Review of Alex in Wonderland (1970) by Stephen C — 15 Dec 2014

After the success of Bob Carol Ted and Alice ,Director Paul Mazursky and producer Larry Tucker were stumped with what to do next.

So why not make a film about making a follow up movie and in the mix pay tribute to the ultimate film about a block Fellini's masterpiece 8 1/2.

Donald Sutherland plays Alex Morrison a new director who has a lot of buzz surrounding his first film, while he waits for that film to be seen Alex fret over what to do next.

What follows is an interesting dilemma piece crammed full of references to 8 1/2 the most obvious being the casting of Fellini himself who is approached by Alex while he is editing his latest film.

Sutherland is great as Alex and Ellen Burstyn is equally fine as his put upon wife.

Mazursky has a very funny cameo as an overexcited producer and the film has lots of fun playing the old one for the studio one for yourself system of making films which was rapidly changing with the release of Easy Rider .

Its also amusing to think that while Mazursky was making this film Robert Altman was making Brewster McLoud for the very same studio .

Which shows again how interesting 70s films really where.