Comments on: ALICE (1966) http://verdoux.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/alice-1966/ Passion for the Moving Image Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:18:15 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: mahendra singh http://verdoux.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/alice-1966/#comment-16 mahendra singh Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:54:55 +0000 http://verdoux.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/alice-1966/#comment-16 The Denis Potter film sounds very interesting, I'm a big fan of his "Singing Detective". I saw the "Institute Benjamenta", I was ambivalent about it. The novel is a favorite of mine and I don't think the Bros. Quay really did it the way it should have been... it's all subjective really. BTW, there was also a German version done in the 70s by Peter Lilienthal, a so-so effort. I love the "red Shoes" stills, all the stills you are posting are top-notch. Cheers! The Denis Potter film sounds very interesting, I’m a big fan of his “Singing Detective”. I saw the “Institute Benjamenta”, I was ambivalent about it. The novel is a favorite of mine and I don’t think the Bros. Quay really did it the way it should have been… it’s all subjective really. BTW, there was also a German version done in the 70s by Peter Lilienthal, a so-so effort.
I love the “red Shoes” stills, all the stills you are posting are top-notch. Cheers!

]]> By: verdoux http://verdoux.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/alice-1966/#comment-12 verdoux Sun, 09 Dec 2007 17:03:58 +0000 http://verdoux.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/alice-1966/#comment-12 Thanks for the kind words Mahendra. Yes, I have seen the Svankmejer Alice..I have some nice stills around here someplace, I'll add them to my future posts list. I think I prefer the Quay Brothers work a little more though..are you familiar with them? Their 'Institute Benjamenta' is quite stunning, and as close to poetic filmmaking as I've seen attempted before. The brothers also made a film fairly recently that I've not had the chance to see yet : 'The Piano tuner of Earthquakes', made in collaboration with Terry Gilliam. Oh! with puppets in mind, I'd highly recommend the beautiful Kieslowski film 'The Double Life of Veronique' with Irene Jacob (Three Colours Red)..a key inspiration behind the puppetry in 'Being John Malcovich'. As to other Alice versions, there's a very interesting interpretation by the late, great Dennis Potter called 'Dreamchild', made back in the mid eighties with an elderly Alice Liddell on a lecture tour of 30's America. Scenes from Alice in Wonderland are played out in a series of disconcerting flashback, with some sinister looking creatures and a dark, ambiguous air. Also, the 70's 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' (with Fiona Fullerton as Alice) is well worth a look too. Whilst a little lightweight, and containing the odd distracting song or three, the John Barry soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, and the whole production has a dreamy, drowsy quality to it that makes the journey worthwhile. More cool movies you say? No problem, plenty of those to hand. Powell & Pressburgers' THE RED SHOES next.. Thanks for the kind words Mahendra. Yes, I have seen the Svankmejer Alice..I have some nice stills around here someplace, I’ll add them to my future posts list. I think I prefer the Quay Brothers work a little more though..are you familiar with them? Their ‘Institute Benjamenta’ is quite stunning, and as close to poetic filmmaking as I’ve seen attempted before. The brothers also made a film fairly recently that I’ve not had the chance to see yet : ‘The Piano tuner of Earthquakes’, made in collaboration with Terry Gilliam. Oh! with puppets in mind, I’d highly recommend the beautiful Kieslowski film ‘The Double Life of Veronique’ with Irene Jacob (Three Colours Red)..a key inspiration behind the puppetry in ‘Being John Malcovich’.

As to other Alice versions, there’s a very interesting interpretation by the late, great Dennis Potter called ‘Dreamchild’, made back in the mid eighties with an elderly Alice Liddell on a lecture tour of 30’s America. Scenes from Alice in Wonderland are played out in a series of disconcerting flashback, with some sinister looking creatures and a dark, ambiguous air. Also, the 70’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ (with Fiona Fullerton as Alice) is well worth a look too. Whilst a little lightweight, and containing the odd distracting song or three, the John Barry soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, and the whole production has a dreamy, drowsy quality to it that makes the journey worthwhile.

More cool movies you say? No problem, plenty of those to hand. Powell & Pressburgers’ THE RED SHOES next..

]]> By: mahendra singh http://verdoux.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/alice-1966/#comment-11 mahendra singh Sat, 08 Dec 2007 01:15:28 +0000 http://verdoux.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/alice-1966/#comment-11 This looks very interesting! Have you seen the Svankmejer version of 'Alice"? Very good, worth posting/discussing. Some of the stills you've posted are really perfect, the mood of LC's work seems to be filtered through an ageless, dreamy, subtly ironic filter. More cool movies, please! I like what you're doing! This looks very interesting! Have you seen the Svankmejer version of ‘Alice”? Very good, worth posting/discussing.
Some of the stills you’ve posted are really perfect, the mood of LC’s work seems to be filtered through an ageless, dreamy, subtly ironic filter.
More cool movies, please! I like what you’re doing!

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