Wednesday
01Apr2009
Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' Headed to IMAX
Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 2:05AM
Not too many years ago, only serious cinema fans and educators went to IMAX more than once or twice a year to see a movie. All of that has changed, however, since The Polar Express made it viable for Hollywood fare to take on the dimensions of the giant screen and all that sound. Since then, dozens of movies have been released in IMAX, and a handful have even been filmed with that destination in mind.
"If ever there was a film that cried out to be presented in Disney Digital 3-D and the premium IMAX 3-D format, Tim Burton's fantastic interpretation of Alice in Wonderland is that film. This is going to be an eye-popping cinematic experience as Tim takes moviegoers down the rabbit hole and into the dimensional world filled with incredible characters, sly humor, and wild adventures."Yes, I suspect it could be all of those things and more. And Zoradi might have a point about about Burton, 3-D, and IMAX. That really is the selling point here, isn't it? Not to sound like a fanboy, but I think the only way this movie could be a real disappointment is if the first cut scares the hell out of the studio. If Disney lets Burton explore what's underneath the wild adventures, given how clear an influence Lewis Carroll is on the guy, I think Alice has a real chance to be something completely unique. The trouble is, "completely unique" and big Disney fare seldom go together. But I think Burton is far enough along in his career where he can exhibit a little more control over his projects, even tentpole event movies like this.
Colin Boyd | Permalink | in 3D, Alice in Wonderland, IMAX, Tim Burton | Print Article | Email Article | 1 Comment | Share Article
Reader Comments (1)
This is really an amazing turn around in the relationship between Disney and Burton, and is, I think, the real story here.
After all, Burton was really the fallen child animator who walked away during Disney's dark days (think: Black Cauldron which is permanently in the vault because, well...), and through his whole career as a big time movie director, has never really worked directly with the mouse house again.
Sure, Ed Wood was Touchstone.
And Disney likes to claim The Nightmare Before Christmas all these years later now that there is such a cult following. But Jack Skellington was never their favorite character in the days when they were promoting Aladdin and Robin Williams' genie. And though many a soul has mistakenly answered "Who Directed "TNBC"?" with Tim Burton on trivia night has gotten it wrong, he did not actually direct. That honor belongs to Henry Selick.
But that was Touchstone too, if anyone cares to remember.
Alice then, is the first big-time collaboration between Disney and Burton, one that could extend well beyond the scope of this movie if you think about it. I'm guessing that a newly unveiled Tea-Cup ride at their struggling theme park division awaits the world around the release date.
And if Alice is huge, it could result in more work between the two parties, including, I hope, the project Burton was born to do (why, by the way, do we say that EVERY time he gets behind the camera?)...
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride...
Either way, how sweet it is that Burton is now back in the Disney fold? Let's hope he stays there, because Disney needs more innovative outside the box thinkers like him.