Alice in Wonderland (1903 film)
Alice in Wonderland | |
---|---|
Still of film title with May Clark as Alice | |
Directed by |
Cecil Hepworth Percy Stow |
Written by |
Lewis Carroll (book) Cecil M. Hepworth |
Based on |
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll |
Starring |
May Clark Cecil M. Hepworth Mrs. Cecil Hepworth Norman Whitten |
Cinematography | Cecil M. Hepworth |
Distributed by |
American Mutoscope and Biograph Company Edison Manufacturing Company Kleine Optical Company |
Release dates |
|
Running time | approx. 8:19 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | Silent |
Alice in Wonderland is a 1903 British silent film directed by Cecil Hepworth and Percy Stow. It is the first movie adaptation of Lewis Carroll's children's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.[1]
The film is memorable for its use of special effects, including Alice's shrinking in the Hall of Many Doors, and in her large size, stuck inside of White Rabbit's home, reaching for help through a window.
Only one copy of the original film is known to exist and parts are now lost. The British Film Institute partially restored the movie and its original film tinting and released it in 2010. It is now available from several sources, and is included as a bonus feature on a 1996 BBC DVD. It is also included on Vintage Cinema - experiments in early film 1900s DVD.
Scenes
Text from the original silent film titles:[2]
- "Alice dreams that she sees the White Rabbit and follows him down the Rabbit-hole, into the Hall of Many Doors."
- "Alice, now very small, has gained access to the Garden where she meets a Dog and tries to make him play with her."
- "Alice enters the White Rabbit's tiny House, but, having suddenly resumed her normal size, she is unable to get out until she remembers the magic fan."
- "The Duchess's Cheshire Cat appears to Alice and directs her to the Mad Hatter. — The Mad Tea-Party."
- "THE ROYAL PROCESSION — The Queen invites Alice to join. — Alice unintentionally offends the Queen who calls the Executioner to behead her. But Alice, growing bolder, boxes his ears and in the confusion which results, she awakes."
Film credits
Direction
- Cecil M. Hepworth
- Percy Stow
Cast
- Alice: May Clark
- Frog: Cecil M. Hepworth
- White Rabbit / Queen of Hearts: Mrs. Hepworth
- Mad Hatter / Fish: Norman Whitten
- Playing Card: Geoffrey Faithfull
- Playing Card: Stanley Faithfull
- The cast also includes a large number of child actors as playing cards
Producers
- Producer: Cecil M. Hepworth
- Executive producer: Herman Casler
- Executive producer: Elias Koopman
- Executive producer: Harry Marvin
Cinematography
- Cecil M. Hepworth
References
- ↑ Alice in Wonderland at the Internet Movie Database
- ↑ Alice in Wonderland (1903) on YouTube, restored version by the BFI/British Film Institute
Further reading
- Film History, an introduction (3rd Ed) by Kristin Thompson and David Bordwell
- Dennis Gifford (1973), The British Film Catalogue 1895-1970: A Guide to Entertainment Films. Newton Abbot, England: David & Charles Ed.
- Alice in Wonderland 1903 Music by Rodrigo Favela http://vimeo.com/7034619