David Hall Story Art Stills - Giant Alice Raining Tears

After having drunk the trickle of potion as provided by Mr Bottle, Alice grows to fill the room!  Partial signature visible in the lower left, labeled '38' in the lower right.

 Tears rain down on Mr Bottle as he tries to avoid being stuck by the giant droplets.  Partial signature in lower left, labeled '39' in the lower right.

 Now fearing for his life, Mr Bottle tosses something into Alice's mouth, presumably to stop the torrential downpour of tears.  Partial signature in lower left, labeled '40' in lower right.

Alice and Snark by Oleg Lipchenko

I just discovered today that the beautifully illustrated editions of Alice Adventure's in Wonderland and The Hunting of the Snark by my friend Oleg Lipchenko are now available on Amazon!  Go buy his beautiful books!

Article on Disney Commercials

Over the past several years I've posted about Disney Alice commercials in the 1950s, and shown some of the actual commercials and original art.  If you are interested in more information about these fairly bizarre commercials, I highly recommend reading this article by my friend Jim Korkis.

David Hall Story Art Stills - Alice Tries to Retrieve the Key

Poor Alice, she just can't catch a break.  Now small enough to go through the door, she's forgotten the key, and tries to climb back up the table to retrieve it.

Next we see Mr Bottle helpfully dribbling something into Alice's mouth, this can't end well.

David Hall Story Art Stills - Alice Shrinks!

After drinking the suspect liquid as provided by Mr Bottle, Alice shrinks dramatically in this still of a pencil drawing.  Again, you can see the watermark on the paper in the shaded area to the left of the spinning Alice. In the lower right you can see where the label was, but it was not captured in this image.  This image is reproduced in the David Hall book.

After her whirlwind size change, she looks back up at Mr Bottle on the table, and sees the key that she needs to open the door.  There is a fragment of a signature visible in the lower left, and in the lower right is the label '34'.

David Hall Story Art Stills - Alice and the Bottle

I love this next image, Alice and lots of ghostly images of her standing around the table with Mr Bottle just before she drinks.  Prominent signature in the lower right corner of this watercolor, labeled '32' just to the left of the signature.

Fortunately this image was reproduced in the David Hall book, and  can see just how beautiful this painting really is.  I would love to have this in my collection.

Never one to be daunted by unknown potions, Alice downs the drink as supplied by Mr Bottle.  This drawing is signed, but it is almost totally clipped in this particular still.

Lewis Carroll Society Fall Meeting Saturday, September 29th, 2012

After cross-country travel, visits to in-laws, and now a week-long business trip, nothing like a relaxing 10-hour round trip drive to NYC for the LCSNA Fall Meeting. I'll be there, hopefully with lots of Alice goodies to sell, and you can come too as the meeting is open to the public! Join us on the 3rd floor of the Bobst Library at NYU beginning at 11:30am tomorrow, Saturday, September 29th. Lots of great speakers, you can read the full schedule of events here. See you there!

David Hall Story Art Stills - The Bottle Talks to Alice

Here we see the Bottle creating a table out of his bubbles, which transforms into the glass table that Alice has so much trouble with later in the scene.  This pencil drawing is signed in the lower left corner (barely visible in this photograph) and is labeled '30'.  You can also see the watermark on the paper in the upper right corner, Management Bond is clearly visible in reverse in the shaded area.

Here we see the Bottle firmly atop his new glass table as Alice approaches warily.  Signed in the lower right corner, this is labeled '31'.

Disney Animation Research Library

We interrupt our regularly scheduled David Hall series to bring you this special announcement.  Last week we traveled to LA to move Computer Girl into UCLA to begin her PhD program.  While we were there, I finagled a meeting with the Disney ARL on an upcoming project (shh, its still a secret), and we had an amazing time.  That place is incredible.  The giant wall of Mary Blair Alice concept paintings, the giant room full of animation maquettes, and of course all the amazing friendly helpful people.  Thanks to Lella Smith, Mary Walsh, Doug Engalla, and everyone else we met for making us feel welcome.  And I made their facebook page!

David Hall Story Art Stills - Introducing the Bottle!

Perhaps the coolest character NOT in the final film is this anthropomorphic bottle, whose role was eventually taken by the doorknob.  This drawing is signed in the lower left corner, labeled '28' in the lower right.

Apparently the bottle is quite the jolly active fellow, and spills bubbles out of his hat when he takes it off.  Again signed in the lower right corner, labeled '29' in the lower right.

David Hall Story Art Stills - Chasing the White Rabbit Down the Crystal Hall

After landing, Alice chases the White Rabbit down the crystal hallway, towards some very large looking doors. This drawing is reproduced in the David Hall book.

Suddenly Alice finds herself at the end of the hallway, but all is not as it seems!

David Hall Story Art Stills - Coming In For A Landing

Alice has now intercepted some sort of ribbon-like path through the rabbit hole, with the landing zone in sight.  This watercolor is labeled '24'.

This next image is a closeup of the previous, where you can see more of Alice on her ribbon-road.  Labeled '24A'.

The final image is a closeup of the landing zone, where you can see the White Rabbit running down the hallway in some sort of crystal structure.  This image is labeled '24B'.

David Hall Story Art Stills - Alice and the Crystal Mirror

Alice continues her fall, with the bubbles now transforming into crystals.  I think if I were falling, I'd prefer the bubbles.

Alice sees her reflection on her way down.

David Hall Story Art Stills - Bats and Bubbles

Continuing our bat segment from yesterday, Alice is now completely surrounded by bats!  This drawing is reproduced in the David Hall book.

This watercolor shows Alice and her bat entourage now entering the realm of bubbles as she continues her fall down the rabbit hole.  Signed in the lower left corner, this is labeled '21'.

A close up of the previous image, where you get a better view of Alice and the bats, labeled '21A'

Still closer closeup, now you can see Alice's expression in this still labeled '21B'.  I feel like Stan Freberg should be narrating this sequence...'turn off the bubble machine'.

David Hall Story Art Stills - Alice and the Marmalade

This is such a strange drawing, I have no idea what it is supposed to be depicting without the captions that would have been pasted to the storyboard.  But it looks like Alice is scooping out marmalade from a smiling jar on her way down the rabbit hole.  I particularly like the treatment of her hair in this drawing.

This next drawing shows the aftermath of her reckless scooping as she is now surrounded by giant drops of marmalade, and surprising, some bats!

David Hall Story Art Stills - Alice Enters the Rabbit Hole

Alice, ever the curious one, peers into the rabbit hole down which the White Rabbit has disappeared.  Anthropomorphic Dinah is clearly NOT wanting Alice to do this as she is holding her back!  The drawing is reproduced in the David Hall book.

Alas, Alice indeed follows her curiosity and falls down the hole.  This drawing shows David Hall's dramatic take on Alice, her face is the picture of shock and even terror!

Alice continues to tumble down the hole.  Note the characteristic skinny legs that David Hall nearly always drew for Alice.

David Hall Story Art Stills - The White Rabbit Makes His Appearance

Oh my fur and whiskers, I'm late!  The White Rabbit races onto the scene clutching his spectacles to his face and looking at his watch with a very worried expression on his face in this pencil drawing.

This watercolor shows the White Rabbit preparing to enter the rabbit hole to make his escape.  Labeled '11' in the lower left corner.

The next still is a close up of the previous one, labeled '11A'

All the images here were reproduced in the David Hall book.  Here is the watercolor.  I don't know which orientation is correct, my assumption is that the stills are the correct orientation.

David Hall Story Art Stills - Alice Plays With Dinah

Our story continues with Alice playing with her cat Dinah, with the daisy chain on her head.  This is pencil drawing, and I'm happy to say it reside in my collection as illustrated in this post!  The caption for this reads "and sets the silly crown on its head."  Although this still doesn't show it, this is signed, but outside the image area.

Dinah is clearly not happy with the daisy chain, and struggles to get rid of it.

And in a bizarre twist, begins walking around on two legs!  Anthropomorphic Dinah was (thankfully) not included in the final film.

A partial signature is visible in the lower left corner, and there is a notation in the lower right corner '8-10-12'.  This drawing was reprinted in the David Hall book.

David Hall Story Art Stills - Alice on the River Bank

We continue our establishing shot, now we can see Alice at the river bank with Dinah, trailing her hand in the water.  This still is labeled '3' and is signed David Hall in the lower right corner.  This still and the one from yesterday are clearly watercolors, I would love to see them in their full color renditions.

Fortunately the above watercolor was reprinted in the David Hall book, although slightly cropped.

The next still is a closeup of Alice gazing at her reflection in the water, holding a flower in her left hand.  This still is from a pencil drawing.  You'll see in later drawings the watermark of the paper in some of the shaded areas of the drawings.

David Hall Story Art Stills - Establishing Shot of the Countryside

It is time for a new series, one that I hope you'll enjoy.  A series of over 100 stills of story art by David Hall that was used to create a story reel (Leica reel) for the 1939 attempt at Alice in Wonderland by the Walt Disney Studio.  As most of you know, this version was shelved, and David Hall left the studio shortly thereafter, but the art lives on.  Unfortunately I do not have the full set, but it should be fun anyway.

Today's stills feature the opening establishing shot of the English countryside, the first still is labeled '2'.  You can see David Hall's signature in the lower left corner.

The second still is a close up of the central portion of the first image, presumably to draw your attention to the river bank.  It is labeled '2A'.  You can see two swans swimming in the river.