Johnny Depp's steals the show as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. Depp has created another truly memorable character in his collaboration with Tim Burton for the Alice in Wonderland Film; this time it is the Mad Hatter. Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter is a character like no other.
The minute listeners hear Johnny Depp's voice in the film trailers for Alice in Wonderland, they know that they are in for a mysterious, twisted adventure lead by film director, Tim Burton. Depp's Mad Hatter describes Wonderland (Underland) and sets the tone for the film from the opening trailer, "There is a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it, You need to be as mad as a hatter. Which luckily I am."
Thousands of movie viewers have entered this land of wonder, mystery and danger in the theater and on DVA. Read more about Tim Burton's take on Alice in Wonderland in "A Review of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland." It is a film that is fun for the entire family, with much of the entertainment coming from Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter.
Creating a New Version of the Mad Hatter
The character of the Mad Hatter was based on the role of the Hatter in the Lewis Carroll books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the story's sequel, Through the Looking-Glass or in the 1951 cartoon version of Disney's Alice in Wonderland.
Johnny Depp and Tim Burton pooled their ideas to create the new Mad Hatter. The Depp Burton Mad Hatter looks a bit like Madonna and a lot like Bozo the Clown and sounds a bit like Sean Connery in the Highlander.
This character has two reasons to be mad, from mercury poisoning (professional hazard) and from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The Hatter witnessed the decimation of family and friends by the Jabberwocky. Interestingly, the Hatters brief fits of madness are highlighted by lapses into a Scottish accent.
This new version of the Mad Hatter is a unique, lovable, quirky, mad and unforgettable character. Depp has described the character as a mood ring, with his emotions close to the surface. The Mad Hatter runs a gamut of emotions from lovable and huggable to raging madness as illustrated in these Mad Hatter quotes.
- Excited - "You're absolutely Alice! I'd know you anywhere."
- Teasing - "You're terribly late, you know...naughty."
- Galant - "Your carriage, my lady."
- Frightening - "You don't slay? Do you have any idea what the Red Queen has done? You don't slay. "
- Perplexed - "You're not the same as you were before, You were much more...muchier...you've lost your muchness."
- Mad, Fuming - "I'm investigating things that begin with the letter M. Moron, Mutiny, Murder, Malice..."
- Flattering - "What a regrettably large head you have. I would very much like to hat it. I use to hat The White Queen, you know. Her head was so small."
- Forlorn and resigned - "Fairfarrne, Alice"
When watching the Mad Hatter, viewer may also notice elements of other famous Johnny Depp characters, with English accents, most notably Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean series (not a Tim Burton film) and Willy Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (another Burton film).
Futterwacken Dance
During the tea party scene, viewers discover that the Mad Hatter has a secret skill. He used to do the best Futterwaken, which according to the Glossary of Underland is "a dance of unbridled joy." The Mad Hatter is saving his Futterwacken dance until a special occasion. "On the Frabjous Day, when the White Queen once again wears the crown. On that day, I shall futterwacken... vigorously."
The Unique Mad Hatter Costume
Even before the film was release, the Mad Hatter Costume was a hit, as one of the more popular costumes for Halloween 2009. On October 10, 2009 Threadbanger posted, "How do you know a movie is going to be huge? People start dressing up as the characters before it even comes out."
Academy Award-winner Colleen Atwood designed the remarkable costumes Alice in Wonderland. The Mad Hatter's costume features elements like a spool of thread sash, pin rings, mismatched socks, a kilt and the amazing Mad Hatter Hat.
The Mad Hatter Costume is likely to become a Halloween classic. It is a costume that can be worn by men and women, adults and children. With a bit of imagination, one can Make a Mad Hatter Hat or Make Your Own Mad Hatter Costume for this Halloween or any other costume party.
Depp Burton Characters
The Mad Hatter is just another character in a long line of memorable characters created for Depp Burton collaborations. With Alice in Wonderland, Johnny Depp and Tim Burton have collaborated on seven films together, so far. The characters in reverse order of appearance:
- Mad Hatter for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, 2010
- Sweeney Todd for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, 2007
- Victor Van Dort for the Corpse Bride, 2005
- Willy Wonka for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 2005
- Ichabod Crane for Sleepyhollow, 1999
- Ed Wood for Ed Wood, 1994
- Edward Scissorhands for Edward Scissorhands, 1990
According to a July 16, 2010 article in Cinema Blend, Depp and Burton are going to begin working together again on the remake of the television classic, Dark Shadows, where Depp will bring vampire, Barnabas Collins to life.
Lingering in Underland
By the time the film ends, many are smitten by Depp's quirky, Mad Hatter. The last line he utters, in the film before dissolving into the rabbit hole that takes eventually takes Alice above ground is "Fairfarrne, Alice" or "Farewell. May you travel far under fair skies."
As the Hatter's sad eyes turn into the rabbit hole, many viewers are left wishing they could have lingered a bit longer in Underland ( Wonderland) with this memorable character.
Kirsti A. Dyer - Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT is a respected physician, health educator, professor, author and lecturer.
