Today Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” adaptation hits the screen, but not all the buzz surrounding the film is positive. Disney executives recently stirred up controversy over the film when they announced that they’ll release it on DVD only 12 weeks after its debut in theaters.
The short, unprecedented gap between the cinema and home release of “Alice in Wonderland” begs the question whether many fans will bother to see the movie in theaters. Why fight crowds and pay exorbitant ticket prices when one can buy or rent the film after a small wait?
That’s exactly what has many theater chains worried, and what caused many, including America’s AMC and the UK’s Odeon, to initially threaten boycott. Both reached alleviating deals with Disney (in Odeon’s case, only hours before the film’s world premiere at one of its theaters in London), and the DVD release has been pushed back one week. But all the hullabaloo has cast pallor over the film’s release.
What’s really got theaters incensed is that there’s always been an agreement between movie studios and theaters that no less than 17 weeks should pass before a film’s DVD release. Disney’s blatant breaking of the rule has seriously miffed the movie theater industry.
I do like the idea of not having to wait as long for DVD releases. Despite that, I’m leaning more towards the movie theater’s side on this issue than Disney’s.
That’s because I don’t believe Disney made this move with viewers’ interests at heart. I believe they did it so they could quickly turn around and pull DVD’s off shelves as soon as possible.
It fits perfectly with Disney’s famous “Vault” strategy: remove a film from circulation, build up consumers’ desire for a copy, then re-release essentially the same product with fancy packaging and a shiny name like “platinum edition,” and ask $5-$10 more for it. Repeat the tactic every couple years.
So since Disney Corp’s struggle with movie theaters over the “Alice” DVD release smacks more of greed than of a concern for consumer rights, the whole debacle’s left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m still trying to decide whether it’s affected my desire to see the movie, which was never too strong to begin with.
Although I’m somewhat intrigued by Burton’s attempt at a sequel to the famous story, which itself mashes together elements from both “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” and “Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There,” I’ve just never been that interested in seeing it.
Perhaps it’s because, lately, all of Burton’s movies seem like they’re starting to bleed together. It doesn’t help that he always casts the same two people for major roles: Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter.
When I heard that for his next project, Burton’s mulling on a movie centering on classic “Sleeping Beauty” villain Maleficent, I was surprised to discover the thought — as perfect as it seems — doesn’t excite me. Maleficent is one of the creepiest, and thus best, Disney villains, and at first glance she appears like an ideal subject for Burton.
Maybe I’m hesitant in my enthusiasm because I can already picture what the movie will look like. I see the epic scale of “Alice in Wonderland” mixed with the setting from “Corpse Bride” and “Sleepy Hollow,” with some colors stolen from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and a touch of atmosphere a la “Batman.”
Maleficent herself, though garbed in her famous black robes and horned hat, will still remind viewers of Helena Bonham Carter’s turn as Bellatrix Lestrange in “Harry Potter” (because of course, Carter will play the lead).
So while I’ll probably see the movie eventually, especially if friends recommend it (I never can resist a well-made fantasy), all the fuss hasn’t really changed my opinions about the film.
What I’m mostly feeling is mild disgruntlement at Disney’s corporate arrogance. But that will affect how I view the company, and not the movie. Hopefully all those who worked hard on “Alice in Wonderland” won’t be too hurt by these latest corporate shenanigans.
Related Articles:
Alice in Wonderland – A Bit of Disney History
The Chesire Cat: The Eternal Smile