Peter Pan (1953)
Take the second star to the right and go straight on to the Children's section
Starring: Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conried, Bill Thompson, Paul Collins, Tommy Luske.
Director: Hamilton Luske
Running Time: 76 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: u
Animation, Family, Fantasy
On DVD Long before Peter Pan became a subject of interest only to Michael Jackson and people struggling to think of something to wear to fancy dress parties, the feather-capped swash-buckler was the subject of one of Disney's all-time animated greats.
Neatly packaged in the "Walt Disney Classics" collection - which I'm hoping won't be including "The Jungle Book 2" any time soon - the 1953 animation spectacular has now arrived on DVD.
Adapted from J. M. Barrie's timeless novel, "Peter Pan" tells the story of a group of children visited during the night by a bloke in green tights who supplies them with enough pixie dust to fly off to the fantastical island of Neverland. Here, it's promised, they'll never have to grow up. So, amid lots of singing, dancing and generally having a heck of a good time, they encounter some uncomfortably stereotyped "Red Indians" and a group of pirates who think that picking on kiddywinks is big and clever. Shame on them all.
Of course, as a spoil-sport adult, I feel obliged to say that pixie dust is no doubt some sort of drug reference, feisty fairy Tinkerbell is clearly in the early stages of anorexia, Peter's a pathological liar and pirate Cap'n Hook is more than a tad camp - but I'll never get into Neverland with that sort of attitude.
So let's focus instead on the wonderful animation which shows none of its half-century age (and, in fact, puts many modern films to shame), and the tremendous characters brought to the screen with bright colours and loads of fun. Personal favourites have to be Smee (Hook's bumbling right-hand man) and the scene-stealing crocodile that ticks its way through the water as a result of having swallowed a clock. Great stuff.
DVD Extras: "Playful Prank" read-along storybook, "Follow the Leader" karaoke, pirate treasure hunt game, "The Making of Peter Pan", audio commentary.
A sneak peak at forthcoming flops . . sorry, "classics" . .such as "Cinderella II" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame II" (anyone else see a bit of a pattern developing with Disney releases these days?).
It's Got: A darker line of comedy than most of Disney's other classic toons of the period.
It Needs: To perhaps do without the crude 50s stereotypes of native Americans - then again, it's hardly unusual for its time.
Alternatives: Disney's Robin Hood, Aladdin Peter Pan (2003)
Summary: Superbly scripted and brilliantly animated - one of Disney's best.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 2nd May 2003
External Links
Peter Pan at the IMDB
Comments10 Comments |
| I think that some things to children could be over exadurated. Should we extinguish children to thinking they can fly and then they try to jump off a building shouting "I can fly" and they start falling down and crack there head open.You should think of what you are sending them. |
| Comment by:- GEORGINA LACEY | WWW.THEODORE CHESTER.COM... | 15 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| AHAHAHAHAHA. Very Funny. Personally, I would say don't even waste your time watching the cartoon. just go to blockbuster or your local movie store and pick up a copy of the 2003 live action Peter Pan directed by the brilliant P.J. Hogan. It's just as bright, just as fun, just as filled with laughs, and an all-around much better production of the story that's captured kids and adults imaginations alike. And just so you know, there are NO perverted, subtle, or inappropriate over-lying themes intergrated into the movie whatsoever. So sleep well knowing your kids will love it. -Claire |
| Comment by:- Claire | groups.msn.com/SlightlyFamous... | 25 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| i loe peter pan and i have bin a big fan since i was very young.me and my freind melissa would use o think he would come and get us at night when everyone was lseeping and we would go to neverland so we would alwayz pavk a bag and some belongings from home just in case we got homesick....but of course we never went but still i think any peter pan is good wether it is the cartoon or actully the 1 with people in it.peterpan is a classic has bin and alwayz be |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 30 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| I think the Disney Peter Pan was excellent. My three year old son thinks he is Peter Pan but he hasn't jumped off any buildings yet thinking he can fly Georgina. The movie is great because it captures our imagination. It truely is a classic. |
| Comment by:- Amanda Tyler | | 04 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| i really like peterpan alot when i was young i would watch peterpan every day but till this very day i still love peterpan and it would be a privlage if you could send me pictures of TINKERBELL!!!!! |
| Comment by:- Deborah | | 12 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| I like Tinkerbell but not the movie that much!!! |
| Comment by:- Anonomouse if thats how you spell it | | 12 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| I love peter pan~ one the best children stories out there. And everyone loves Tinkerbell <3 |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 13 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| TINKER BELL IS THE SEXYEST LITTLE FARIE IN THE UNIVERSE AND PETER PAN IS ONE OF THE BEST CHILD MOVIES!! I LOVE IT!!! |
| Comment by:- AMY | | 05 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Personally, I thought the 2003 rendition of Peter Pan was horrendous. The leading boy was adorable and I do believe he brought life to the film, but none of the messages were quite as heartwarming as the original 1953 release. Of course, I grew up on Disney movies so to me Peter Pan is simply a classic. The 2003 release is not a bad title, but it is in no way better than the original release. The crocodile barely had any screen time ^^ |
| Comment by:- Jillian | | 19 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| I think that is was a good movie! Peter pan was SOOOOOOOOOO hot and still is all .Georgina no kid is that dumb to jump off a building |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 24 December 2004 | ip: logged |
