Alice in Wonderland (1933)

This is the first in a series of blogs spotlighting a few big screen adaptations of Lewis Carroll's classic tale Alice's Adventure in Wonderland.

The 1933 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland isn't a great film. But at the same time, it wasn't an awful film either. To be honest, there has never been a perfect interpretation of Lewis Carroll's classic stories on film. There have been some very good attempts. Even the 1972 version featuring Peter Sellers as the March Hare, which is probably my favorite version of the story, isn't a perfect adaptation either.

I've come to think that Alice tends to suffer the same thing Sherlock Homes has suffered. No not cocaine. But most producers seem to cast actresses over the age of 20 to play the part of a young girl who is supposed to be not much older than 7. In the case of Sherlock, he was supposed to be in his late 20's. But because he appeared much older looking due to the fact Walter Paget, who his brother Sidney Paget, used as the physical model of Holmes, had a receding hairline. Which is probably the reason many of the actors who have portrayed Holmes (with a few exceptions) have all for the most part been 40 and older.

In the case of Alice, it may come down to the fact that it's much easier to give direction to an older actress pretending to be a 7 year old rather than trying to give direction to a child star.

In the case of Charlotte Henry who is the Alice in this tale, apparently the studio press department made much of her uncanny resemblance to Sir John Tenniel's original artwork.

There is no attempt in the film at an English accent. But films were just like that back then. There really wasn't the push for authenticity and realism as they is in today's films. Films were made to escape reality. Not replicate it back them.

The film itself chose to adapt both the first Alice story and it's sequel Through the Looking Glass as one adventure. The biggest faults of the film is it tends to be slow in scenes and some of the segues into the next scenes do not flow very well.

But the scenes that did work very well make the film worth watching.

And some of the things the film DID have working for it was really unsettling costumes and a stellar cast. I really like the costumes. The look like they came out of someone's "Panto" from hell. Knowing these costumes would have frightened me as a child is proof that they're perfect. The attempts to make them cute are just nightmarish. So they work for me.

This was the first really big budget live-action movie of a children's classic with an all-star cast including Cary Grant as the Mock Turtle (seen above), W.C. Fields as Humpty Dumpty, Gary Cooper as the White Knight, Malden Massachusetts native Edna May Oliver as the Red Queen and Edward Everett Horton as the Mad Hatter.

For those of you unfamiliar with Edward Everett Horton, some of you might remember him as Mr. Witherspoon in Arsenic and Old Lace. And some might remember him as the Narrator for Fractured Fairytales in the Bullwinkle Show.

And, for those history buffs out there, W.C. Fields nemesis Baby Leroy played the Joker in the film. Fields never hid the fact that he hated working with children. But luckily for Fields he didn't appear onscreen with young master Leroy in this particular picture.

There was even an animated presentation of The Walrus and the Carpenter created by Leon Schlesinger Productions who would later rise to fame with the creation of such characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig.

Although very highly detailed and cleverly done for the time, one of the factors that made the film a box office disappointment was the fact that despite having this star-studded cast, nobody could recognize them under the mask. The movie cast doubts whether a live-action film featuring characters in strange costumes could be a success until the Wizard of Oz was released in 1939.

This film is worth watching at least once if you happen to catch it one night on Turner Classic Movies or rent it on Netflix. It is not the first adaptation of Alice, nor is it the first talking picture of the story either. However, it's historic because  it's the first big budget live-action version of the tale made in the United States. There wouldn't be another big screen version made in the States until Tim Burton's 2010 film which was more of a sequel than a retelling of Alice.

But it's worth checking out nonetheless.

Tomorrow's Alice Spotlight will feature the 1972 adaptation Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Much like the 1933 film live action. But this time produced in England. AND unlike the '33 film you can recognize the actor playing each character.

Take a Cartooning Class This Summer!!

Nothing to do? Why not take a Cartooning Class this Summer!!

Annie's Book Stop of Worcester has invited me to teach cartooning classes on fridays from July 20th till August 31st at their store at 65 James Street in Worcester, MA.

You have a choice between taking either a morning or afternoon session for $87.50 each or you can take both the morning and afternoon class together for $175.00 total.

In Session One, I will be teaching Cartooning in the morning from 10 AM till 12 NOON and in the afternoon I will be teaching Comic Art.

In Session Two, I will be teaching Create Your Own Super Hero in the morning and Drawn Animation in the afternoons. These classes are scheduled for the same time periods as the first session.

If you wish to sign up for two classes, you can either sign up for consecutive classes in the same session or sign up for one class in the first session and another in the second session.

If you're interested you can either stop by Annie's Book Stop of Worcester during normal business hours to pick up a sign up sheet or e-mail me to find out more about the classes.

NEW After Hours: 3 Popular Children's Characters That Secretly Hate Animals

Well, here's the finale of Season Two and it's a beauty!! I've been doing art for After Hours from the get go and I have to say this is probably the best work I've done on the series yet. Some of that is a great deal of thanks to animator Cody Johnston who added color to my Flintstone background. Which I will probably be adding color to my artwork from here on in.

It was a lot of fun doing my Nightmare Before Christmas version of Fred Flintstone.

Incidentally, congratulations to everyone at Cracked.com for being the People's Voice Winner for Best Humor Site at the Webby's. Everyone involved has done a great job creating a really funny site. I'm already looking forward to contributing to Season Three of After Hours!!

3 Popular Children's Characters Who Secretly Hate Animals -- powered by Cracked.com

Mail-Order Mysteries: Real Stuff from Old Comic Book Ads!

Continuing our chat from yesterday... no! not about Invisible Woman's costume... if you grew up too late to remember the mail order advertisements inside comic books, there's this great book out called MAIL-ORDER MYSTERIES: REAL STUFF FROM OLD COMIC BOOK ADS! by Kirk Demaris.

What makes this book great is not only does it show the vintage ad in all is gritty washed-out newsprint glory. But it also shows you pictures of WHAT you actually got when you sent away for the item.

I can only imagine some poor kid gleefully excited when their Polaris Submarine arrived thinking it was at least going to be made of plastic so they could take it for a spin around their parents pool. And upon opening it being stung with the cold bitter reality it is made of cardboard in the shape of something that resembles a minnow rather than a nuclear submarine.

And if they were to launch it in their parents pool, their $6.98 investment would have been reduced to soggy cardboard. Then again, even if it were made of plastic, getting into a swimming pool with something that has a top that has the potential of getting stuck isn't be best idea on the planet.

This book is a great find for anyone who has wondered the truth behind those X-Ray Specs, Smoking Pets and Charles Atlas Books.

You can order your copy on Amazon.com for a mere $13.57!! Click on the link below to check out the book and perhaps order yours today:

Mail-Order Mysteries: Real Stuff From Old Comic Book Ads!

Sometimes the mind boggles...

I think any kid who has ever read comic books has fallen into the trap of the nefarious COMIC BOOK MAIL IN AD'S.

Even I have fallen victim. As a kid I had seen scissors based on Daffy Duck and Sylvester the Cat. Two of my favorite Looney Tune characters. So my Grandmother had sent away for some.

When they arrived, not only were they the most crappiest renderings of the characters but the scissors were completely useless to cut with. I think I gave myself blisters trying to cut something.

And I'm not alone. My buddy Andy Fish has mentioned on his own blog being duped by an ad for a life size Frankenstein's Monster. So imagine his horror thinking that this life sized version of Karloff's creature would be arriving in a crate, only to find it being delivered in a tube.

Instead of a larger than life replica, he had actually ordered a six foot tall poster of the monster. WITH A DOPEY GRIN!!

There are a lot of ads which make me just shake my head and think, "Did people actually fall for this??" The Polaris Nuclear Sub which two kids can ride in and the Sea Monkey's usually tops my list.

But sometimes I come across old ad's and I think to myself: "HOW DID THEY GET AWAY WITH THIS???" The ad above is one of them. Even though this ad was printed in the 1970's and the rules were a bit less stringent than they are now. Still!! This seems more suited for Playboy than the latest issue of Billy the Kid.

Especially if you consider who the target audience of most comics books back then. Young boys either just about to or had already hit puberty.

Then again I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by an ad like that in comic books. I'm reminded of Marvel's decision that it seemed like a great idea to "sex up" Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four's costume in the 1990's.

For those of you who were either very young or not born yet. This was a time in comic books when the most important accessory on a female superheroes costume was a painful looking wedgie.

But it still makes me shake my head that they were able to get away with selling what is technically a blow up doll!! I can't imagine a parent entering their son's room and finding the doll on the floor with her wig a mess, her clothing in disarray and Jr. sitting on his bed with a deer in the headlights look gripping the deflating doll saying: "This is not what you think."

Has anyone ever bought this? That's my question? If you have, please leave a post on this blog. You will not be laughed at since we've all bought something crappy out of a comic book at one time or another.

But given the history of false advertisement in these ads, I am very curious what these things actually looked like when you got them.

Thoughts on Spring stART and the Canal District

The last time I actually drove down Green Street was about 10 or 11 years ago. And it was as a passenger. And it was not pretty. And neither was the Lucky Dog at the time I went.

I know talking with my Dad who remembers a time in the 1950's and 1960's Green Street used to be a nice area and it's a shame that it got to the point that it did.  And he's right. I hate to sound mean, but the last time I was there, Green Street was pretty much a slum. And there are still areas on Green Street that were still pretty rough.

But I have found my second trip to what is being referred to as the Canal District for the Spring Edition of stART on the Street to be a bit better than my first trip. It seems as though there are people that are making an honest effort to revitalize the area with a few nice restaurants and businesses.

As for this year's Spring stART, it was also a vast improvement over last year's event. Despite some shortcomings as mentioned above, Green Street was the ideal area for the venue. We had the option of either setting up either on the street itself or setting up in one of the parking lots. Syd and I decided we wanted to set up in what I referred to as the Derek Ring Lot. Named because famed Illustrator Derek Ring had set up shop there.

Despite being slightly off the beating path, as far as room and being able to set up is concerned, it was the ideal place. Syd and I also decided it was time to invest in a tent. Which given how really hot it was on Sunday, we spent the rest of the day feeling very pleased with our purchase. If we had been in the direct sun all day we would have felt a lot worse.

The only complaint I heard from people attending stART was parking. But given this is a new location this year, I know the people involved in stART will probably have all that ironed out and improved next year.

However, I have nothing but great things to say about this year's Spring stART on the Street. For one thing, the rain date actually ended up being a blessing. The weather on Sunday was much better than the previous week. And despite said rain date, the show itself seemed to be well attended.

Both Syd and I did very well with our sales. This was Syd's first show as a vendor and people took a great interest in her Vinyl household items. Her bracelets and jewelry were probably her biggest sellers. And she had one business card left when we were packing up.

But I hope stART does their Spring Show on Green Street next year. I thought as far as room was concerned, it was actually better space-wise than even their Fall Show on Park Avenue. And that's saying a lot considering that the Fall Show is their most successful event.

But much like the Fall Show has planted roots on Park Ave, I think the Spring Show might have finally found a place to plant roots and create their own identity on Green Street.

If you missed it this year, hopefully you will check out stART in Spring next year.

New Print!! Scooby Doo? Where Are You?

Well the powers that be decided to postpone stART on the Street: Spring Edition till next Sunday due to the unpredictable weather. Which it looks like it may have been a good idea looking at some of the ominous clouds and it started to rain.

But it's given Syd and I the opportunity to work on a few extra goodies as well as finally buy a tent for the show next Sunday. Which we will use for future shows. Including Sowa's Market in Boston which the two of us have seriously considered taking part in.

But if you come to Green Street next Sunday from 11AM till 5PM, the print above is just one of the new goodies you will be seeing at the show. Hope to see you all there!!