Latest Alice in Wonderland Trailer: What's Up With the Newer, Darker Disney?

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The latest trailer for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland arrived on the scene this morning, 48 hours ahead of its 3-D IMAX introduction ahead of Avatar. And for once, we're getting a look at the true scope and feel of the thing -- which is to say, Johnny Depp doing a ton of mugging against a fittingly sprawling, doleful Burtonian canvas. It's not as bad as it sounds.

The previous Alice trailers largely only teased Depp's Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen, a couple of outsized physical freaks who get the full run of the show this time around. Mia Wasikowska's Alice may not get as much as a word in edgewise, though she does get the full-on heroine treatment in her frock, battle armor and messianic call-outs from the Wonderland natives. But mostly it's a traditionally flouncy, arty tableau once more selling Burton's eye, Depp's shapeshifting, Danny Elfman's ear, etc.

There is a certain edge that Disney itself has brought to the proceedings as well. This latest trailer is almost its own reaction to Avatar, depicting a movie with its own seamless hybrid of animation and live-action -- a promise and plea, really, that viewers will be glad they didn't overlook Alice in the long blue tail of Cameron's masterpiece. You could see the same black, existential dread anchoring last week's Sorcerer's Apprentice trailer as well. Is this how the Rich Ross regime will be pushing and/or developing Disney's wares? Not that I mind; it's fascinating (at least from a historical perspective), looks good and has a little more emotional currency with the times.

Disney's whole mission has always been to eschew that relationship, however. Fantasy that this is, and good vs. evil fight that it portends, it echoes its title character's intransigence. "Jim Cameron can have his candy-colored Pandora," the pitch seems to say. "For sheer ambition, imagination and contemporary sensibility, Tim Burton's Wonderland kicks its ass." Hmm. Maybe.

VERDICT: Sold!



Comments

  • badblokebob says:

    Interesting -- I hadn't considered this as A Disney Film before, just as Tim Burton adapting classic literature. In which context it looks more or less as you'd expect, I think, though from the trailer it seems Burton has indulged the age old 3D tradition of thrusting everything you can out into the audience.

  • emberglance says:

    something that Coraline avoided...

  • Fred says:

    Wow. Once again an indication that Tim Burton may have done lots of acid as a youth. I'm thinking same with James Cameron.

  • Catherine says:

    im in love with this.
    i cant wait for it to come out.

  • Sally in Chicago says:

    I'm not a Tim Wood fan and I wish Depp would stop with the costume and makeup movies.

  • Dennis says:

    I guess Disney is tired of presenting underaged girls in a direct or indirect sexual manner:
    -Pre-adults kissing
    -Adult and pre-adult swaps bodies, and then sexual situations happen to the adult with the pre-adult inside
    -pre-adults in provocative clothes performing less than innocently
    -pre-adults with adult responsibilities
    -pre-adults shown as having too much independence and maturity for their age. ie not realistic.
    -not sexual, but coming along for the ride is Disney's promotion of young adults to mega-millionaires who eventually turn out to be very bad role models. This leads many children to give up on studies and college, since they are led to believe that reaching that level if richness is easily possible.
    Disney is tired of doing that for the last two decades..ie since 'Blame It On Rio' started it all 25 yrs ago.
    Time for something even darker and more sinister to corrupt our children's minds.

  • christina says:

    it looks like tim burton has done it again. be as good as sweeny todd

  • SunnydaZe says:

    Hey, "Blame it on Rio" is Disney and Tim Wood's finest film!!