Kate Beckinsale Actually Played Alice In Wonderland, See Her In The Part
Though Kate Beckinsale can most recently be seen starring in Charlie Day’s Fool’s Paradise, we wanted to point out that one of her early roles finds her playing Alice in 1998’s Alice Through the Looking Glass. This BBC fantasy television film is a (mostly) faithful recreation of the 1871 Lewis Carrol novel of the same name, and doesn’t deviate too far from the source material. Looking at the film today, it definitely has a “made-for-TV” vibe going for it, but still, it’s not without its charm.
Kate Beckinsale plays Alice in the 1988 TV movie Alice Through the Looking Glass.
In Alice Through the Looking Glass, we see a 25-year-old Kate Beckinsale get whisked away to Looking-Glass Land after reading the novel to her daughter, Alice. For those of you familiar with the novel, you’ll notice a lot of striking similarities to the narrative, namely how the acts are structured in reference to the chapters in an episodic fashion.
But it’s worth noting that the Nick Vivian written screenplay actually includes an extra chapter that Carrol didn’t publish, entitled “Wasp in a Wig,” which prominently features Ian Richardson as the Wasp.
The only other real glaring difference in this film adaptation is that when Kate Beckinsale steps through the mirror and becomes Alice, she remains an adult, though she claims to be seven-and-a-half like her daughter.
But we’re willing to forgive this creative liberty, as Beckinsale still expertly maintains a sense of child-like wonder that still boasts a somewhat deadpan delivery which fans of this particular adaptation especially appreciate.
The only other real glaring difference in this film adaptation is that when Kate Beckinsale steps through the mirror and becomes Alice, she remains an adult, though she claims to be seven-and-a-half like her daughter.
Though we have seen other attempts to recreate the magic that’s found in the Lewis Carroll novel, there’s something special about the overall production of 1998’s Alice Through the Looking Glass that makes it the superior film adaptation.
The VFX Of Alice Through The Looking Glass
Even though the 2016 Tim Burton adaptation starring Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp does an excellent job with its fantastical world-building, the charm from the Kate Beckinsale starring version comes through in the form of dialogue, logical conundrums, expert wordplay, and a more simplistic way of filming.
Make no mistake, there are plenty of special effects in the 1998 version, but unlike the 2016 film, we’re presented with a narrative that doesn’t solely rely on the use of CGI, but rather one that leans more into the storytelling, and the unique characters that are found within the narrative.
In a way, the cinematography in the Kate Beckinsale version has a charm to it that can only be found in a film that doesn’t boast a massive budget. What we get to witness looks more reminiscent of 1939’s The Wizard of Oz in regard to the vivid coloring.
In other words, Alice Through the Looking Glass, though dated in many ways by today’s standards, still holds up to this day because of how it was shot. We’re already having run ins with Humpty Dumpty, living chess pieces, Tweedledee’s and Tweedledum’s, and they all live in a parallel universe that utilizes reverse logic in this Kate Beckinsale film.
And it’s through these unique and captivating characters, and their location, that the story is presented to us.
If you’re a purist, and like your film adaptations of classic literature to be faithful to the source material, the Kate Beckinsale’s portrayal of Alice in Alice Through the Looking Glass is one of those modern classics that you need to give a look.
