Review: All in All, This 1933 'Alice In Wonderland' Isn't So Wonderful

The tale of Alice looking through the glass and finding a world of wonder has been done many times over, but Norman Z. McLeod's 1933 adaptation "Alice in Wonderland" may be the oddest. It's one of those peculiar Pre-Code films that's filled to the brim with popular actors and actresses from the era, but they're all dressed head to toe in some truly gaudy costumes that completely cover them up. And rather than tell the story of Alice beat for beat, the film just rambles along like a collection of skits strung together by the familiarity of Lewis Carroll's novel.

That being said, Kino Lorber Studio Classics' new Blu-ray release of the film is probably still the best it has ever looked at home. Fortunately, the video transfer is sturdy, although the film has clearly seen better days. There are some white scratches that occasionally run through the frame and some other bumps and bruises, but the contrast is still solid.

Alice (Charlotte Henry) is bored one snowy afternoon and goes through her drawing-room mirror to find Wonderland. There, she upsets the Red Queen (Edna May Oliver), chats with the Cheshire Cat (Richard Arlen), joins the Mad Hatter (Edward Everett Horton) for tea, and helps a Mock Turtle (Cary Grant) conquer his sadness. Oh, and there's also the matter of Humpty-Dumpty (W.C. Fields) trying to avoid a great fall. All hallmarks of Carroll's original novel, but this time filled with grotesque costumes that will leave you with nightmares.

One thing I found interesting about "Alice in Wonderland" is that it feels like a book instead of a movie. The story rambles along from skit to skit, checking off all the hallmarks of the famous novel. It's kind of a great example of how adapting something beat for beat doesn't always make for great cinema. And, unfortunately, the performances by the stellar cast don't do anything to enliven the proceedings. If anything, "Alice in Wonderland" is an interesting failure in that it's designed by the great William Cameron Menzies and sports a pretty threadbare script from Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

There isn't much in the way of special features, but the new Blu-ray does boast a pretty terrific commentary from film historian Lee Gambin that's got plenty of production information that fans will find refreshing. Other special features include:

� Theatrical trailer

"Alice in Wonderland"
Kino Lorber Blu-ray
$29.95
https://www.klstudioclassics.com/product/view/id/6939