0
0
Though it was first released sixty years ago, Disney’s Peter Pan is every bit as entertaining now as it was in 1953.
Based on the play by J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan tells the story of the three Darling children—Wendy (Kathryn Beaumont), John (Paul Collins), and Michael (Tommy Luske). One night, when their parents are away at a party and their canine nursemaid, Nana, is tied up outside, the Darlings are visited by Peter Pan (voiced by Bobby Driscoll), the boy who wouldn’t grow up. Peter invites them to return with him to his home in Neverland—to the great dismay of his pixie friend, Tinkerbell, who’s immediately jealous of Peter’s friendship with Wendy.
Once they arrive in Neverland, Peter and the Darlings cross paths with Peter’s arch nemesis, Captain Hook (Hans Conried), who’s obsessed with destroying Peter and his friends, the Lost Boys. Instead of heading out to sea with his crew and doing things that pirates do, the Captain chooses to stick around Neverland until he can finally do away with Peter. He’ll stop at nothing to get him, either—even if it means kidnapping Tiger Lily, the Indian princess, or tricking Peter’s closest friends into giving him up.
Peter Pan is truly a classic—one that has definitely aged gracefully. The fun and exciting story and the colorful characters will delight viewers of all ages. It’ll even hold the attention of viewers with the shortest of attention spans.
Of course, Peter Pan isn’t exactly a politically correct film. The scenes at the Indian village (and the song “What Made the Red Man Red?”) probably wouldn’t make the cut in a modern version—and just about all of the female characters in the movie are, at some point, irrational and jealous (which, of course, it great for Captain Hook, who points out, “A jealous female can be tricked into anything.”)—but it’s all in good fun. All of the characters are charming—from the hospitable Indians to the jealous mermaids (see if you can spot an Ariel look-alike among them) to the lovable Lost Boys. Even Captain Hook and the ticking croc that follows wherever he goes help to make the movie fun.
If you loved Peter Pan as a kid, you’ll love it just as much now—and so will your kids (and maybe their kids, too). This one is a must-own for any Disney fan—but be warned that once you watch this one again, you find yourself singing, “You Can Fly!” for days afterwards.
Blu-ray Review:
The Diamond Edition Blu-ray release of Disney’s Peter Pan may not come with a map to help you navigate the extras, as the DVD did (see more on that below), but it’s still full of special features that will appeal to fans of all ages.
In fact, you don’t even need to go to the special features menu to enjoy some extra Peter Pan fun. Just hit the pause button while you’re watching the movie, and you’ll be treated to all kinds of pirate-themed fun and games during the intermission.
The disc’s special features menu, meanwhile, is loaded with classic DVD features—from making-of features and music videos to an audio commentary hosted by Roy Disney. You’ll find deleted songs and extra scenes and a whole lot more. The disc also includes an all-new feature, Growing Up with Nine Old Men, in which Ted Thomas, son of legendary Disney animator Frank Thomas, visits the children of Disney’s famed “Nine Old Men” to find out what it was like to grow up with the renowned animation artists. The feature offers a little bit of insight into these men and their lives as the children tell humorous stories and share all kinds of random information.
Like this classic adventure’s DVD release, the Blu-ray offers plenty of features for all ages. So whether you’re interested in songs and games or Disney history, you’ll find it all right here.
DVD Review:
The new two-disc platinum edition DVD offers so many extras that you need a map to navigate through them all (fortunately, the map’s included). Kids will want to check out the plethora of games—but adults will find the documentaries and backstage features fascinating. Be sure to watch the making-of feature, which is sure to give you a whole new appreciation for the movie—and for the animators who created it. And the feature “Why I Made Peter Pan,” Walt Disney’s history with the movie, written in own words, is also worth checking out. Between the movie and all the special features and games and long-lost songs and deleted scenes, you can easily spend a whole afternoon absorbed in Peter Pan. It’s just the thing to pull out on a rainy day.
