Alice Meets the Mock Turtle and Gryphon

[merlinjones]

Wow! Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqnJAXJ8CyA

[blackcauldron85]

That's really neat! Do you think that Disney already had those character designs and they just didn't make it into the film?

Being a fan of Disney and Jell-o, that made me very happy.

[chadhobbick]

Well considering they tried to draw from both stories for the one movie i'm sure that there is lots of unused character designs.

When Alice goes Platinum I hope they include the designs and everything. I hate that commercials aren't included on dvds these days, cross promotion was big back then and still is today. Since Jello is still around today I can't see them not wanting to add this little gem and get some promotion.

[Elladorine]

Wow, that's pretty awesome! Interesting to see the slight UPA influence (as seen in other Disney commercials of the era) and especially interesting to see the "lost" characters.

Plus you've gotta love Sterling Holloway. Anyone know who's doing the voice of the Gryphon? He sounds familiar but I can't quite place him.

[Barbossa]

Plus you've gotta love Sterling Holloway. Anyone know who's doing the voice of the Gryphon? He sounds familiar but I can't quite place him.

The Gryphon sounds a little like Ed Wynn.

[yukitora]

that was great.

they prob weren't used though because they were so... normal.

yet so cute both of them.

[Elladorine]

The Gryphon sounds a little like Ed Wynn.

Ah yes, thank you! I do believe you're right. He sounds a little more reserved than usual.

[Neal]

Ooh! Neat find! And I could pick out Sterling Holloway right away!

[Disneykid]

That was so flipping cool! I have no idea if those designs for the Mock Turtle and Gryphon. I didn't think those characters made it far enough into production to have arrived at such a "Disney" look. They certainly fit right at home with the other characters, though.

I'm not so sure the Gryphon's Ed Wynn. It sounds a little too droll to be him (I've heard him speak normally outside of his wacky voice). To me it actually sounds like Hans Conried. Just watch the old Horton Hears A Who Chuck Jones special (it's on YouTube). Hans narrates that, and he used a more American voice there than his Mr. Darling/Hook one, and it sounds like the Gryphon here.

I find it interesting how this seems to have been recorded around the same time Peter Pan was in production. Kathryn Beaumont's voice sounds more Wendy-like than Alice-like here. It's also interesting to compare the rotoscroped animation of Alice from the mad tea party to the newly-created animation in that commercial. The commercial-exclusive portion animates her more angularly and a bit jerkily.

Thanks for posting, merlinjones!

[Elladorine]

I'm not so sure the Gryphon's Ed Wynn. It sounds a little too droll to be him (I've heard him speak normally outside of his wacky voice). To me it actually sounds like Hans Conried. Just watch the old Horton Hears A Who Chuck Jones special (it's on YouTube). Hans narrates that, and he used a more American voice there than his Mr. Darling/Hook one, and it sounds like the Gryphon here.

Shoot, you may be right here. I have a thing for voices but I wish I had a better ear for them, lol.

[Siren]

The Mock Turtle's design reminds me of the donkeys in Pinocchio. But a very neat find!

[UrsushH.Bear]

I'm not sure on the Hans Conreid thing. Listen to him in Ben and me, and on Davy Crocket- He's still Hans- with nothing varying from his distinguished voice. Not sure on Ed Wynn either.

Sorry for the burst-right-into-the-conversation-and-bust-it-up-then-leave. I'll do some checking.

It's a great commercial. Thanks for the post.

[Disney Duster]

Thanks for that!

As for the designs, I would say even if they didn't have the designs done for the film, Disney could easily have made the characters look like that to match the film, specifically to match Alice, just for the commercial. Still, it's safe to say that if the movie included those characters, they'd probably not look very far from that, if at all!

It's also interesting to compare the rotoscroped animation of Alice from the mad tea party to the newly-created animation in that commercial. The commercial-exclusive portion animates her more angularly and a bit jerkily.

Is the new animation only the part where she says "You don't have to, just quick as a wink you have a beautiful dessert." She looks like Aurora there, and then I tried to find if Marc Davis did Alice, I mean, I thought he did, but I forgot if that was true or not.

The new angular designs makes sense for the new UPA animation sweeping the nation, and the angular animation that Aurora would be having.

[Disneykid]

Disney Duster, you just pointed out something that was bothering me when I saw the commercial. I knew Alice's commercial-exclusive animation reminded me of something, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Now I see that it's because she's got an Aurora vibe going on. Your point about the UPA animation is also a very good point (someone's been watching Sleeping Beauty's documentary ). And yes, the new animation is from the "You don't have to..." line.

Marc Davis did, indeed, design and animate Alice, which makes the Aurora similarity here all the more interesting considering how radically different they are in their actual films.

[Disney Duster]

Cool, I'm glad I helped Disneykid. Alice looks like Aurora especially when she's in the cottage saying "Everything's so wonderful" and all that. Clasping hands and all.