BEST OF BRITISH MUSICALS

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a 1972 British Musical Film based on the Lewis Carroll novel of the same name. It has had an ensemble cast and John Barry composed the score.

In 1973, the film won the BAFTA Film Award at the BAFTA Awards Ceremony for the 'Best Cinematography', won by Geoffrey Unsworth, and Best Costume Design, won by Anthony Mendleson. Stuart Freeborn created make-up for the film based closely on the original John Tenniel drawings in the first edition of the novel.

POINT OF VIEW - The narrator speaks in the third person,  though occasionally in first and second person. The narrative follows Alice around on her travels, voicing her thoughts and feelings

TONE- STRAIGHTFORWARD; AVUNCULAR

TENSE- PAST

SETTING- ENGLAND, WONDERLAND

PROTAGONIST- ALICE

MAJOR CONFLICT- Alice attempts to come to terms with the puzzle of Wonderland as she undergoes great individual changes while entrenched in Wonderland.

RISING ACTION- Alice follows the White Rabbit down a well and purses him through Wonderland.

CLIMAX- Alice gains control over her size and enters the garden, where she participates in the trail of the Knave of Hearts.

FALLING ACTION- Alice realizes that Wonderland is a sham and knocks over the playing card court, causing her to wake up and dispel the dream of Wonderland.

THEMES- The tragic and inevitable loss of childhood innocence; Life as a meaningless puzzle; Death as a constant and underlying menace.

MOTIFS- Dream; subversion; language; "curious".

SYMBOLS- The garden; the mushroom.

FORESHADOWING- The Mouse's history about Fury and the Mouse foreshadows the trial at the end of the story.