Alice in Wonderland (animated):
The story follows a young girl named Alice to a dreamlike world. While on an outing with her sister, Alice follows a talking white rabbit down a rabbit hole under a hedge. She arrives in Wonderland, a surreal, nonsensical world of talking animals, bloodthirsty croquet players, vanishing cats, and unexpected transformations.
Alice in wonderland is full of surrealism– it challenges the boundaries between dreams and reality, in surrealism strange creatures were created from normal objects, bizarre scenes and unexpected juxtapositions were present.
Alice in Wonderland has many different film versions where it is portrayed differently but the animated Disney version is one of my favourites by far. They are all based on the 1865 novel written by Lewis Carroll.
The surrealist art movement began in 1924 and ended in 1966. This version of Alice in Wonderland was released in 1951, landing at the perfect time to make a surrealism-heavy film.
How will this influence my game?
- Art movement- the use of surrealism successfully created a warped, dream-like reality which is what I aim for my game to have.
What will I include in my game?
- Floating objects- When Alice falls down the rabbit hole you can see a variety of different objects floating. I want my game to somewhat feel like reality so including household objects floating would be a good feature.
- Room filled with water- My game is based underwater but in shut-off rooms, so having water in the room like Alice does when she starts crying would heighten that dream-like state.
Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton adaptation):
Tim Burton’s film serves as a sequel rather than a straight adaptation. In this version, Alice is now a young woman of around 19, returning to Wonderland after visiting as a child. She doesn’t remember her previous trip, but she embarks on a quest to defeat the Red Queen, whose rule has taken over Wonderland. The plot is more structured and follows Alice’s journey to “set things right,” drawing more from the books but adding new elements like the Red Queen’s rebellion, the White Queen’s kindness, and the Mad Hatter’s larger role.
This adaptation takes more of a dark turn both physically and aesthetically. Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is much more surreal in the visual design, characterisation, and the themes it explores. Its dreamlike, gothic, and distorted world brings forward a more intense and eerie form of surrealism, playing with perception, scale, and reality in ways that are deeply rooted in surrealist art. The classic animated 1951 version, while certainly whimsical and nonsensical, stays closer to a light, playful form of surrealism without delving into a more unsettling narrative.
How will this influence my game?
- Art movement- similar to the animated film, it will influence my aesthetic.
- Aesthetic- The aesthetic in this film is darker which I prefer for the theme of my game
What will I include in my game?
- Broken clocks- clocks are shown a lot in this adaptation, particularly broken ones. This represents how time works differently in the world of Wonderland in comparison to reality. I could have broken clocks on the wall or possibly have them included in puzzles to give off the same message.
Coraline:
Coraline is a dark fantasy stop-motion animated film about a young girl named Coraline Jones who moves with her parents to a new home. Feeling neglected and bored, Coraline discovers a hidden door in the house that leads to an alternate reality.
The film’s visual style, which is both whimsical and gothic, is heavily influenced by Tim Burton’s trademark aesthetic. The real world in Coraline is gloomy and dreary, with muted colors and a sense of isolation. On the other hand, the Other World is initially vibrant and colourful, yet it becomes more sinister and nightmarish as Coraline uncovers its true nature.
As Coraline navigates this alternate world, the rules of reality are warped—time behaves differently, and objects and characters can transform in ways that defy logic. For instance, in the Other World, people are made of strange, fantastical materials like fabric and buttons, and the environment changes to reflect the characters’ emotions or desires.
The comparison in vibrancy between both worlds is the aesthetic I’m trying to go for, however it will be more gradual as you complete each room.
How will this influence my game?
- Dark vs vibrant aesthetic- Coraline can help with my essential experience and what I want the player to feel being in this environment.
- Character design?- I really like the style of characters in this film, particularly the main character Coraline.