Home page
Film and TV productions across the years
  home page
TV SPECIAL PRODUCED BY IRWIN ALLEN IN 1985
next film  
'You are old', Father William,


Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose . . .
Sammy Davis Junior and Natalie Gregory perform "You are Old Father William" as a song and dance number.
Robert Morley and Jayne Meadows as the King and Queen of Hearts he production was shown on television as a two-parter. Part one was largely "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", while part two covered "Through the Looking Glass". Both incorporated some re-writing and the story's "frame" revolved around Alice not being allowed to take tea with the grownups until she demonstrated she had grown up herself.
Anne Jillian (the Red Queen) with Natalie Gregory     It includes scenes not shown in some other versions of "Alice", such as the sheep shop transformation, the scene aboard the train, Humpty Dumpty, and the Jabberwock.
    When the show was re-edited and released as two separate videos, it suffered some cuts. The Lion and the Unicorn and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum are absent, and, despite being on the rear cover, the singing flowers are missing.
    The special effects aren't anything special, this was mid-eighties TV after all. However, the changes in size were very well achieved. Of course, Irwin Allen had had lots of practice with his "Land Of The Giants" TV series. Allen made his reputation in all his television series and "disaster" movies by achieving the impossible with very little money and, had there been the opportunity to insert stock shots of photographically enlarged lizards with fins glued on them, I'm sure they would have been there!
    However, despite the effects (or lack thereof), the acting is cheery and makes it an good family movie. The songs are perhaps the weakest point, they aren't based on Lewis Carroll's words and have been described as 'incredibly preachy'. None of which detracts from the undisputed popularity of this production.
Coverage of the "Looking Glass" segment will follow later in the year
    There have been two releases on home video, the best-known one being as the sleeve artwork shown above left. On the other occasion, both parts were available separately but had the same artwork. The "Looking Glass" title wasn't used for the second video - it was simply "Alice In Wonderland - part two".
The production is readily available for purchase, but only in the American NTSC format at the moment. (see below).
 


Natalie Gregory pictured without the wig. Alice's songs were performed by Lana Beeson.
   
 
AVAILABILITY
Both parts of this production are available on VHS from AMAZON.COM to purchase online. Click either picture alongside to go to their website where you can place an order. Amazon deliver anywhere in the world.

NOTE: These tapes are for the USA and Canada. If you live elsewhere in the world, they'll still play as long as you have a VCR which can play the American NTSC format. The films aren't available in straight PAL format.
  previous page
film / tv intro
  next film