Older versions of 'Alice in Wonderland' arrive on DVD

In case you haven't heard, Friday brings the release of Tim Burton's wild interpretation of "Alice in Wonderland." Rival studios obviously know the buzz the Disney film has created, because no fewer than five previous versions of the Lewis Carroll classic arrive Tuesday on DVD.

They prove that just about any cinematic trip through the looking glass is worth watching — even the pre-'70s black-and-white productions, which can be just as colorful as their modern counterparts. The most intriguing is a trippy 1966 version for the BBC, complete with music by Ravi Shankar — a must-have bargain disc whose extras add two more entries to the "Alice" canon.

Even "Sesame Street" has gotten in on the act, with 2008's "Abby in Wonderland."

And if you're wondering what happened to Walt Disney's 1951 animated version — one that BBC director Jonathan Miller dismisses as "absurd" — a two-disc special edition is planned for March 30.

"Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland" (1933)

DVD: Universal

Pitch: "The original live-action classic."

In a word: Faithful.

Alice: Charlotte Henry, 19, creates the classic Alice look amid inventive sets and costumes (for the times).

Characters: W.C. Fields as Humpty-Dumpty, Gary Cooper as the White Knight and newcomer Cary Grant as the Mock Turtle.

Extras: None.

"Alice in Wonderland" (1966)

DVD: BBC

Pitch: "A feast for the imagination!"

In a word: Moody.

Alice: Anne-Marie Mallik, 14, plays a disaffected Alice who ambles through a bizarre landscape born creatively from a low budget.

Characters: Michael Redgrave as the Caterpillar, Peter Sellers as the King of Hearts and John Gielgud as the Mock Turtle.

Extras: The original 1903 silent-film version (with scholar's commentary), Dennis Potter's 1965 telefilm about the story's creation, a look at Ravi Shankar's recording sessions, a photo gallery and insightful director's commentary — nice!

"Alice in Wonderland" (1999)

DVD: Vivendi (re-release)

Pitch: "Enter a world beyond your imagination."

In a word: Fun.

Alice: Tina Majorino, 14, helms a star-studded TV adaptation with truly special special effects.

Characters: Martin Short as the Mad Hatter, Whoopi Goldberg as the Cheshire Cat and Ben Kingsley as the Caterpillar.

Extras: None.

"Abby in Wonderland" (2008)

DVD: Warner (re-release)

Pitch: "All-new magical Sesame Street Adventure!"

In a word: Cute.

Alice: Abby Cadabby leads the puppet-driven cast in this award-winning "Sesame Street" production with an educational bent.

Characters: Elmo as a red rabbit, Grover as the Mad Hatter and Oscar as the Grouch of Hearts.

Extras: None.

"Alice" (2009)

DVD: Lionsgate (also on Blu-ray)

Pitch: "Welcome to a whole new Wonderland."

In a word: Modern.

Alice: Caterina Scorsone, 28, plays a grown Alice who ventures to a vivid land where casinos are built out of playing cards in this decidedly adult take, first aired as a SyFy miniseries.

Characters: Kathy Bates as the Queen of Hearts, Tim Curry as the Dodo and Harry Dean Stanton as the Caterpillar.

Extras: Conversational commentary by writer-director Nick Willing and Scorsone.