Czech surrealist vision of an absurdist English writer's nonsense tale. Yes, this is a bit bonkers.
Jan Swankmajer's version of the classic tale is told through stop motion animation, mixing live action and puppetry. it's a pared down version of the story. Gone are the Cheshire Cat, Gryphon, Mock Turtle and the Duchess. The White Rabbit is the main protagonist taking on the role of the Duchess and the high executioner. He's not a very nice rabbit at all. In fact no-one comes off well in this version. Alice is a bratty cunt who needs a good smack. The Mad Hatter's tea party has upped it to eleven on the nonsense, making the scene really quite annoying and pointless and the Queen is a great let down.
The setting is Alice's house, but a surreal dream version of it. Animated are taxidermied animals, fragmented skeletons of animals and grim old toys. It casts a sheath of macabre over the whole thing. It's clearly not one for the kids. There is even a warning up front made by Alice.
<< Alice thought to herself, 'Now you will see a film... made for children... perhaps... ' But, I nearly forgot... you must... close your eyes... otherwise... you won't see anything.>>
If you don't watch the film, you won't miss anything either. It's like the makers of Bagpuss took some crack and decided to make a film.
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