Better Hatters

Eerie similarities between 80's pop-televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker and Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter.

Having just returned from director Tim Burton’s hyped-up “Alice In Wonderland” flick, I needed to reflect for a moment. I am an avid ABC “video-on-demand” viewer & in the last few weeks I have been pummeled with the endless Alice trailers. Though still nursing a grudge against Burton for his shamefully overdone redux of Willy Wonka, I still felt coerced to give Alice a try.

Unfortunately, the grudge still stands. The visage of Burton’s Hatter – not dissimilar from 80’s pop- televangelist Tammy Fay Bakker – provokes a certain visual discomfort. Burton’s Hatter pales – or rather blinds – when compared to so many other more thoughtful Hatter renditions. Many of these successfully portray the “nuance” of the Hatter character by revealing his two halves: both wild card madman & self-assured suave sophisticate.

A better Hatter can be found in J Otto Seibold's sophisticated pop-up "Alice in Wonderland," ©2003. Photo by Ani Bee on Flickr.