Alice and Alisa

Abstract

This article compares the aesthetics of Wonderland in two animated adaptations of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale, examining Disney’s 1951 rendition and Kievnauchfilm’s 1981 adaptation. Through an analysis of animation techniques, art styles, and cultural influences, it explores how each production visually depicts Alice’s adventures. Disney’s approach is characterized by a grounded, simplified style, while Kievnauchfilm fully embraces the surrealism of Carroll’s text. The essay discusses how Disney’s use of photographic references results in a more realistic portrayal, albeit somewhat lacking the unrestrained nonsense of Carroll’s world, and contrasts it with Kievnauchfilm’s use of multiple art styles to capture Wonderland’s absurdity. It also considers the influence of market demands and religious aesthetics on the American and the Soviet adaptation respectively, and it explores the social and ideological ramifications of Eisenstein’s concept of “plasmaticness” in the animation of both films. Ultimately, this research provides insights into how cultural context shapes the aesthetics of visual storytelling.

Keywords

• Disney
• Kievnauchfilm
• Alice in Wonderland
• Lewis Carroll
• Plasmaticness
• Soviet Film