Alice in Wonderland (1999) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Nick Willing

Writers (WGA):

Lewis Carroll (novel)
Peter Barnes (teleplay)

Release Date:

28 February 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

A Masterpiece of Imagination. . .

Plot:

The wizards behind "Merlin" and "The Odyssey" combine Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" into a three-hour special that just gets curiouser and curiouser.

Plot Keywords:

Rabbit | White Rabbit | Mad Hatter | Stage Fright | Pool Of Tears

Awards:

Won 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Robbie Coltrane	...	Ned Tweedledum
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Cheshire Cat
Ben Kingsley	...	Major Caterpillar
Christopher Lloyd	...	White Knight
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Carpenter
Miranda Richardson	...	Queen of Hearts / Society Woman
Martin Short	...	Mad Hatter / Chinless Idiot
Peter Ustinov	...	Walrus
George Wendt	...	Fred Tweedledee
Gene Wilder	...	Mock Turtle
Tina Majorino	...	Alice
Ken Dodd	...	Mr. Mouse
Jason Flemyng	...	Sir Jack, the Knave of Hearts / Cad
Sheila Hancock	...	Cook
Simon Russell Beale	...	King of Hearts / Society Man
Liz Smith	...	Miss Lory
Elizabeth Spriggs	...	Duchess
Donald Sinden	...	The Gryphon (voice)
Joanna Lumley	...	Tiger Lily (voice)
Richard Coombs	...	The White Rabbit
Kiran Shah	...	The White Rabbit
Francis Wright	...	The March Hare
Adrian Getley	...	The March Hare / The Gryphon
Robert Tygner	...	The March Hare / The Gryphon
Nigel Plaskitt	...	The Dormouse
David Alan Barclay	...	The Dormouse / The Gryphon (as Dave Barclay)
Peter Bayliss	...	Mr Dodo
Heathcote Williams	...	Mr Eaglet
Ken Campbell	...	Mr Duck
Jason Byrne	...	Pat The Gardener
Paddy Joyce	...	Bill The Gardener
Murray Melvin	...	Chief Executioner
Janine Eser	...	Mother
Jeremy Brudenell	...	Father
Mary Healey	...	Nanny
Dilys Laye	...	Governess
Tim Potter	...	Three Of Hearts
Angus Barnett	...	Four Of Hearts
Richard Strange	...	Six Of Hearts
Toby Ross-Bryant	...	Eight Of Hearts
Jonathan Broadbent	...	Royal Gardener #1
Matthew Sim	...	Royal Gardener #2
Christopher Ryan	...	Royal Gardener #3 (as Chris Ryan)
Peter Eyre	...	Frogface Footman
Hugh Lloyd	...	Fishface Footman
John Owens	...	Red Bishop
Christopher Greet	...	White Castle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gerard Naprous	...	Red Knight (uncredited)

Directed by
Nick Willing

Writing credits (WGA)
Lewis Carroll		(novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland")
Peter Barnes		(teleplay)

Produced by
Robert Halmi Jr.	....	executive producer
Robert Halmi Sr.	....	executive producer
Dyson Lovell	....	producer
Chris Thompson	....	line producer

Original Music by
Richard Hartley

Cinematography by
Giles Nuttgens		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Alex Mackie

Production Design by
Roger Hall

Art Direction by
Rosalind Shingleton
Alan Tomkins		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Karen Brookes

Costume Design by
Charles Knode

Makeup Department
Nuala Conway	....	hair artist (as Nula Conway)
Nuala Conway	....	makeup artist (as Nula Conway)
Louise Fisher	....	hair artist
Louise Fisher	....	makeup artist
James Kell	....	hair artist
James Kell	....	makeup artist
Anne Spiers	....	hair designer
Anne Spiers	....	makeup designer
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou	....	hair artist (as Elizabeth Yianni-Georgio)
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou	....	makeup artist (as Elizabeth Yianni-Georgio)
Stuart Bray	....	prosthetic makeup artist (uncredited)
Mark Coulier	....	special makeup designer (uncredited)
Neill Gorton	....	prosthetic makeup designer (uncredited)
Barrie Gower	....	prosthetic makeup artist (uncredited)
Duncan Jarman	....	prosthetic makeup artist (uncredited)
Ian Morse	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Sandra Shepherd	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Anne Spiers	....	prosthetic designer (uncredited)

Production Management
Dee D'Orazio	....	post-production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tamana Bleasdale	....	third assistant director
Matthew Cope	....	second unit director
Fiona Gosden	....	third assistant director: second unit
Toby Hefferman	....	first assistant director: second unit
Gareth Tandy	....	first assistant director
Rebecca Tucker	....	second assistant director
Simon Emanuel	....	second assistant director: action unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Edward Ambrose	....	draughtperson
Ken Barley	....	supervising plasterer
Adam Brockbank	....	storyboard artist
Julian Caldow	....	storyboard artist
Steve Challis	....	stand-by construction (as Steven Challis)
Stan Cook	....	props department (as Stanley Cook)
Bob Devine	....	assistant construction manager (as Robert Devine)
Peter Duffy	....	supervising carpenter (as Peter Duffey)
Gary Freeman	....	assistant art director
James Gemmill	....	scenic artist
Michael Hersey	....	stand-by construction
Arthur Holland	....	supervising carpenter
Margaret Horspool	....	draughtperson
Rachael Jones	....	assistant sculptor
Geoff Kingsley	....	construction manager (as Geoffrey Kingsley)
Sonja Klaus	....	assistant set decorator
Kate Lovejoy	....	art department assistant
Graham Lupton	....	props department (as Graham 'Gus' Lupton)
John Mills	....	property master
Micky Mills	....	props department (as Michael Mills)
Ron Newvell	....	supervising rigger (as Ronald Newvell)
Dave Philpott	....	stand-by construction (as David Philpott)
Dermot Power	....	conceptual artist
Len Serpant	....	stand-by construction
Mike Sotheran	....	supervising painter (as Michael Sotheran)
Micky Swift	....	props department (as Mickey Swift)
Bob Walker	....	decor artist (as Robert Walker)
Terry Woods	....	props department
Tony Marks	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Nick Adams	....	supervising sound editor
Gethin Aldous	....	sound maintenance
Jason Canovas	....	dialogue editor
Jonathan Cronin	....	dialogue editor
Richard Finney	....	boom operator (as Richie Finney)
Diane Greaves	....	foley artist (as Dianne Greaves)
Mark Holding	....	production sound mixer
Mike Prestwood Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Adrian Rhodes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Zivi Ronen	....	sound effects editor
Paul Schwartz	....	sound trainee
Jason Swanscott	....	foley artist
Paul Wrightson	....	foley editor
Gordon Brown	....	dialogue & adr editor (uncredited)
Mark DeSimone	....	adr engineer (uncredited)
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Srdjan Kurpjel	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Dave Tinsley	....	sound engineer (uncredited)
Paul Wrightson	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Terry Bridle	....	special effects technician
Richard Conway	....	special effects supervisor
Jamie Courtier	....	model maker: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Piers Hampton	....	project manager: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Bob Hollow	....	special effects supervisor
Stephen Paton	....	special effects technician
Ray Scott	....	creative supervisor: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
David Watson	....	special effects technician (as Dave Watson)
Mark White	....	special effects
Mark Hunter	....	animatronic designer (uncredited)
Terry Palmer	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Paul Stephenson	....	special effects modeller (uncredited)
Nigel Wilkinson	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Simon Williams	....	animatronic engineer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Avtar Bains	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Avtar Bains	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
William Bartlett	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
William Bartlett	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Nick Bennett	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Nick Bennett	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Oliver Bersey	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Oliver Bersey	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
David Booth	....	visual effects supervisor
William Burdis	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
William Burdis	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Murray Butler	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Murray Butler	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Ben Cronin	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Ben Cronin	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Adam Gascoyne	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Adam Gascoyne	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Jamie Isles	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Jamie Isles	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Linda Johnson	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Linda Johnson	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Lucy Killick	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Lucy Killick	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Andy Lomas	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Andy Lomas	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Martin Parsons	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Martin Parsons	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Steffan Perry	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Steffan Perry	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
George Roper	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
George Roper	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Pedro Sabrosa	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Pedro Sabrosa	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Asa Shoul	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Asa Shoul	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Fiona Walkinshaw	....	visual effects producer
Angus Wilson	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Angus Wilson	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Will Yarrow	....	digital video effects: Framestore (London )
Will Yarrow	....	digital video effects: Framestore [London]
Nigel Blake	....	model workshop supervisor (uncredited)
Dan Glass	....	visual effects designer (uncredited)
Christian Manz	....	visual effects artist (uncredited)
Alex Parkinson	....	research and development (uncredited)

Stunts
Terry Walsh	....	stunt coordinator
Bradley Farmer	....	stunt double: Martin Short (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sam Bloor	....	electrician
Bob Bridges	....	video operator
Ian Coffey	....	clapper loader
Merritt Gold	....	focus puller: second unit
Steven Hall	....	camera operator (as Stephen Hall)
Aleksander Kaufmann	....	focus puller (as Aleks Kaufman)
Paul Kemp	....	electrician
Stefan Lange	....	lighting camera: second unit
Peter Myslowski	....	grip
Dave Ridout	....	best boy (as David Ridout)
Ed Rutherford	....	clapper loader: second unit
David Smith	....	gaffer
Terry Townsend	....	electrician
Alf Tramontin	....	Steadicam operator
Oliver Upton	....	still photographer
Stuart Bridges	....	video assistant (uncredited)
Lilia Sellami	....	camera trainee (uncredited)
John Ward	....	key Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Joyce Gallie	....	casting: U.K.
Lynn Kressel	....	casting
Oded Levy	....	casting assistant
Sally Osoba	....	casting coordinator: U.K.

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jill Avery	....	wardrobe mistress
Graham Churchyard	....	wardrobe supervisor
Joe Kowalewski	....	wardrobe assistant (as Joseph Kowalewski)
Adrian Simmons	....	wardrobe master

Editorial Department
Anya Dillon	....	trainee assistant editor
Bryon Fear	....	post-production coordinator
Dominic Strevens	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Howard Ball	....	orchestra contractor
John Bell	....	music orchestrator
Chris Dibble	....	music recordist
Andrew Glen	....	music editor (as Andy Glen)
Arthur Kempel	....	music orchestrator (as Arthur Kemple)

Transportation Department
Gerry Gore	....	transport captain

Other crew
Chris Allies	....	titles
Patricia Barr	....	unit nurse (as Pat Barr)
Erica Bensly	....	production coordinator
Chris Brock	....	location manager
Sue Dacre	....	additional puppeteer (as Susan Dacre)
Ben Fogg	....	assistant: Dyson Lovell
Pat Garrett	....	choreographer
Louise Gold	....	additional puppeteer
Andy Hennigan	....	financial controller
Nathan Holmes	....	floor runner
Amanda Kernot	....	utility stand-in
Rita Kozma	....	assistant accountant
Joe Lacey	....	utility stand-in
Sarah Lester	....	utility stand-in
Eth Ibrahim Maynard	....	continuity: second unit (as Eth Ibrahim-Maynard)
Tina McConnell	....	assistant accountant
Caroline Moore	....	production assistant
Debbie Moseley	....	production runner
Rebecca Nagan	....	additional puppeteer (as Rebecca Negan)
Gerard Naprous	....	horse master
Joanne Palmer	....	utility stand-in
Jonathan Pilcher	....	assistant: Nick Willing
Nick Waldron	....	location assistant
Victoria Willing	....	additional puppeteer
Annie Wotton	....	script supervisor
Tina Ellis	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Bernadette Lee	....	production coordinator: New York special effects (uncredited)
Rob Mayor	....	technician (uncredited)
Neil Morphew	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Babelsberg International Film Produktion (produced for) (as Babelsberg International Filmproduktion)
• Hallmark Entertainment
• NBC Studios

Distributors

• Alpha Filmes (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Artisan Entertainment
• Hallmark Entertainment
• NBC Home Video
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1999) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• SAV (1999) (Spain) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Jim Henson's Creature Shop (creature effects)
• Framestore (uncredited)
• Snow Business International (snow effects) (uncredited)

Other Companies

• BBVC/Kelly's Eye  video assist equipment (uncredited)
• Corporation of London, The  thanks
• Lee Lighting  lighting (uncredited)
• Motion Control Cameras Ltd.  visual effects (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Alice im Wunderland (Germany)

Runtime:

USA:150 min | 65 min (2 episodes) | USA:129 min (VHS version) | Finland:131 min (TV) (2 parts)

Country:

UK | USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:G | USA:Not Rated (DVD) | UK:U | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Babelsberg International Film Produktion

Trivia:

The Mad Hatter is the only character in the series that knows Alice's name without asking for it (he yells at the Hare that he's asking Alice the riddle, not him). This could be a deliberate mistake that alludes to the dream-world of Wonderland.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the end of the movie when Alice is singing, in between shots her hair changes from being behind her shoulders on both sides to being in front on one side.

Quotes:

Mad Hatter: Time marches on its stomach!
Alice: It's an army that marches on its stomach!
March Hare: It doesn't matter what's supposed to march on its stomach. It's time to move down.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#28.9)" (2002)

Curiouser and Curiouser Cried Alice !

What could have been a magic Alice using the formula of top Stars in the cameo roles as in the 1933 version, is dulled by excessive length and an unnecessary sub plot, concerning Alice's shyness in performing a song for a family gathering.

Also combining scenes from Through the Looking Glass while pleasant in themselves, extends the running time, and the pedestrian pace of the film. Sure there are some magic moments, and fortunately the designers have called upon Sir John Tenniel's illustrations for their characters, and the dialog when it is from Lewis Carroll's text is happily nonsense. It is bits that are not by Carroll that detract sadly.

It could have been much better, and even Tina Majorino doesn't make an especially attractive Alice. Perhaps re-editing it down to about 90 minutes would make it a winner, but we'll never know. A pity because some of the segments are very good indeed, with guests like Whoopy Goldberg, Martin Short, Ben Kingsley, Miranda Richardson, Peter Ustinov, and Pete Postlethwaite enjoying themselves immensely