I Live
It was a seriously painful day yesterday, and I'm over it.
Each time I see a commercial for the new Alice in Wonderland movie, I think, "Oh, I've got to write about that." That looks like some scary shit, that movie does. Not that I find anything by Tim Burton relaxing, exactly. I'm willing to go so far as to say that he's an artist with a vision, just not one that appeals to me.
As to Alice in Wonderland, the Disney version is harmless enough, as is most Disney, and I do in fact use an image of the Cheshire Cat -- eyes and smile only -- as my desktop wallpaper at school. But have you ever seen the original version of the book? Illustrations by John Tenniel.
When I think back to my childhood, which you know I do at every conceivable opportunity, I think that there were no children's books in my house. This is not true, actually, although there were very, very few picture books, only a handful of Golden Books. But my mother had subscribed to some book club for children, and we had some classics. Nearly all of these scared the crap out of me, and it was because of the illustrations. I found Alice in Wonderland, with Tenniel's uber-creepy pictures, the most frightening. Pictures I've seen from the new movie look to me like Tenniel on crack: on beyond terrifying. Who, I ask, is going to see this movie? Children? Just so you know, there will be nightmares for years. Just the book did that to me.
The other really icky illustrations were from an edition of the stories of Hans Christian Andersen. (I couldn't find these images online, thankfully; perhaps I'll scan one in for you at home.) The people are all elongated and sad and strange. It looked like another world of which I wanted no part whatsoever. And I think it really set me up to find Andersen creepy and sad in general.
At least I got that off my chest! Now if only I could get the commercials off my TV. And ask Tim Burton to stop making movies, please. We get it.
I remember thinking that Andersen's stories were not as happy as Grimm's. When I read his biography, I felt I understood why. Nothing worked out for his family or for him personally, so why should there be happy endings for anyone else?
ReplyDeleteI've often wondered what the world looks like to Tim Burton. I know he shows us in his movies, but does he really see it that way all the time? How awful for him. ~LA
ReplyDeleteI love Tim Burton as does A. and we are waiting anxiously for the new Alice in Wonderland to be released... it helps that A. has a huge crush on Johnny Depp (not sayin' a word about me, he he). His stuff is definitely a matter of taste though. Lewis Carroll had some interesting ways of stimulating his imagination I have heard so the crack reference may not be too far off the mark~lol.
ReplyDeleteI hope all the owies let up. GBW
Doesn't that movie have Johnny Depp in it?? I do not understand the obsession with that man. He's not so handsome, and he's a bit... strange. But some women practically faint at his very name. I find that odd.
ReplyDeleteI had an edition of Hans Christian Andersen, a HUGE volume with scattered pen and ink drawings. I don't remember having much in the way of children's books either, but that was because I was reading at such a high level by the time I went to live with my dad that they just bought me chapter books. I was reading the Clan of the Cave Bear series by the time I was 10, for cryin' out loud.