I recently purchased Alice in Wonderland (1951) on Blu-Ray and snuggled with my girls as we watched what is one of my favorite Disney classics. After it was done I felt inspired to read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, which I just finished a few days ago.
What a disappointment. Not a bit of the wonder and whimsy that you feel while watching the animated version. In fact, I had to force myself to finish it - it really did not capture my interest.
Which got me thinking about brilliant ol' Mr. Disney; how he could find potential in something so....blah. Indeed, to take something that - in my opinion - lacks inspiration and turn it into something completely fanciful. My grandfather, Claude Coats, is actually credited with the color and styling for the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland. He is no longer living, but oh how I would loved to have asked how the vision for the on-screen Alice came about - because surely they created magic.
This is not the first time where a written book has fallen short in comparison to the Disney version. My absolutely favorite movie of all time is Mary Poppins. Talk about whimsical! So, about 10 years ago I decided to read the original book by P.L. Travers. I thought to myself, 'if I love the movie as much as I do, just imagine how much I will enjoy the book...'.
That was one of the biggest let downs of all time. I remember feeling the same about Mary Poppins as I do now about Alice in Wonderland. How did Walt Disney create magic where there was no magic to begin with? What was it about those books that caught his attention? How did he see the potential beyond the bland written pages of those stories? I simply don't know, but I am grateful for his creative vision (and that he shared it with us.)
Anyways, I will leave you with what was my favorite quote [perhaps the only highlight] that I came across while reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland:
"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don't much care where--" said Alice.
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.
"--so long as I get somewhere." Alice added as an explanation.
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
