Monday 22 March 2010

Alice in dunderland

I just know that I am leaving myself open here to lots of derision and scorn, but really, y'know, I have to wonder, why did Tim Burton bother?  I got the feeling that we came in about 2/3 of the way through some other story, especially with the characters in the 'real world', all of whom have been in some British drama or other - couldn't he have found some new and 'interesting' faces to play the 'real' people?  Was he looking to provide entertainment for actors who couldn't get a part in Harry Potter?  (Apart from the truly wonderful Alan Rickman & Timothy Spall, of course)... Actually, it's just popped into my head - this is what would happen if J K Rowling met Charles Dodgson & they decided to have some fun... or if Hermione Granger's great-grandma hadn't made the cut for Hogwarts.  


Anyway, gentle reader, I thought it was ... ok.  I guess.  There were a couple of little kids in the audience who were really scared, and I have to say my friend Miss Nellie in the next seat was a bit spooked by the Jabberwocky, which is, of course, the whole point, but if you're considering taking your kids, maybe think again?  I don't think it's a kid's film.  Also, from the historical accuracy POV, I have issues (yes, I know, you know I have issues...) about sending a 19 year old girl out dressed as a child, no ladies maid or nanny (still with a nanny at 19?  I don't think so!!) would have let her out of the house without a corset (they had corsets for 8 year olds, for pete's sake) or stockings & bloomers...  Just not done, y'know.  


I think Alice's outfits throughout the film were seriously weird, too.  All that off-the-shoulder, just barely tied on, stuff?  What was the message there?  The only outfit I thought was halfway 'sensible' was the jacket & trousers she had on just before she went off to the Champion - was she dressed like a boy there because Burton was trying to say that only boys can be champions?   


The Victorians were a bit weird, though, too, weren't they?  They had some very strange ideas about what was OK for kids and what wasn't - I remember being given a copy of 'The Water Babies' when I was about 8 or 9 and being horrified by how gruesome that was - and that was another Victorian smash hit (thank the Oversoul nobody has decided to make that into a film!!)...


I remember from my brief career as a bookseller that we had some pretty gruesome Victorian illustrated books (I just tried to find them on Google, so if you never hear from me again, assume that DOCS* has come & taken me away for child endangerment) in our kids section... 


And today I ordered this:


LIME GREEN minky DOT 1 yd


No prizes for guessing what I'm going to do it it.  Or even what it is... you'll just have to wait and see!

4 comments:

  1. It's green, it looks like minky, so it's soft. So whatever you are going to do with it - nice!

    I'm not a Tim Burton fan either. I know he appeals majorly to the whole Goth aesthetic, but I like my classic children's literature unadulterated. Which on reflection, the word origin of that might be that a thing has been adult rated! I heard once that the good Rev. suffered from migraine, that could explain much of his writing.

    You want modern weird children's fiction(and Australian!) try Garth Nix. Just maybe not Shade's children as a first off. Maybe Mister Monday.

    Cheers,
    AJ

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  2. OH harsh Izzie. Haven't seen it yet but I am looking forward to it. I do know what you mean about using his wife and Johnny Depp in EVERYTHING then I can never have enough of Johnny. Sorry I'm a raging Tim Burton Fan from Batman to Sweeney Todd.

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  3. im not convinced on this movie just yet, love johnny, but it was never one of my favs to be honest. My boys are 50 50 and a bid indicisive about it, so we will probably give it a miss.

    To the Green thingy, it looks rubbery, is it, or just 3d fabric lol xox

    Puppy is fine, shes happy and loved..

    Susie from
    I Just Love That fabric

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  4. I must say, having thought about it a bit more, I was very impressed by Mr Depp - he's a bit of a star, isn't he?

    Thanks for the update on the puppy, Susie, always happy for news!

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