Each one of us have a particular film we would as a child watch time and time again, back in the days where you still had to rewind the VHS once you’d reached the end; for me, this was the 1999 television film ‘Alice in Wonderland’ starring Whoopi Goldberg, Robbie Coltrane and the voice of Joanna Lumley, among others. While perhaps not as wellknown as Disney’s adaptation from 1951 which is responsible for the classic image of the title star, or Tim Burton’s slightly surreal version (as to be expected) from 2010, for me, this film was the beginning of a fascination with the story of Alice that, 16 years later, I still hold.

 

I am certainly not alone; the story of the young girl tumbling down the rabbit hole into a fantastical world filled with mad hatters and transformational cakes and potions is one that resonates with children and adults alike who share a love for the magic and escapism that Wonderland offers. This is evident in the huge success of the 2010 adaptation, which made over $1 billion in ticket sales worldwide and still stands as Tim Burton’s most successful film. It is the 19th highestgrossing film of all time, quite a feat for something that began as a story made up to entertain just three young children.

 

Alice’s story began in the 1860s, when the author Lewis Carroll (real name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) took his friends’ three daughters on a rowing trip along the River Thames, one of whom was Alice Liddell – the Alice. Carroll was always making tales up for the children but, on this occasion, Alice was so enchanted with the story of her namesake that he decided to write it down for her as a Christmas gift; the book we know and love was published a year later. Carroll’s intentions have been questioned by many; he was never married and seemed to take an unusual interest in Alice, spending a large amount of time creating this magical world full of weird and wonderful creatures just for her. With time, Carroll stopped seeing the Liddell family as much and was eventually forbidden from taking them out alone by their mother. The reason is not known today, as the page from his diary giving the details was ripped out and has never been found, adding an air of mystery to the true events. However, there is nothing concrete to suggest anything other than a man with no children of his own showing an interest in broadening their imaginations. Perhaps the idea of anything insincere says more about how distrusting our society is today; one that sexualises young girls yet is suspicious of figures such as Carroll.

 

Last year may have marked the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ – of course more commonly known as simply ‘Alice in Wonderland’ – but the festivities to celebrate the occasion haven’t been left there; as we venture into 2016, there are still many ways to escape into the whimsical world of tea parties, Cheshire cats and the somewhat intimidating Queen of Hearts. The British Library is currently holding an exhibition to celebrate the occasion and is heading back to where it all started by showcasing the original manuscript featuring hand-drawn illustrations. This sure-to-be enchanting exhibition is free to visit and will be open until Sunday 17th April this year.

 

Speaking to the curator of ‘Alice in Wonderland’, Helen Melody, gives an insight into how the exhibition was created, “we decided to focus on the enduring popularity of Carroll’s story and the success of Tenniel’s illustrations whilst also considering the way in which the story has been an enduring source of inspiration for generations of artists, illustrators, filmmakers and others” – creators such as Tim Walker, Tim Bret-Day and Tim Burton (must be something about the name). As for why she thinks the story has charmed many generations, she says, “the characters in Wonderland are so eccentric and vivid that they really bring the story to life. Interestingly the text does not include physical descriptions of the characters, which allows people to decide for themselves about exactly how they wish to depict the characters”. Perhaps it is the freedom to use our own imaginations that we love, providing us with a whimsical way to escape and create our own idea of Wonderland.

 

However, if you’re more of a fan of Tim Burton’s signature take on the story, the sequel to his 2010 creation is being released on 27th May, entitled Alice Through the Looking Glass. Sure to be a continuation of his slightly surreal style (and featuring Johnny Depp as usual), this is set to be a magical film for both children and adults alike. With the constant TV and film adaptions and reinterpretations of this well-known and much-loved tale, you would have thought there would be no more inspiration to take from it anymore, but you would be very much mistaken. A story so rich and inventive is one that deserves to stick around, and one that News feature Written in mind for Another magazine 1087 words is used more often than you may think as a source of inspiration for fashion designers, stylists and photographers.

 

Paul Michael Chambers, a creative director for window displays, is one of many in the industry who have used Alice in Wonderland as a source of inspiration for their work; he created “layers of visual excitement: books, clocks, playing cards, gift boxes, tree roots; lots to see and discover if you stood there long enough, seeing more and more detail.” This reflects the key idea of Alice in Wonderland; there is always more to discover each time you read the book or watch one of the endless film adaptations, indicating why it is still so loved today. Chambers goes on to say that “Alice in Wonderland is a perfect subject matter for windows: layers upon layer of detail injected with a super colour palette and wrapped up in a dreamlike surrealism.” – it is this ‘dreamlike surrealism’ that firmly ensures Alice’s story is here to stay for at least another 150 years.

 

While my favourite adaptation will always be the television film from 1999 (possibly more due to the memories I associate with it), there are plenty of ways for people of all tastes to delve into Wonderland. Films to plays, poetry to photography; now is the time to relive this alternative children’s tale of an enchanting world where “everything is slightly off, even the good people” (as says Tim Burton; just one of the reasons we love it so much.)