Alice (1988)

There are so many adaptations of Alice in Wonderland that I've completely lost track of them all. Most have been forgotten with time. But if there is any justice in the world, Neco z Alenky will not be forgotten yet. I certainly won't forget it. It's something of a strange occurance when your stuffed rabbit starts clothing itself in a snazzy red jacket, disappearing into an endless desk and bleeding a trail of sawdust, as well as eating the sawdust that leaks from it's belly. So yeah, a very interesting start. Alice follows the rabbit through the drawer in the desk that ends up a tunnel, down what appears to be an elevator shaft, and into a curious wonderland quite unlike any you've seen. Everything that moves, with the exception of Alice, is stop-motion. Somehow it made Alice's character much more real and perfect. The young girl who played her gave a captivating performance, seeing as she narrates the whole thing, including all of the other characters' lines (followed by 'said the white rabbit, march hare, etc.). Some of the depictions of characters were so intriguing, they made me laugh out loud with joy. The march hare is absolutely adorable and probably the most comical animated character I have seen since Wallace and Gromit. I loved every single creature that graced the screen. The sets were lovely, finding an effective way to portray a scene through simple household objects like hatpins, needles and thread. So ordinary yet so whimsical. A joy to behold. Forget Tim Burton's disturbing and twisted (yet appalling) rendition. Neco z Alenky just makes it seem twee. Yes, Tim Burton - twee. Already, that says a lot. But besides that, it's completely and utterly enchanting. More than once it made me smile. It's is such a delight to watch, so much happiness in each scene. So grim in such an elated fashion. It is a classic I will watch again and again. The best of all Alices.