This is a film that I guarantee that the average person would not enjoy. It's a time capsule of sort from a very, very different time. Back in 1970, I am pretty sure many people liked this movie and thought it was brilliant and insightful. When seen in a different time, it just seems indulgent, unstructured and, at times, silly and pretentious. I think if I had been born a bit earlier, I might have enjoyed the film. As is, watching it was a real chore.
When the film begins, the new film director (Donal Sutherland) is taking a bath with his daughter and talking a lot of philosophical nonsense. Now with today's sensibilities, such a scene might be misinterpreted as pedophilia--but this was not at all the intention. Do NOT read too much into this--it was just a freer style of parenting that was in vogue at that time. Now what I DID take offense at was soon after when Sutherland is talking with his friend--his friend who is about 30 and brags about sleeping with 16 year-olds! Now that IS creepy (not to mention probably illegal)!
The film is structured a lot like Federico Fellini's film "8 1/2"--but with a few American twists. The structure, the surreal moments and style is very, very reminiscent of this Italian film...but only superficially. The quality of "Alex in Wonderland" is not nearly as good as Fellini's film. As a result, it seems like a second-rate knockoff...and one that frequently does not work--although, ironically, Fellini himself makes a cameo in this movie. Most of the surrealistic scenes simply fall flat (as did the 'deeply philosophical' ones)--though I DID like the one with the French actress, Jeanne Moreau. You just have to see it to believe it! And, the scene with the idiotic studio exec wasn't bad. But as for the rest--the Vietnam War breaking out around the car, the nude black beach scene and the rest just seemed self-indulgent and fell flat.
If "8 1/2" never had been made, I might have enjoyed this film more. That, and if I used LSD!
When the film begins, the new film director (Donal Sutherland) is taking a bath with his daughter and talking a lot of philosophical nonsense. Now with today's sensibilities, such a scene might be misinterpreted as pedophilia--but this was not at all the intention. Do NOT read too much into this--it was just a freer style of parenting that was in vogue at that time. Now what I DID take offense at was soon after when Sutherland is talking with his friend--his friend who is about 30 and brags about sleeping with 16 year-olds! Now that IS creepy (not to mention probably illegal)!
The film is structured a lot like Federico Fellini's film "8 1/2"--but with a few American twists. The structure, the surreal moments and style is very, very reminiscent of this Italian film...but only superficially. The quality of "Alex in Wonderland" is not nearly as good as Fellini's film. As a result, it seems like a second-rate knockoff...and one that frequently does not work--although, ironically, Fellini himself makes a cameo in this movie. Most of the surrealistic scenes simply fall flat (as did the 'deeply philosophical' ones)--though I DID like the one with the French actress, Jeanne Moreau. You just have to see it to believe it! And, the scene with the idiotic studio exec wasn't bad. But as for the rest--the Vietnam War breaking out around the car, the nude black beach scene and the rest just seemed self-indulgent and fell flat.
If "8 1/2" never had been made, I might have enjoyed this film more. That, and if I used LSD!