Dreamchild (1985)

Director:

Gavin Millar

Writer:

Dennis Potter (writer)

Release Date:

4 October 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Fantasy

Plot:

Exploring the somewhat darker and more mysterious side of the Lewis Carroll's classic book, the movie...

Plot Keywords:

Sequel

Awards:

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 6 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Coral Browne	...	Alice Hargreaves
Ian Holm	...	Reverend Charles L. Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll)
Peter Gallagher	...	Jack Dolan
Nicola Cowper	...	Lucy
Jane Asher	...	Mrs. Liddell
Amelia Shankley	...	Little Alice
Imogen Boorman	...	Lorina
Emma King	...	Edith
Rupert Wainwright	...	Hargreaves
Roger Ashton-Griffiths	...	Mr. Duckworth
James Wilby	...	Baker
Shane Rimmer	...	Mr. Marl
Peter Whitman	...	Radio Producer
Ken Campbell	...	Sound Effects Guy / March Hare (voice)
William Hootkins	...	1st Radio Actor
Jeffrey Chiswick	...	2nd Radio Actor
Pat Starr	...	Radio Actress
Johnny M	...	1st Reporter
Alan Shearman	...	Reporter (as Alan Sherman)
Danny Brainin	...	3rd Reporter / Photographer
Sam Douglas	...	4rd Reporter
Peter Banks	...	1st Editor
Derek Hoxby	...	2nd Editor
Ron Berglas	...	3rd Editor
Ron Travis	...	Editor
Thomasine Heiner	...	Announcer / Chairman
Olivier Pierre	...	President of University
Tony Mansell	...	Waldorf Astoria Crooner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alan Bennett	...	Mock Turtle (voice)
Caris Corfman	...	Sally Mackeson
Tony Haygarth	...	Mad Hatter (voice)
Fulton Mackay	...	Gryphon (voice)
Frank Middlemass	...	Caterpillar (voice)
Julie Walters	...	Dormouse (voice)
Melissa Whitmire	...	Additional Muppet Performer (uncredited)
Steve Whitmire	...	Additional Muppet Performer (uncredited)

Directed by
Gavin Millar

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Dennis Potter		writer

Produced by
Rick McCallum	....	producer
Kenith Trodd	....	producer

Original Music by
Stanley Myers

Cinematography by
Billy Williams

Film Editing by
Angus Newton

Production Design by
Roger Hall

Art Direction by
Marianne Ford
Len Huntingford

Costume Design by
Jane Robinson

Makeup Department
Eddie Knight	....	chief makeup

Production Management
Donald Toms	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Heslop	....	co-third assistant director
Guy Travers	....	assistant director

Art Department
Steve Cooper	....	set designer
Michael G. Ploog	....	sketch artist (as Mike Ploog)

Special Effects by
Lyle Conway	....	creature effects supervisor
Chris Eveleigh	....	special effects
Lesja Liber	....	creature cable controls

Stunts
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Chic Anstiss	....	camera operator
George Cole	....	gaffer
Derek Sheriff	....	best boy
Jimmy Worley	....	electrician

Music Department
Brian Gulland	....	music associate
Max Harris	....	composer: additional music
Max Harris	....	music arranger: additional music
Stanley Myers	....	conductor

Other crew
David Alan Barclay	....	puppet maker
Mark Bentley	....	location manager
Marcus Clarke	....	runner
Richard Dobson	....	location manager
Gates McFadden	....	choreographer
Brian McMillan	....	head animal trainer
Alan Miller	....	assistant to director
Mike Quinn	....	puppeteer
Rupert Walters	....	location manager
Lyle Conway	....	puppeteer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• PfH Ltd.
• Thorn EMI

Distributors

• EastWest Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Thorn EMI (1985) (UK) (theatrical)
• Thorn EMI (1985) (UK) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• VTI Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #27722)

Filming Locations:

Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Company:

PfH Ltd.

Trivia:

Two of Liddell children who also spent time with Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) are not mentioned, Alice's older brother Harry and her baby sister Rhoda. Around the time when she met Hargreaves (the man she later married) there was another edition to the family, the last child Violet.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the tea dance Jack and Lucy waltz to "I Only Have Eyes For You." The scene is set in 1932, but the song was not written until 1934.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Coral Browne: Caviar for the General (1989) (TV)

An amazing fictional depiction of Dodgeson & Alice

This is a stunning film, there have been all kinds of rumors and stories about the Rev. Charles Dodgeson and just who he was. This film lovingly and sadly portrays a what-if tale about Alice Liddell, the real Alice, of his famous books and what Victorian society did to her memories of this delightful man. I am not a member of the camp that thinks Dodgeson had a unnatural love for little children I find it preposterous and slanderous to say the least. This movie portrays him brilliantly and Ian Holm is such a superb actor you really feel sad for the lonely man with no wife and children of his own who writes these wonderful tales only to be suspected of unacceptable feelings for the little girl. This movie gives us all that with some wonderfully creepy Wonderland sequences by Hensen's creature shop. Simply marvelous!