Listonixio
Fresh and Exciting
Spidersecu
Don't Believe the Hype
Kamila Bell
This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.
Paul Kydd
Available on Blu-ray Disc (Region B)Czechoslovakia/Switzerland/UK/West Germany 1987 Czech (Colour); Animation/Fantasy/Comedy/Horror (Condor/Channel 4/Hessischer Rundfunk); 86 minutes (PG certificate)Crew includes: Jan Svankmajer (Director/Screenwriter/Production Designer, adapting Novel ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND by Lewis Carroll *** [6/10]); Peter-Christian Fueter (Producer); Keith Griffiths, Michael Havas (Executive Producers); Svatopluk Malý (Cinematographer); Marie Zemanová (Editor)Cast: Kristýna Kohoutová (Alice)A fed-up little girl (Kohoutová) falls asleep in a cluttered room, and dreams that her stuffed rabbit comes to life, which she pursues into a bizarre realm of ludicrous imaginings.A curious, highly inventive "interpretation" of Carroll's story, in which we accompany a human, narrating Alice into a funny, nightmarish and incredible world of stop-motion animation.Several characters and incidents are missing altogether, but while a determinately original take on Alice's dreamland adventures, it is also potentially the most faithful, for its illogical, surrealist approach ensures that the very essence of Carroll's nonsense prose is captured more accurately than the often prettified, fairy tale renderings that we are used to.Blu-ray Extras: Alternative Version, Short Films, Music Videos, Booklet. **½ (5/10)
ryandannar
I caught Jan Svankmajer's "Alice" (aka "Neco z Alenky") on Netflix recently, and had no idea what to expect. Let me just say: This interpretation of "Alice In Wonderland" is an amazing and dreamlike experience. It is perhaps a bit too creepy for the youngsters, but they won't have the patience for it anyway. For adventurous adults, it's a rewarding and fun slice of surrealism. This dark Czechoslovakian fantasy-film casts a strange spell. Largely free of dialogue, it loosely follows the familiar outlines of the Lewis Carroll story, depicting Alice's journey through Wonderland as a feast of bizarre perspective-tricks, charmingly creepy stop-motion, and intricate set-design.The film assumes the viewer's familiarity with Carroll's story, and it uses that familiarity to its advantage as it re-interprets many of the story's most iconic gambits. For instance, rather than crossing paths with a chatty white rabbit in a waistcoat, this film's Alice is stunned to discover a taxidermied rabbit in her room suddenly come to life, pulling the nails from its paws and "bleeding" sawdust as it frees itself from its glass enclosure.The rabbit then climbs a mountain of rocks, which has somehow appeared in the place of one wall of Alice's room, and it disappears into the drawer of a drawing-table which has appeared there. Alice follows, and after she discovers how to open the drawer, we watch as she -- impossibly -- squeezes inside. The drawer becomes a tunnel, which leads into a dungeon-like stone chamber, where the rabbit is preparing himself a meal in a tiny kitchen.One sequence leads to the next in exactly the same dreamlike way that Carroll's book proceeds -- but this film's version of events seems considerably more bizarre, if only perhaps because many of the stop- motion creatures have a creepy, threatening look about them.The film bears some resemblance to the works of the Brothers Quay, whose short films (such as "Street of Crocodiles") famously influenced the look of the music videos made by the band "Tool.""Alice" is definitely a little on the slow side, but its relentlessly inventive surrealism kept me watching for the duration. I definitely recommend it to anyone who's interested in such dreamlike experiences.
Dan Belcher
I had to watch this film as part of a surrealism topic we are studying in are A2 film studies exam. We've already watched it once in class and I had to close my eyes and block my ears. The film is the creepiest I have ever seen and I couldn't bare to watch it. Four months later and I wanted to try and re-watch it so I can recall it in my exam. I couldn't get through the first 5 minutes. I was in the library when I physically jumped out my seat at the sight of the Taxidermied White Rabbit that looks like something nightmares are made of. I understand that its just not for me and I can see that a lot of effort and good direction has gone into making this film therefore I won't rate it too harshly. However unless your a real švankmajer fan then I doubt this film will appeal to you. It is scarier than any other horror film that I've seen and I'm getting chills down my back just writing this review. 4/10
paulluap-883-128411
If you'd like a lumpy ceramic ashtray from a mental patient's therapy session, then this might be the movie for you. Like garbage art, not bound to any rules of quality, Jan Svankmajer here puts some little girl into filthy decrepit locations and films poorly executed stop action experiments with no connection to plot. Some who don't understand that random isn't the same as art may simply adore it. One possibility for college kids chasing a good time - It may be bad enough to watch as one of those movies 'so bad it's good'? - the little girl says 'Said the white rabbit' about 150 times which can be fun to echo back at your dad or film history instructor who made you watch this.
