"Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland," the Lewis Carroll novel written in the Golden Age of English Children's Literature, has been an immeasurable cultural influence. Many forms of fashion, art, and other works of literature can trace their roots back to Carroll. Three Disney movies immediately come to mind, though there are many other movie adaptions, one as early as 1903. There is so much Alice In Wonderland floating around it almost seems unnecessary to turn back to the book. Yet, as is often the case, the book is better. There's more room for witty details and getting inside Alice's thoughts. Though some older versions of the films stay true to many characters of the novel, if only appearing briefly, films over the years dropped more and more of the original novel to add in their own stories. The White Rabbit, the "Drink Me" bottle, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire-Cat, the Hatter, and tea parties are all fantastic elements. Their repetition however, has left out other enjoyable moments from the Carroll novel that are worth highlighting.
1. The Frog-Footman
He appears too briefly to be included in a film when time limits exist. While frog-footman do appear in the live-action Disney Alice in Wonderland, it's not for witty dialogue with Alice herself. In the novel he actually tells Alice how knocking on doors work better with two people on either side, and if that's not pure Children's Literature nonsense, then I don't know what is.
2. The Mock Turtle
We don't get the joke of the Mock Turtle being "the thing Mock Turtle Soup is made from." It's a cheaper form of turtle soup using organ meats of a calf to imitate turtle meat. Then we get this giant half-cow half-turtle creature singing about "Beau—ootiful Soo—oop!" It's genius and hilarious. The closest thing I can think of what we have to this is the joke that chocolate milk comes from chocolate cows. The Mock Turtle was featured in a pretty great 1933 film that stayed true to the novel in many ways.
3. The baby that turns into a pig
The baby that turns into what? Yes, Alice is handed a baby and gradually it becomes a pig. Aren't you glad they left that out of the Disney cartoon you grew up with? It's no wonder that versions of Alice have been re-imagined to fit into a horror genre.
4. Many more quips and pieces of wit
More wit than what could possibly be allotted to basically just the Hatter in many of the films.
"I haven't opened it yet," said the White Rabbit; "but it seems to be a letter, written by the prisoner to — to somebody."
"It must have been that," said the King, "unless it was written to nobody, which isn't usual, you know."
Or the mouse who, in order for him and the animals around him to stop being dripping wet he talked about the history of William the Conqueror explaining, "This is the driest thing I know." Or there's:
"And how many hours a day did you do lessons?" said Alice, in a hurry to change the subject.
"Ten hours the first day," said the Mock Turtle: "nine the next, and so on."
"What a curious plan!" exclaimed Alice.
"That's the reason they're called lessons," the Gryphon remarked: "because they lessen from day to day."
5. Alice arguing with herself
While told in third-person Alice often talks to herself going back and forth assessing real and hypothetical scenarios. Is she ever going to get older because she already grew so much in size in the White Rabbits house? How will she fit her lesson books there when she hardly fits? Alice's unique voice is a great way to follow the iconic journey through Wonderland best found in the original novel.
