Album review: Alice in Wonderland OST (2010)

Alice in Wonderland is a Disney 2010 fantasy adventure film directed by Tim Burton, written by Linda Woolverton, and stars Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Michael Sheen and Stephen Fry and music by Danny Elfman. The story is an extension of the Lewis Carroll classic novels Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.

Tim Burton and Danny Elfman are long time collaborator with past projects such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Planet of the Apes and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Alice in Wonderland Original Motion Picture Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records.

The album opens with ‘Alice’s Theme’. Marching beats and children choir starts the theme before complex passages come. The musical theme of Alice repeats multiple times using the choir as well as multiple instruments. The theme invokes the feeling of fear, lost, panic and distress while still being courageous and full of wander. It paints the story of Alice in Wonderland very well. There are five reprises to this theme scatter through out the album as well as the final track.

In contrast to the ‘Alice’s Theme’, ‘Little Alice’ is a short and slower piece that paints a happier times. ‘Proposal/Down the Hole’ starts slowly but soon enough the main theme is intertwined before everything become distressful and haunting. ‘Doors’ and ‘Drink Me’ have these eerie and unsettling vibes to the tunes. ‘Into the Garden’ blends after the previous tracks creating a sense of mystery with voices of bells.

‘Bandersnatched’ starts with energetic and powerful force but slows down as a much darker version of the main theme intertwines into the piece before going upbeat into a climax. ‘The Cheshire Cat’ is mysteriously playful with hints of mischievous. ‘Alice and Bayard’s Journey’ invokes the sense of despair of bleak outlook.

Well put original score that brings colours to the mystery that is Alice in Wonderland. No track was out of place, everything just blend wonderfully. Alice in Wonderland OST has acceptable to good dynamic range, no clipping and nice imaging.

Alice in Wonderland OST

by Danny Elfman

Released:	March 2, 2010
Genre:	OST
Label:	Walt Disney Records
Length:	50:59

Track listing

#	Title	Length
01.	"Alice's Theme"	5:07
02.	"Little Alice"	1:34
03.	"Proposal/Down the Hole"	2:58
04.	"Doors"	1:51
05.	"Drink Me"	2:48
06.	"Into the Garden"	0:50
07.	"Alice Reprise #1"	0:26
08.	"Bandersnatched"	2:42
09.	"Finding Absolem"	2:41
10.	"Alice Reprise #2"	0:38
11.	"The Cheshire Cat"	2:07
12.	"Alice And Bayard's Journey"	4:04
13.	"Alice Reprise #3"	0:24
14.	"Alice Escapes"	1:07
15.	"The White Queen"	0:36
16.	"Only A Dream"	1:25
17.	"The Dungeon"	2:18
18.	"Alice Decides"	3:14
19.	"Alice Reprise #4"	1:01
20.	"Going To Battle"	2:41
21.	"The Final Confrontation"	1:41
22.	"Blood Of The Jabberwocky"	2:37
23.	"Alice Returns"	3:14
24.	"Alice Reprise #5"	2:55

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