The kind of picture built for Blu-Ray rediscovery, DREAMCHILD (94 mins., 1985, PG) is a film that received some critical acclaim back upon its original release but has been nearly forgotten entirely since. Acclaimed author Dennis Potter's original drama examines an elderly Alice Hargreaves (Coral Browne) – the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's “Alice in Wonderland” – as she arrives in America to commemorate the marking of what would've been Carroll's 100th birthday. Flashing back upon her life while dealing with issues that remain in her present, Alice's thoughts are filled with contrasts – the dark and dreary, the poignant and inspirational – as she comes to terms with them all.
“Dreamchild” isn't a movie for kids – nor was it well-served by a dismally washed-out VHS release on the Thorn EMI/HBO label back in 1985. Lifeless colors dominated a movie that's only partially dreary in its emotional range, as Potter's film probes both the elements surrounding young Alice's (Amelia Shankley) relationship with a quasi-creepy Carroll, aka Reverend Dodgson (Ian Holm), as well as the older Alice's combative association with artistic material that simultaneously brought the world great joy. The relationship between them makes for a thoughtful and compelling film interspersed with fantasy sequences – featuring grotesque puppets created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop – and only marred by an unnecessary secondary story line involving Alice's young traveling companion (Nicola Cowper) and a New York City hustler (Peter Gallagher). Browne is superb and director Gavin Millar generates some poetic moments thanks to Potter's screenplay, culminating in a moving ending.
Despite being well-reviewed, “Dreamchild” didn't make much noise at the box-office, especially in the U.S., where distributor Universal didn't give it much of a commercial push. Meanwhile, any attempts at a revival were likely marred by its association with Henson, falsely creating the impression that the Thorn EMI production was something of a family movie. Kino Lorber's Blu-Ray (1.85, mono) should rectify its reputation, hopefully, as this superlative HD master offers far more detail, color and striking imagery than its ancient home video masters did. Billy Williams' cinematography is at times quite artful and is restored here to a dimension no one has seen since its theatrical release. A commentary from Lee Gambin and the trailer are also included. Recommended!