PlatinumRead Just so...so bad

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Marva-nova Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

mollyccampbell-1 First and foremost, let's get it out of the way - yes, the acting is cheesy, and yes the writing (both script and songs) are pretty simplistic and expository. I do not argue that whatsoever.Having said that, I was two when this came out, but I guess my parents thought it would be something I would enjoy as I got older so they recorded it on the VCR for me. I watched this so many times that I wore out the tape. I was sad when Through the Looking Glass was no longer watchable, I was devastated when the first part became unusable. I forgot about it as I grew up and in the last few years, as I approached 30, I started looking around for it and found it on YouTube, of all places! I re-watched it and while doing so, took another look at the cast list.I remember recognizing a few people when I was a kid, like Ringo and Sammy Davis Jr., but as an adult I was stunned when I realized that this movie is like a time capsule for not just some of the most famous actors and actresses over the prior fifty years, but also was a kind of introduction for many actors/actresses, as well! If you can put aside your need for a "good" adaptation (and come on, it's a kids story, kid's movie, and shouldn't be all glossed and glammed up with dialogue that is all but too clever and witty, settings overwhelmingly absurd and surreal like Tim Burton's newest adaptation (which I'm sorry, but I believe was an absolute mockery of Lewis Carroll's beautiful books).The point of this movie is to get across the lessons of Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass - growing up, facing one's fears, and having confidence! This does precisely that, and for that I give it a 9 out of 10.

ComedyFan2010 This is an 80's TV adaptation of both Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. A story symbolizing the growing up of Alice. I didn't watch this movie as a kid, so I don't have any fond memories. I just watched it as an adult because the cast made me curious (or should I say curiouser and curiouser?) And the cast is definitely impressive. I was especially excited to see Ringo Star as the Mock Turtle. The acting isn't exceptional, but I would think that this is because of the fact that it is a children's movie and they tend to exaggerate acting in those. Natalie Gregory wasn't bad as Alice. For a child performer not very annoying.Special effects are not the best, and in many cases pretty laughable, but one shouldn't forget that it is a TV movie that came out in 1985. Other than that, the decoration is very beautiful and it is all very colourful.It feels a bit too long. Too many songs, sometimes it feels like it drags on and there isn't enough action happening. I feel that great book could have been adapted to be more exciting.All in all it isn't a bad movie. I believe a child would like it even more than I did, and the good part is that as an adult one can enjoy watching it withe them, at least for the first time.

johnstonjames it's weird to think of a nine-year old kid as being the most solid thing about a major all-star production like this, but really, Natalie Gregory is the only thing that keeps this Hollywood Squares mess-up from falling apart. her performance is sure-footed,appealing and more than satisfactory as Lewis Carroll's heroine. she brings a element of quality and consistency that keeps the whole production together and moving forward.i wish i could say the same for the rest of the incompetents here. some of the cast hams it up and mugs for camera time so badly it almost seems like they're intentionally trying to sabotage and shut down the production. sure not everyone is bad, Ann Jillian has some nice moments,and LLoyd Bridges, Imogene Coca and Martha Raye are really pretty good. but mostly the cast over-acts terribly. Carol Channing gives the hammiest, most over-done performance ever when she sings "Jam Tomorrow Jam Yesterday" it's so bad it's good. the others in the cast, Anthony Newley,Sammy Davis Jr.',Scott Baio,Eydie Gorme and so on, all over-act and ham it to the extreme.the worst performances in the film were Telly Savalas as the Cheshire puss (meow baby) and Ringo Starr as the Mock Turtle. Telly Savalas was really stupid in that kitty outfit. a tough guy can work in the role of the cat. Whoopi Goldberg as a tough guy cat in the Nick Willing version a few years ago was great. Telly Salvalas just stunk and his song was worse. as for Ringo. this really was a egregious offense. offensive because i like Ringo and his reputation is of a higher caliber than this kind of TV variety show material. the other celebrities were the types that regularly appeared in this kind of hokey TV junk. you would think Ringo could do better than headline with a bunch of Hollywood Square wash-outs. it was like when a good rock performer like Jane Wiedlin appeared on 'The Surreal Life'. do some celebrities really want to perform in the limelight forever and so badly they would be so shameless? obviously Ringo really wanted to be in a movie so much he would wear the stupid turtle outfit they gave him. the feet look like fuzzy bedroom slippers. the song was awful. i thought the Telly Savalas song made my ears bleed, this was way worse. Ringo's performance is so astoundingly putrid that you wonder if an actor should be water-boarded for giving a sucky performance. if so, i nominate Ringo.since i'm so critical why did i give this movie ten stars? because it is sooo bad it's really, really entertaining. also if you check the film's critical reception online you'll find that this version is very popular and well liked. i like it. except for Ringo(who should be beaten and forced to eat those stupid bedroom slippers) the movie is good natured fun. the Steve Allen songs are likable enough with Martha Raye's Duchess song "A Lot To Be Said For Hatred" being one of the best. you gotta love this ditzy film. except for Ringo. no love for Ringo.

jonegger1983 I have seen it myself when I was really little. I am probably among a very select few who have seen it at least 60 times!! After having experienced college, and heard about all of the drug references in here, and especially after seeing the cast to see who acted in this presentation (Sammy Davis Jr, Sherman Hemsley, Steve and Edie, etc...) I SO would like to see this again! I will probably spend 4 hours laughing my ass off, which will likely continue for the next 8...I can't even believe I was fortunately to find something about this after doing a google search. then again, this was after some 30 pages of google matches that came up almost as dry as a martini. I hope it will be on CBS again soon. I think the last time I saw it on TV was back in 1995, the first half...