Comparative Essay
Disney / Tim Burton
Two versions of 'Alice In Wonderland'
I chose to explore and discuss two very different Animation Studios -Walt Disney and Tim Burton.
While both studios are totally different from eachother in almost every way, there is one thing they have in common that was the perfect topic for my essay - they have both made their own adaptation of Lewis Caroll's classic tale 'Alice In Wonderland'.
I have both of them on DVD, and am watching them alongside eachother as part of my primary research. I will also use the internet to find additional information about the two films, and record my thoughts and comparisons in my notebook, posting my findings on this blog page before I open into my essay, which will be structured with images.
While both studios are totally different from eachother in almost every way, there is one thing they have in common that was the perfect topic for my essay - they have both made their own adaptation of Lewis Caroll's classic tale 'Alice In Wonderland'.
I have both of them on DVD, and am watching them alongside eachother as part of my primary research. I will also use the internet to find additional information about the two films, and record my thoughts and comparisons in my notebook, posting my findings on this blog page before I open into my essay, which will be structured with images.
Theatrical posters for the two adaptations - the 1951 hand made version against the 2010 CGI version.
Before I go into the story and characters, there are some very obvious differences between the two adaptations. Disney's 1951 version is all hand-drawn with traditional painted backgrounds, the typical Disney style of that era, while Burton's 2010 version makes use of the best computer effects of this era, with a stunning 3D Wonderland and CGI characters. The two movie posters show these differences - Disney's clearly being entirely hand drawn, whilst Burton's has been put together using computer editing software.
Both adaptations open by introducing Alice, and she is very similar in both. Her family are sceptical of her imaginative nature and try to encourage her to be normal and "proper". In Disney's version the young Alice dreams out loud about her "own world", where cats would talk and everything would be weird and wonderful; but her visions are dismissed as "nonsense". The same happens in Burton's version; when Alice laughs to herself during a dance with her would-be fiancée about the idea of "all the women in trousers and the men in dresses", he frowns and tells her it would be better to "keep her visions to herself".
In Disney's version, Alice is visualised in typical Disney fashion as a pretty and innocent young girl, with a simple blue dress. Tired of her boring everyday life and surrounded by people who do not understand or appreciate her wild imagination, she winds up in Wonderland through her own curiosity, following the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole (this suits the young target audience, as children can connect with the idea of being misunderstood and wanting to escape to their own fantasies).
In Burton's version, Alice is older and made-up to fit his signature character style, with pale skin and dark around the eyes. The blue dress remains however, possibly to keep some resemblance to the traditional Alice image, but in his version Alice is running away to Wonderland to escape the marriage her family are trying to force her into (a much more mature theme here, which fits with the teenage/adult target audience who face similar struggles with controlling families and great expectations).
Despite their contrasting appearances however, both Alices possess the same moral values and personality traits - they are both shown to be highly imaginative and creative, at times stubborn, while also sensitive and kind to others.
In Disney's version, Alice is visualised in typical Disney fashion as a pretty and innocent young girl, with a simple blue dress. Tired of her boring everyday life and surrounded by people who do not understand or appreciate her wild imagination, she winds up in Wonderland through her own curiosity, following the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole (this suits the young target audience, as children can connect with the idea of being misunderstood and wanting to escape to their own fantasies).
In Burton's version, Alice is older and made-up to fit his signature character style, with pale skin and dark around the eyes. The blue dress remains however, possibly to keep some resemblance to the traditional Alice image, but in his version Alice is running away to Wonderland to escape the marriage her family are trying to force her into (a much more mature theme here, which fits with the teenage/adult target audience who face similar struggles with controlling families and great expectations).
Despite their contrasting appearances however, both Alices possess the same moral values and personality traits - they are both shown to be highly imaginative and creative, at times stubborn, while also sensitive and kind to others.
Two very difference portrayals of Alice - Disney's young and innocent hero against Burton's mature and conflicted protagonist.
The stories follow the same structure at the start, with most of the same scenes in both. The rabbit-hole scene is a pivotal part of the story and a very dynamic scene in both adaptations. In Disney's version, the young Alice floats down past strange objects, her dress acting as a parachute and ensuring a soft landing - whilst Burton's Alice falls fast, narrowly dodging the strange objects and hitting the ground at the bottom. She still finds herself upside-down in both versions however, and has to correct herself.
To follow the White Rabbit, Alice must get through a tiny door by solving the memorable shrinking/growing puzzle that remains unchanged in all adaptations of the story. In Disney's version, the doorknob can talk and even crack jokes, and gives her hints to solve the puzzle after she breaks down in tears, believing herself to be "trapped" - this scene shows her childhood innocence and vulnerability, and is probably the typical reaction of a girl her age in this situation. In Burton's version, Alice is old enough to work the puzzle out for herself with typical teenage determination, and there is no Disney-esque talking door.
To follow the White Rabbit, Alice must get through a tiny door by solving the memorable shrinking/growing puzzle that remains unchanged in all adaptations of the story. In Disney's version, the doorknob can talk and even crack jokes, and gives her hints to solve the puzzle after she breaks down in tears, believing herself to be "trapped" - this scene shows her childhood innocence and vulnerability, and is probably the typical reaction of a girl her age in this situation. In Burton's version, Alice is old enough to work the puzzle out for herself with typical teenage determination, and there is no Disney-esque talking door.
Wonderland and Underland: the hand painted backgrounds of the 1951 version and the 3D CGI backdrops of the 2010 version.
Alice continues on into Wonderland, where she winds up in a "caucus-race" with a talking Dodo and later meets the famously funny Tweedle Twins. This scenes are present in Disney's adaptation, and Disney presents the characters in its own uniquely comical style, while they were cut from Burton's version and Alice meets the group as a whole immediately upon arrival - and while his larger role was cut there is a Dodo present as homage to the character. The Tweedles are also presented very differently, and their silly cartoon appearances are replaced with motion capture CGI models. The talking flowers also appear here, their scene also emitted but it remained in the Disney version, where they even sang a song. It's worth noting here that Disney's version features a few musical numbers, typical of their movies, while Burton's version plays out as a more serious film focusing on dialogue alone.
While some scenes play out differently, in both versions they lead to Alice meeting Absolem the caterpillar, who in both versions is shrouding himself in smoke from his pipe. While he is a more comical character in Disney's version, struggling to keep all his limbs under control, Burton's Absolem is more cynical and sarcastic, but both versions leave Alice confused with their puzzling and unhelpful words.
Alice next encounters the Cheshire cat, whose character remains very similar in both adaptations - floating around Alice and dissappearing at will. The Cat leads Alice to the Mad Hatter's tea party, another iconic scene from the story that plays out very differently in the two adaptations. In Disney's version, the party is colourful and silly, with dancing teapots and wacky characters, and the short, comical Hatter pointlessly encourages Alice to celebrate her "un-Birthday". This scene is primarily there for fun, while in Burton's version it is more important to the story, as the estranged and cynical Hatter tells Alice about how she is the one to save Wonderland by defeating the evil Red Queen, and explains to her about the rebellion that she is expected to lead into battle.
The colourful, happy and slightly silly Tea Party scene in Disney's version, and the darker, more cynical version in Burton's film.
The Hatter is probably the best example for discussing the differences between the characters in the two adaptations.
Disney's Hatter is colourful, comical and very silly. He is shown to be completely carefree, living in his own mad little world and doing things in a very odd way; at one point making a cup of tea by pouring it down his shirt and out his sleeve into the cup.
Burton's Hatter is in every way mad, but his character has much more depth than any other Hatter adaptation. For one thing he is given a backstory about how he used to Hat for the White Queen before the evil Red Queen took over, and through his angry schizophrenic outbursts he is shown to have great hatred towards her, and is a key player in the rebellion against her. His outfit and style suits his character and Burton's style, and like Disney's Hatter he is colourful - but in a darker way. The Hat itself remains almost identical aside from the darker colour scheme, sporting the iconic '10/6' tag.
Disney's Hatter is colourful, comical and very silly. He is shown to be completely carefree, living in his own mad little world and doing things in a very odd way; at one point making a cup of tea by pouring it down his shirt and out his sleeve into the cup.
Burton's Hatter is in every way mad, but his character has much more depth than any other Hatter adaptation. For one thing he is given a backstory about how he used to Hat for the White Queen before the evil Red Queen took over, and through his angry schizophrenic outbursts he is shown to have great hatred towards her, and is a key player in the rebellion against her. His outfit and style suits his character and Burton's style, and like Disney's Hatter he is colourful - but in a darker way. The Hat itself remains almost identical aside from the darker colour scheme, sporting the iconic '10/6' tag.
Two very different Hatters - Disney's small comical version and Burton's strange, slightly darker and more cynical version.
After the tea party, Alice decides she's had enough of Wonderland and decides to abandon her search for the White Rabbit and go home. While the second half of Disney's version is mostly Alice trying to make her way back and meeting new characters, this is where the action and danger set in for Burton's Alice. The Queen's minions crash the tea party, and Hatter gives himself up so Alice can escape. She orchestrates a rescue mission, and after the gang regroup at the White Queen's castle, Alice accepts her destiny as the White Queen's champion and the one to save Wonderland from the Red Queen.
Both versions of the story come to a head with Alice meeting and facing off against the Red Queen. In Disney's version, Alice has ended up on trial for inadvertently angering her, and must stand up for herself and her friends. In Burton's version, Alice leads the White Queen's army against the Red Queen's, and bravely battles and slays the huge Jabberwocky monster by cutting off its head. Again this suits the target audience, an argument and chase scene is suitable for children watching Disney's version, while Burton's adult version takes a whole new twist on the story and throws in a whole battle sequence, where Alice must put her life on the line.
Both versions of the story come to a head with Alice meeting and facing off against the Red Queen. In Disney's version, Alice has ended up on trial for inadvertently angering her, and must stand up for herself and her friends. In Burton's version, Alice leads the White Queen's army against the Red Queen's, and bravely battles and slays the huge Jabberwocky monster by cutting off its head. Again this suits the target audience, an argument and chase scene is suitable for children watching Disney's version, while Burton's adult version takes a whole new twist on the story and throws in a whole battle sequence, where Alice must put her life on the line.
In both versions Alice must face up to the Queen, arguing with her in Disney's version and leading the army in Burton's version.
Following the final confrontation, Alice's adventure in Wonderland is over. In Disney's version, the Queen is chasing her back through Wonderland, wanting to execute her. With the Queen hot on her heels, Alice reaches the read door and through the keyhole she sees herself back in the real world, asleep under the tree. She calls to herself desperately to wake up, and when she does she finds herself waking up under the tree, the whole adventure having apparently been one big dream. She then follows her sister back towards home, the adventure having been nothing more than her imagination, although she has learnt lessons along the way about listening to her own advice and standing up for herself.
Burton's version is much different here, after saving Wonderland and defeating the Red Queen, Alice chooses to go back home because there are "questions she needs to answer" and "things she needs to do", after a heartfelt farewell to the Hatter and her friends, the White Queen sends her home. Alice then finds herself crawling back out the rabbit hole, showing that she wasn't asleep the whole time like she was in the Disney version. Alice has learnt the same lessons about standing up for herself and making her own choices, and returns to her family to tell them she is not getting married and instead wants to go on her own adventure as an apprentice of her father's company. We learn that what happened to her in Wonderland was real when she is revealed to still have the wound on her arm that she sustained during a fight, completely setting this film apart from Disney's version.
The film ends with Alice boarding a ship to start her new life, and as a familiar blue butterfly passes her by she says "Hello Absolem."
Burton's version is much different here, after saving Wonderland and defeating the Red Queen, Alice chooses to go back home because there are "questions she needs to answer" and "things she needs to do", after a heartfelt farewell to the Hatter and her friends, the White Queen sends her home. Alice then finds herself crawling back out the rabbit hole, showing that she wasn't asleep the whole time like she was in the Disney version. Alice has learnt the same lessons about standing up for herself and making her own choices, and returns to her family to tell them she is not getting married and instead wants to go on her own adventure as an apprentice of her father's company. We learn that what happened to her in Wonderland was real when she is revealed to still have the wound on her arm that she sustained during a fight, completely setting this film apart from Disney's version.
The film ends with Alice boarding a ship to start her new life, and as a familiar blue butterfly passes her by she says "Hello Absolem."
Back to reality: Alice wakes up from her apparent dream in Disney's version, while the story was very real in Burton's version.
In conclusion, both Animation Companies have created a beautiful story and memorable adaptation of the classic story, filled with numerous similarities despite their very different production methods.
The big difference being of course, that Disney's Wonderland was all Alice's dream - whilst Burton's Wonderland was very real.
The big difference being of course, that Disney's Wonderland was all Alice's dream - whilst Burton's Wonderland was very real.