This is handled very well by the filmakers, keeping the movie in good taste. It is highly recommended for adult fans of Henson, and people who love Alice in Wonderland.

I recall when this film first came out (1985)and I marveled at it's interpretation of Lewis Carroll's muse, the dreamchild Alice Liddell. The actors chosen were brilliant and the marriage between Henson's creatures and the film's actors a risk worth taking. I miss the 1933 film Looking Glass Movie and wish there were more magical escapades such as this. This movie answers no questions and revives the imagination. I loved it. Too bad they had to tether it all together with the trite 1930's characters. They really weren't given the dialog needed to fully realize their parts I fear. Pity. However, the movie survived even those lulls brilliantly.

A sensative and evocative portrayal of the complex Lewis Carroll by Ian Holm and an equally moving performance by Coral Browne. Jim Henson's somewhat spooky creatures make this a magical experience not unlike Alice's world. One of my all-time favorites. A perfect gem of a movie.

If I told you this is the true life story of Alice from Alice in Wonderland one might not be interested.However what I find amazing about this film is it explores what if you were ten years old, and a genius fell in love with you and you fell in love with this person knowing that the distances between you were so very great? The story is of course about Alice and Lewis Carroll-a touchy piece since any adult who shows a interest in kids these days is automatically labeled as "a sex offender" which is in my mind why Lewis Carroll in the last 20 years has gone from a well discussed literary figure to a character nobody wishes to discuss as it is assumed these any adult male who shows interest in children who are not his own must be some sort of evil and sick sexual predator!
I'm not sure what category of people I would reccomend this movie to -- the story is like nothing I've ever seen before. Half of the time it's a very dark and introspective piece, which refuses to outright *give* us the straight answers we are used to be handed during a 90 minute movie. Other times it's a funny and rather poignant tale about three unlikely friends -- two of whom happen to be in love with each other. This movie tackles a LOT for an hour and a half, and doesn't do everything it attempts well. But even when it fails, it's thrilling. The actors are also amazing. I can't give enough kudos to the performers who worked on this piece.
Alice Liddel, the original little girl that so inspired Lewis Carrol, is all grown up, widowed, and turned into a crochety old woman. She is embarking on her first trip to America to receive an honarary degree from Columbia in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Rev. Charles Dodgeson's (the real name of L.C.) birthday. She travels with Lucy, her sweet-as-cream companion who Alice has (apparently) rescued from life as an orphan. As soon as they set foot on dry land, it's clear this is not ordinary trip as the problem with all this Alice-mania is that the REAL Alice hardly remembers the man who penned her when the film opens. Her memories of her childhood in sunny, Victorian England (sequences which are done spectacularly, and are really beautiful and nostalgic) are mixed in with scenes of a child's vivid imagining of the scenes in the storybook. This is where Henson's genius comes into play. It probably helped that I never considered the Mad Hatter, March Hare, Red and White Queens, et. all very nice, but I thought the sinister characterization of those characters perfect for the wanderings of a confused old woman. Along with the audience, she struggles to understand the relationship between herself and the Reverend, so many years ago.

I really can't give justice to this movie with a written review. The visual aspects, as well as some of the counterpoints used (swtiching between old and young Alices in Wonderland scenes) really deserve to be SEEN, not talked about. Suffice to say that this is a very powerful movie, in its own subtle way. I've read a few reviews that criticized the movie's "softening" of historical facts. I honestly don't believe it sugar-coats all that much. It doesn't touch on Carrol's friendships with other little girls, and ignores the fact that he kept in touch with Alice Liddel long after her marriage for the sake of drama. But otherwise it gives a fair protrayal of events -- at least, one interpretation of them. Because that's another aspect of this movie. Dodgeson was a dreamer, and through his dreams transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary. But did that make it any less true?
This is both a beautiful and sometimes disturbing film. Ian Holm plays the Reverend Dodgson whom the world better knows as Lewis Carroll who wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Holm expertly handles the razor's edge of Dodgson's love with the youngest of the three Liddle sisters.What is suggested here is Lewis Carroll and Alice were actually romantically involved and there was a certain level of sexual attraction between the two but Carroll so loved Alice he never stepped over the line to indicate he ever handled the love he had for her in a way that would be inappropriate even for Victorian standards-though one gets the feeling if the two had been just 5 or so more years closer in age they would have been soulmates and their love would have been sexually passionate....but time can be cruel and it was this fact that comes out over and over again in the film that time is a thief and like a thief it can steal memories and it can take all one has away. This is all experienced in recollections of the elderly Alice as she crosses the Atlantic to attend a 100th Birthday Celebration of Lewis Carroll. As she nears the end of her voyage, her dreams start to bleed into her realities as she realizes what she lost so long ago and the man who so loved her to let her go... The Wonderland characters are perfectly grotesque Muppet versions performed by Jim Hemson's Creature Shop that give the set a sort of NeverEnding Story look so common with the fantasy films from the 1980's.Like.Great viewing for the entire family.--P.S. This is The Alice in Wonderland you want to see-not the 2010 movie Disney is putting out with 30 year old looking Alice running around in scenry that screams out it is all CGI effects.The remake begs me to wonder what damage they will do to Clash of the Titans in the remake!

A picturesque and thoughtful movie for grownups whose plot shifts effortlessly between three venues: the 1860s when Lewis Carroll introduced the Wonderland tales to young, dark-haired Alice Liddell and her sisters - the 1930s when the aged Alice Liddell Hargreaves visited the U.S. just months before her death - and the surreal story-world of Alice in Wonderland with the characters that Alice meets portrayed by wickedly designed Jim Henson puppets.

Four affecting performances stand out in my memory: Coral Browne as the starchy old Alice - Amelia Shankley as the young self centered Alice - Nicola Cowper as old Alice's timid companion who becomes the love interest to a young American reporter (portrayed by Peter Gallagher) - and, in a small role, Caris Corfman as a wistful newspaper reporter. But those are only a few of many fine British and American actors (fine - except for one brief but noticeable exception).

My only major gripe is Ian Holm's age. Holm was in his early 50s when he portrayed Rev Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll's real name), while the real Dodgson was closer to 30 when he first told Alice the stories. Yes, there were concerns at the time about the purity of his interest in his child friends, such as Alice, who were also his photography subjects. Ian Holm's age and characterization exaggerate that frightful possibility.

On the positive side, this film took great care in evoking the respective time periods with beautiful sets, costumes and photography that compliment the deeply-felt emotional arc of old Alice revisiting her memories of Dodgson. As a result, the movie is itself an exotic journey into other times and places - with Alice, once again, as protagonist.