Saturday, December 31, 2016

Alice in Wonderland, Part 2

Alice in Wonderland, Part 2
CBS
December 10, 1985
TV-Movie, Children's, Musical, Fantasy
VHS
C+

The cast this time, other than Natalie Gregory of course, with * if they were in Part 1:
    Image result for alice in wonderland channing
  • Sheila Allen as Alice's Mother
  • Steve Allen as the Gentleman in Paper Suit
  • Ernest Borgnine as the Lion
  • Beau Bridges as the Unicorn
  • Lloyd Bridges as the White Knight
  • Red Buttons as the White Rabbit*
  • Carol Channing as the White Queen
  • Patrick Duffy as the Goat
  • George Gobel as the Gnat
  • Eydie Gorme as Tweedledee
  • Merv Griffin as the Conducter
  • Ann Jillian as the Red Queen
  • Arte Johnson as the Dormouse*
  • Harvey Korman as the White King
  • Steve Lawrence as Tweedledum
  • Karl Malden as the Walrus
  • Roddy McDowall as the March Hare*
  • Jayne Meadows as the Queen of Hearts*
  • Donna Mills as the Rose
  • Pat Morita as the Horse
  • Robert Morley as the King of Hearts*
  • Anthony Newley as the Mad Hatter*
  • Louis Nye (one of whose credits is the voice of Lee Fong in Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus) as the Carpenter
  • John Stamos as the Messenger
  • Sally Struthers as the Tiger Lily
  • Jack Warden as the Owl
  • Jonathan Winters as Humpty Dumpty
Image result for alice in wonderland steve eydieThis is a definite improvement over Part 1 although still not great.  This time the songs are much more enjoyable, particularly the ones with Jillian, Channing, and Steve & Eydie.  Gregory seems to be more settled into the role, or maybe she just enjoyed interacting with this cast more.  

Looking-Glass (reviewed here http://rereadingeverybookiown.blogspot.com/2012/02/through-looking-glass.html) is a less hostile, more reflective (pun semi-intended) story and there are moments of sweetness in this part, as with the White Knight.  Unfortunately, a "learn to face your fears" moral is shoehorned into this part with a not very satisfactory resolution.  (Alice screams at the cheesy but sort of scary Jabberwocky that she doesn't believe in it.)  I guess if we look at the TV-movie as one piece, I can be generous and say it averages out to a C, but you could just watch this part and be better off.

Laura Carlson, who plays the Daisy, was a Messenger on Mork & Mindy.

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