Inside Disney’s Restoration of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ for Its 75th Anniversary

Alice in Wonderland recently celebrated its 75th anniversary, and Disney marked the occasion by giving the animated classic a detailed restoration and rerelease in May.

Behind the project was The Walt Disney Studios’ Restoration and Library Management department, a team dedicated to preserving Disney’s classic films.

Preserving the Original Wonderland

Before restoration work began, the team tracked down the highest-quality and most original film elements available. They studied prints to understand how Alice in Wonderland looked when audiences first saw it and researched original concept art and animation from the Disney’s Animation Research Library.

The process also included reviewing decades-old production notes and inspecting multiple film elements to determine which sources to use.

“Most people would be surprised by the amount of research we perform before beginning any work,” Director Kevin shared.

An experienced Walt Disney Animation Studios artist also reviewed every shot to ensure the colors remained faithful to the original artwork.

Restoring Alice Frame by Frame

Dozens of people and several specialties were involved in the restoration. Associate Project Manager Melissa helped with the day-to-day process and Disney animation restoration expert Michael Giaimo helped with color reviews, scanning and preparation of localization film assets.

“We want fans to be happy with the final restored version, and that means being as careful and thoughtful as possible,” Melissa says.

Celebrating 75 Years

After months of work, the restored Alice in Wonderland premiered at the El Capitan Theatre during the Turner Classic Movies Festival.

For the team, the screening offered a chance to celebrate both the completed restoration and the generations of Disney artists whose work helped create Wonderland 75 years ago.

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Article Source/ Feature Photo: Life at Disney