Alice in Wonderland

UK 1966, 72 minutes
Dir. Jonathan Miller
Rating: [PG]
Genres: Cult, Family / Fantasy

Feat. Peter Cook, Michael Redgrave, Peter Sellers, Alan Bennett, John Gielgud, Leo McKern, Wilfred Brambell

Aroview: Cult BBC version of Lewis Carroll's classic children's book, in which drowsing Alice enters the dreamscape of 'Wonderland'.

Influenced by the understated surrealist cinema of Luis Bunuel, this presents truncated versions of all the familiar episodes, filmed with elegant economy and a faintly disturbing undertow. Without literally following the story - no one dresses up as animals, for instance - this uses trick photography, Ravi Shankar's music and the sheer atmosphere of the English locations to suggest something other versions fail to capture. Note: not recommended for very young children.

Contains : Cecil Hepworth's 1903 silent film version, and Dennis Potter's 1965 biopic,"Alice" ,about the real-life Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Carroll's creation.