Alice in Wonderland (1976 film)
Encyclopedia
Alice in Wonderland is a 1976 pornographic musical film
, loosely based on Lewis Carroll
's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
. It was directed by Bud Townsend and starred Terri Hall, Bree Anthony, and Kristine DeBell
. The theatrical release of the film was on December 10, 1976 in the USA. On May 26–27 it was shown at the Grand Illusion Cinema
in Seattle, Washington during Satellites 2000: Screens From Outer Space.
The film initially received an X-rating in 1976 and subsequently, an R-rating a year later with three minutes cut from the film. It was later re-released on VHS with a somewhat grandiose title roll preceding the movie noting that quite a bit of hardcore footage had originally been shot, but "could not be included" at the time. Several reviews opine that the added material actually makes the movie less enjoyable by dragging down its pacing. It has also been re-released on DVD, though whether this release is official, and which source material it was made from, is unclear.
) offends her would-be lover William (Ron Nelson) by rejecting his advances. Upset, she falls asleep reading Alice in Wonderland. The white rabbit (Larry Gelman
) appears to her in a dream and takes her into a sexual wonderland. The story loosely follows Carroll's original plot, and includes many of his characters, but with considerable sexual license.
(1970), and its sequel Harlot
(1971), as well as the comedy/stop motion effects hit, Flesh Gordon
(1974). Osco chose to make as his next project a musical soft-core version of the Lewis Carroll novel, finding that the story rights were in the public domain. The result was an X-rated feature which was picked up by 20th Century Fox
, who cut three minutes to obtain an R-Rating.
format by Media Home Entertainment
. The hardcore version was also available on VHS. Both have long been out of print. In December 2007, Subversive Cinema released a DVD containing the original X-rated and hardcore versions, fully restored, and available through mainstream DVD retail outlets.
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
, loosely based on Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures...
. It was directed by Bud Townsend and starred Terri Hall, Bree Anthony, and Kristine DeBell
Kristine DeBell
-Career:Born at Chatham, New York, DeBell began her career as a fashion model with Ford Models. She later moved into acting, debuting as the star of an X-rated film version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland....
. The theatrical release of the film was on December 10, 1976 in the USA. On May 26–27 it was shown at the Grand Illusion Cinema
Grand Illusion Cinema
The Grand Illusion Cinema is the longest running independent cinema in the city of Seattle, Washington in the United States of America, and has become a landmark of the film community. Opened in 1968 by Randy Findley in a converted dentist’s office the cinema became the city’s first arthouse and...
in Seattle, Washington during Satellites 2000: Screens From Outer Space.
The film initially received an X-rating in 1976 and subsequently, an R-rating a year later with three minutes cut from the film. It was later re-released on VHS with a somewhat grandiose title roll preceding the movie noting that quite a bit of hardcore footage had originally been shot, but "could not be included" at the time. Several reviews opine that the added material actually makes the movie less enjoyable by dragging down its pacing. It has also been re-released on DVD, though whether this release is official, and which source material it was made from, is unclear.
Plot summary
Alice (Kristine DeBellKristine DeBell
-Career:Born at Chatham, New York, DeBell began her career as a fashion model with Ford Models. She later moved into acting, debuting as the star of an X-rated film version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland....
) offends her would-be lover William (Ron Nelson) by rejecting his advances. Upset, she falls asleep reading Alice in Wonderland. The white rabbit (Larry Gelman
Larry Gelman
Larry Gelman is an American film and television character actor. He is best known for playing Dr. Bernie Tupperman on the US TV series The Bob Newhart Show and Vinnie, the poker playing friend of Oscar and Felix, in The Odd Couple.He also played Professor Albert Einstein in the real-time...
) appears to her in a dream and takes her into a sexual wonderland. The story loosely follows Carroll's original plot, and includes many of his characters, but with considerable sexual license.
Cast
- Kristine DeBellKristine DeBell-Career:Born at Chatham, New York, DeBell began her career as a fashion model with Ford Models. She later moved into acting, debuting as the star of an X-rated film version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland....
as Alice - Ron Nelson as William
- Larry GelmanLarry GelmanLarry Gelman is an American film and television character actor. He is best known for playing Dr. Bernie Tupperman on the US TV series The Bob Newhart Show and Vinnie, the poker playing friend of Oscar and Felix, in The Odd Couple.He also played Professor Albert Einstein in the real-time...
as White RabbitWhite RabbitThe White Rabbit works for the Red Queen, but is also a secret member of the Underland Underground Resistance, and was sent by the Hatter to search for Alice... - Bradford Armdexter as Humpty DumptyHumpty DumptyHumpty Dumpty is a character in an English language nursery rhyme, probably originally a riddle and one of the best known in the English-speaking world. He is typically portrayed as an egg and has appeared or been referred to in a large number of works of literature and popular culture...
- Alan Novak as Mad HatterMad HatterHatta, the Hatter is a fictional character in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the story's sequel, Through the Looking-Glass. He is often referred to as the Mad Hatter, though this term was never used by Carroll...
- Sue and Tony Tsengoles as Tweedledum and TweedledeeTweedledum and TweedledeeTweedledum and Tweedledee are fictional characters in an English language nursery rhyme and in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. Their names may have originally come from an epigram written by poet John Byrom. The nursery rhyme has a Roud Folk Song Index number...
- John Lawrence as King of HeartsKing of HeartsKing of Hearts may refer to:*King , the playing card also known as the Suicide KingIn film:*King of Hearts , a silent film directed by Joseph Levigard...
History
The film was produced by adult film mogul Bill Osco, the producer of the first mainstream adult film, MonaMona the Virgin Nymph
Mona the Virgin Nymph was the first pornographic film depicting explicit sex to receive wide theatrical release in the United States , following the previous decade's nudist-themed films...
(1970), and its sequel Harlot
Harlot (film)
Harlot is a 1971 pornographic movie starring Fran Spector, produced by Bill Osco and directed by Michael Benveniste and Howard Ziehm.It is one of the early adult movies of the 1970s, and follows Mona , the first mainstream adult film, also produced by Osco and directed by the team of Benveniste and...
(1971), as well as the comedy/stop motion effects hit, Flesh Gordon
Flesh Gordon
Flesh Gordon is a 1974 American science fiction adventure comedy film. It is an erotic spoof of the Flash Gordon serial films from the 1930s. The screenplay was written by Michael Benveniste, who also co-directed the film with Howard Ziehm...
(1974). Osco chose to make as his next project a musical soft-core version of the Lewis Carroll novel, finding that the story rights were in the public domain. The result was an X-rated feature which was picked up by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
, who cut three minutes to obtain an R-Rating.
Release
Alice went on to gross over $90 million worldwide, thus making it one of the most successful adult films ever. Two years later the film was recut to add some reshot hardcore scenes, using some of the original actors, with an added credit scroll explaining the demand for the hardcore version.Availability
Alice was circulated as an R-rated version in VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
format by Media Home Entertainment
Media Home Entertainment
Media Home Entertainment Inc. was a home video company headquartered in Culver City, California, originally established in 1978 by filmmaker Charles Band....
. The hardcore version was also available on VHS. Both have long been out of print. In December 2007, Subversive Cinema released a DVD containing the original X-rated and hardcore versions, fully restored, and available through mainstream DVD retail outlets.
See also
- Works influenced by Alice in WonderlandWorks influenced by Alice in WonderlandLewis Carroll's books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass have been highly popular in their original forms, and have served as the basis for many subsequent works since they were published...
- Golden Age of PornGolden Age of PornThe Golden Age of Porn or porno chic refers to a period in the history of pornography, approximately from the late-1960s to the early-to-mid-1980s. The period is idealized as a time in history where the difficulty to treat STDs had not achieved wide public notice...
- This film is considered part of the Golden Age of Porn.