This Creepy ‘80s Children’s Fantasy Adaptation Still Gives Me Nightmares (And Is Almost Impossible to Watch Now)

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I have such fond memories of 80s TV! It was a really exciting time – cable was starting to take off, and we got these amazing shows on regular networks like Magnum, P.I., The A-Team, Dynasty, and Dallas – everyone was obsessed with trying to figure out who shot J.R.! They also made a ton of TV movies and miniseries back then, which was a big deal. But honestly, even after 41 years, there’s one show that still stands out – it’s probably one of the best fantasy adaptations ever made, and it still gives me the creeps!

In 1985, CBS aired a musical version of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass as a two-part TV special. Though the entire production was called Alice in Wonderland, each part covered one of the books, premiering on December 9th and 10th, 1985. It featured a remarkably famous cast and is considered one of the most faithful adaptations of Carroll’s stories, but it’s also quite surreal and can be difficult to find online.

The 1980s Alice in Wonderland Was Whimsical, Weird, and Surprisingly Dark

CBS’s version of Alice in Wonderland retold the familiar story of a girl named Alice who follows a White Rabbit down a rabbit hole and into a fantastical world. Like many adaptations of this classic tale—most notably the Disney animated film—it follows Alice’s journey to find her way home. However, the CBS production was unique for being entirely live-action and featured an incredibly large and star-studded cast. Natalie Gregory played Alice, with Red Buttons as the White Rabbit. Sammy Davis Jr. starred as the Caterpillar, Telly Savalas as the Cheshire Cat, and Ringo Starr as the Mock Turtle, with Beau Bridges as the Unicorn and Carol Channing as the White Queen. These are just a few of the many famous faces involved—Scott Baio, Roddy McDowall, Merv Griffin, Patrick Duffy, Harvy Korman, and John Stamos also appeared in the production.

Because the production was entirely live-action, the non-human fantasy creatures needed detailed costumes, and that’s where things got really strange. Considering the show was made with 1980s television production values, these costumes were quite over-the-top. Davis Jr.’s hookah-smoking Caterpillar resembled a bizarre, colorful relative of a sandworm, and Starr’s Mock Turtle strangely looked like a cat. But the most terrifying and memorable creature – one that still haunts viewers today – was the Jabberwocky. It’s hard to put into words, but Tom McLoughlin brilliantly portrayed this beast as a giant, winged larvae with tiny T-Rex arms. It moved around looking slimy and menacing, complete with glowing eyes and horns. It was incredibly creepy, but surprisingly, not even the creepiest part of the movie.

Although the Jabberwocky and its costumes are frightening, it’s the actors and their strange scenes that are truly unsettling. The Queen of Hearts, played by Jayne Meadows, even sings a disturbingly catchy song about beheading. There are also moments where people transform into animals, which can be quite disturbing for children. And while Channing’s version of the White Queen isn’t meant to be scary, she has a strangely unsettling presence.

Despite Being a Surreal Nightmare, Alice in Wonderland Is Faithful to the Source Material (And Hard to Find)

The television adaptation of Alice in Wonderland is strange and unsettling, but surprisingly good. Though many know the story through Disney’s animated film, this version is actually more faithful to Lewis Carroll’s original books, which are themselves eerie and dreamlike. The adaptation brilliantly captures the feeling of those books and does a great job of showing Alice’s journey and how she matures throughout her experiences, all while reminding us she’s still a child trying to grow up. It’s a complex and well-made production, even if the Jabberwocky does give you the creeps.

If you’re looking for a surprisingly good adaptation and want to revisit a childhood favorite (or face it without childhood fear!), prepare for a bit of a search. Currently, the film isn’t available on any streaming services. It was originally released on VHS in 1986 by Warner Home Video, and re-released in 1993 with a key cliffhanger removed—though that scene was quite frightening for kids! A restored version appeared on DVD in 2006 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, but physical copies are now rare. It has popped up on YouTube from time to time, both in segments and as a complete film, so diligent searching might turn something up. It’s absolutely worth the effort if you can find it. Just be careful of the Jabberwock, and maybe watch with the lights on!

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2026-03-09 19:13