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The TINA MAJORINO version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND

nother world that is alternately frightening and  funny, as Alice reels from the comedy of Tweedledum and Tweedledee to the over-the-top drama of the Queen of Hearts, whose famous line "Off with her head!" has been updated by writer Peter Barnes to "Chop. Chop. Chop. Blood everywhere. Makes you proud to be queen." "We're making the spooky bits much spookier and the funny bits much funnier," says Willing. "We've amplified everything." The March Hare, with its freaky asymmetrical eyes, scared Majorino.     "That showed Nick that it was a success because he wanted the March Hare to be creepy," she says. "When it's in your face, it's overwhelming."     Richardson's queen is equally overwhelming. "There's no logic to hang on to. So what you hang on to is the rhythm of the scene," Richardson says. "It has to sort of crack along. But still, some-times you think, What am I doing? I think that about 50 times a day."     Indeed, if there is a drawback to making a movie of Carroll's story it's the plot. There isn't really a story at all, at best, the 'what happens' in Alice is that Alice learns not to accept things at face value and to take control.     To compensate, Barnes's script adds a few scenes not in the book, including the opening, which shows Alice running away from her debut singing recital; she falls asleep in the woods and Wonderland is a dream that gives her the confidence to perform.

Majorino, who sings twice in the movie, says she, too, hates to sing. "When I had to do the scenes, I was just like, 'OK, I can do this."' She also mastered a British accent and took etiquette classes. "Americans are so laid back and slouchy," says the Southern California teen. "But in Victorian England, little girls were brought up by duchesses who pestered them about correct speech and walk and manners."     Majorino also had to be mindful of special effects she couldn't see - a major chore for all the actors. Richardson, who was to play opposite the Dormouse, found herself yelling "Off with his whiskers!" to an empty seat because the creature wasn't functioning yet. "There's some point in the day when it all becomes gibberish, where you have no idea what you're saying."     "You have to just kind of get used to the geography of the movie," says Martin Short. "You get used to acting opposite someone wearing a huge March Hare head, for example. You just think, Well, that's today's assignment, huh? That's interesting." Picture above far left production shot from the trial scene, Miranda Richardson in the centre.

Pictures above Tina Majorino from the opening sequence of the film.

This production is available on VHS and DVD. Click any link below to order. USA VHS TAPE USA DVD UK/EUROPE/AUST VHS TAPE UK/EUROPE/AUST DVD

Amazon also have a range of "Alice" books and auctions. Click the link to check out their website.

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