Alice In Wonderland

Wonderland in the world of CGI

1. Introduction

The use of technology, imagination, and live action combined has been able to bring to life films that were never before possible. In 2010 Disney released the film Alice in Wonderland, directed by the dark and eccentric director Tim Burton. The film was a storybook brought to life by the magic of Hollywood’s visual effects, producing an artistic masterpiece that lived and breathed. However, even though the film created a seductive treat for the eyes, another noticeable fact is that the film lacked story and was sometimes weakened by its overload of CGI.

2. The Background of Alice in Wonderland

A. Alice in Wonderland was written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson better known as Lewis Carroll 1865 based on the story that he told the young Lindell daughters, Lorina, Alice and Edith as they rowed up the River Thames. The three girls were the daughters of Henry Liddell, the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University and Dean of Christ Church as well as headmaster of Westminster School. Alice enjoyed the story so much that she asked him to write it down in a book for her. After nearly two years, Carroll made good on his promise and delivered Alice a handwritten manuscript

B. Lewis Carroll's story was being prepared for publication he expanded the text by adding episodes such as the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Tea Party. The book was finally published in 1865 under the title Alice's Adventures in Wonderland with illustrations done by John Tenniel.

C. The story had become an instant favorite among children as well as adults. Queen Victoria was also a fan of the book and even went as far as to suggest that he dedicate his next book to her.

D. Alice in Wonderland has remained as one of the most beloved children classics over the years and has never gone out of print. The book has been published in multiple languages and has had its fair share of adaptations. The most popular being Walt Disney's 1951 animated feature which combined both Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass events as well as characters. Disney once again returned memorable story to the big screen in 2010 with director Tim Burton and his vision to create a Wonderland that has never been seen before.

3. Tim Burton took on the undertaking of creating a new version of Wonderland for audiences. Burton is know for his dark fairy tale type themes with some acceptions such as Sweeney Todd and Planet of the Apes. For the film Burton desired to use the power of CGI to harness his wild imagination and bring it to life. Shockingly the majority of the movie was filmed in an enclosed soundstage shrouded in Chroma Green backdrops. It was important to Burton that he avoided the use of motion capture believing that having genuine performances by the actors was the key to giving Wonderland life.

4. The new generation of Wonderland was to be presented to audiences in Disney 3D while trying to transform the character of Alice into a stronger character Burton comments that he "always hated Alice on screen. She's a very annoying, odd little girl. I wanted to make her into a character I could identify with: quiet internal, not comfortable in her own skin, not knowing how to quite deal with things, being both young and having an old soul." He concludes his thoughts saying that "its a simply internal story about somebody finding their own strength. She has been battered around by real life and has never quite fitted in." AMY GABRIEL, The Guardian "Tim Burton: 'Alice is a very annoying odd litte girl"