You surely must remember that little girl who fell down the hole following a nervous white rabbit. You also know that then she had all sorts of crazy adventures in the Wonderland. Well, Disney and Tim Burton decided to show us what happened afterwards, when the not-so-little girl came back. Lewis Carroll could have never imagined his books being shown on the silver screen, but also, Tim Burton could have never imagined that his masterpiece would stop short of being shown through the lens of the projector.

After almost 15 years from making its first full-length animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney decided to employ Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wilfred Jackson to produce Alice in Wonderland. The somewhat psychedelic drawings and over-emphasized characters managed to clear their way and take the place up there with classics such as Peter Pan, Dumbo, Pinocchio and many more.

Now we have Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in the Wonderland that marked the 19th century, the 1951 Alice in Wonderland animated film setting standards for the 20th century, and in the 21st century Walt Disney Pictures decided to give its viewers crème de la crème, a full-length 3D feature starring world’s best actors. Needless to say, neither Disney nor true movie lovers could imagine anyone else directing this movie except the genius that is Tim Burton. His world-wide fame began with Batman and just continued with great works such as Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride and the latest horror-musical Sweeney Todd.

As in most of Burton’s films, as well as Disney’s, the cast is not too short from spectacular – Michael Sheen playing the lovable White Rabbit, Helena Bonham Carter (Burton’s wife) in the role of the merciless Red Queen, the beautiful Anne Hathaway portraying the White Queen, immensely talented Mia Wasikowska as the 19-year-old Alice, and last but certainly not the least the acting genius that is Johnny Depp as Mad Hatter.

With obviously millions of dollars being invested in the cast, crew and production how come the film showing was almost jeopardized? Every film feature has its release date in the cinemas and in the shops. While shops are selling DVDs for reasonable prices and you can watch it in the comfort of your home anytime you want, some of us still prefer the silver screen and the sheer excitement offered by the cinemas. The controversy started when Walt Disney Pictures announced that instead of the usual 17 weeks they are going to release the DVD in 12 weeks. This angered the cinema chains who thought that more viewers are going to decide on just waiting for a while and getting their own copy, instead of paying the same price just to watch it once in their theaters.

As the premiere date was approaching all major theater chains in the United Kingdom decided to boycott Alice in Wonderland and try to make Disney lengthen the period of the DVD release. The case was almost the same in the Netherlands and Belgium. The Netherlands major theaters also refused to screen the film. The Federation of Belgian Cinemas (FCB) is said to be boycotting Disney’s attempts, too.

The situation was straightened out in the UK and the Royal Premiere with Prince Charles, the royal family and deserving celebrities was screened at the Odeon Theater on Leicester Square. The world premiere was not followed by controversies either. It seems that Disney succeeded to strike a deal with the Belgian cinemas as we are able to see the movie at Kinepolis in Leuven.

Did Walt Disney Pictures set a new standard for film screenings? Is this the beginning of the end of cinema as we know it? Or is this just how the 21st century will treat the Seventh Art? |