A Peek Through the Looking Glass at Alice in Wonderland

Tim Burton adds his own unique genius to the classic story of Alice in Wonderland. The 2010 Alice in Wonderland, releasing in March takes place ten years after Alice's first trip down the rabbit hole. When faced with a pending marriage proposal, Alice, played by Australian actress Mia Wasikowski, runs away. Following a white rabbit, she falls down a rabbit hole and ends up in Wonderland. Though she visited a decade earlier, she doesn't remember Wonderland or its many strange inhabitants. The Mad Hatter, played by the talented Johnny Depp, is there to greet Alice along with Steven Frye as the Cheshire Cat, Helen Bonham Carter as the Queen of Hearts and all of Wonderland's favorite characters. With Tim Burton's special touch, this will be an adventure for one and all.

In 1951 Disney released the animated feature, Alice in Wonderland, giving it a lighter touch than the original and turning the story into a children's favorite. The film follows Alice's adventures after she follows a white rabbit down a hole. She finds herself in a magical world filled with strange characters. From having tea with the Mad Hatter to playing crochet with the Queen of Hearts, Alice embarks on an incredible journey.

Alice in Wonderland was written in 1865 by the Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgeson under the pseudonym, Lewis Carroll. The finished version came from a story Dodgeson told to three girls in his charge, during a boat trip down the Thames three years earlier. One of the girls, 10-year-old, Alice Liddell, convinced the Reverend to write it down. In 1864 Alice received a handwritten manuscript, entitled Alice's Adventures Underground and illustrated by Dodgeson. In 1865 an updated version was published with the illustrations done by John Tenniel. The book was an instant success and the print run quickly sold out. Among those first fans were Queen Victoria and Oscar Wilde. Alice in Wonderland has been translated into 125 languages and has never been out of print.

The Hatter is introduced to Alice by the March Hair when she is invited to the Mad Hatter's tea party. This unusual meeting is filled with nonsensical poetry, riddles without answers and the constant switching of seats at the table. All this silliness is too much for Alice and she leaves the party only to run into the Hatter again at the trial of the Knave of Hearts.

The Mad Hatter has been portrayed on film and stage many times. Some of the better known characterizations were by Martin Short, Oliver Platt, Anthony Newley and the voice of Ed Wynn. But Johnny Depp's version is sure to be the one to be remembered.

The croquet playing, Queen of Hearts is the ruler of Wonderland. Her favorite saying and the solution to all her problems is "Off with their heads!" To the relief of most of the Queen's accused, the sentences are pardoned by the mild mannered King of Hearts.

When the Queen challenges Alice to a round of croquet, the game is disrupted by the Cheshire Cat. The Queen blames Alice and sentences her to death. The King of Hearts convinces his wife to give Alice a trial instead. Witnesses for Alice include, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Doormouse.