Favorite Peter Pan film?

Post by **ShyViolet** » September 21st, 2006, 4:20 pm

What's your favorite version of Peter Pan?

Disney's Peter Pan (1955)

Hook (Columbia Tri-Star aka Sony, 1991)

Return to Never Land, 2002.

Peter Pan (Universal, 2003)

Finding Neverland (Universal, 2004)

(I'm purposely not including the Mary Martin version, since it was a stage show, not really a film.)

I'm kind of a Hook person. I think all the versions are awesome, (especially the 2003 one) but I have a soft spot for Spielberg's version. (which was originally supposed to star Michael Jackson, and be produced by the Eisner-run Paramount Pictures

)

Post by **Ben** » September 21st, 2006, 5:12 pm

What about the 1924 silent version?

Nah, just kidding. Fun as that was, it has to be Walt's all the way, and the reason that Spielberg decided to make a "sequel" as opposed to a re-make.

Post by **ShyViolet** » September 21st, 2006, 5:30 pm

What about the 1924 silent version? Rolling Eyes

Wow, I never even knew about that one!

Yeah, I had a feeling you'd pick the 50's Disney one Ben.

Post by **Meg** » September 21st, 2006, 6:49 pm

I'm going with Disneys' Peter Pan, too.

Post by **ShyViolet** » September 21st, 2006, 10:21 pm

and the reason that Spielberg decided to make a "sequel" as opposed to a re-make.

Yeah, but they did make it eventually, didn't they? Do you think that's why the re-make didn't do all that well?

I have to say that the 2003 one (which like no one saw, I was the ONLY ONE in the theater) was very, very good. Very close to the book, beautifully shot, wonderfully acted. I loved the first trailer from the start. When you watch the film there is also a kind of sadness in it that you don't much see in re-tellings (except maybe Hook, but that was so bathed in Spielbergian "happy" mode that you don't always notice it.) There is also a dark side to the 2003 version that's absent from many others.

Plus, I was addicted to the James Newton Howard score for months.

(But I do have to say that I really love the song: "You can fly"

)

Post by **ShyViolet** » September 21st, 2006, 10:27 pm

There was also a very funny SNL parody of Peter Pan as a stage show back in 2002, with Robert De Niro.

Post by **Ben** » September 22nd, 2006, 12:42 pm

I think, in a funny way, that Hook plays better as a sequel to the live-action remake, which wanted to be Hook so much it hurt.

Post by **ShyViolet** » September 22nd, 2006, 10:09 pm

which wanted to be Hook so much it hurt

Hmmm....I didn't quite see that, but I've only seen it once and that was 3 years ago. I'll have to see it again.

Also, I guess that yeah, whoever played captain Hook was somewhat drawing upon Dustin Hoffman's Hook schtick.

Post by **Dacey** » September 27th, 2006, 6:04 pm

Jason Issacs was Hook in the 2003 "Peter Pan". He's also Draco's father in the "Harry Potter" movies.

Post by **Daniel** » September 27th, 2006, 10:03 pm

Great question ShyViolet

, I have seen all of these, and I really like them all. But as much as I love the original Walt Disney classic, I have to pick its sequel "Return to Neverland". I know I'm probably the only one who would say that, but that's cool. Many critics said it was a dumb rehash, but how many great sequels aren't? I like the sequel more because the animation is great, the voices are real sound-alikes, and the music is brilliant.

I espicially favor the backround singing of the sweet sounding woman, it just makes the film more heartfelt. The film also somewhat depicts WWII! which is really daring for Disney, not to mention scary. Now for the reasons that made this film my favorite, IMO. These are spoilers so if you haven't seen the film here's a fair warning ^_^. Ok well, the first one is when Jane doesn't believe in fairies and that inturn makes Tinker Bell *die* and that Jane has to believe to save her.

What makes it more sad is when Jane is holding Tink while a song is playing, that scene was so well done *sniffles*. Second is the ending when Wendy sees Peter Pan outside the window, The music playing makes it feel so nostalgic. Not to mention it felt like they really hadn't seen eachother all those years. And lastly is when Peter Pan leaves, and Jane's dad arrives from war, that made it such a great ending

Not to mention I love Peter Pan! so I'm eagerly awaiting the next films Disney creates. I know four Tinker Bell films have been confirmed, its the other ones that have me baffled. Remember at the end of the original Walt classic, when Wendys dad mentions the ship looks familar? well a big rumor I read, is Disney is thinking of exploring the adventures he endured with Peter, when he was younger. That plot sounds like it has alot of potential, and the fact that it might show Hook losing his hand, makes it sound all the more better.

Though its just rumors, but I'm really hoping they make this.

Post by **Ben** » September 28th, 2006, 9:20 am

I somewhat agree with you Daniel, and was really surprised when I saw Never-Land in the theater.

For me, and while it came close to capturing the magic of the original, it didn't quite reach the depth of Walt's 1953 film, and the omissions of the Indians was a big dent in the film I think.

Plus, and even though the WWII concepts were very dramitacally played, it WAS building on what had come before, so they had a really good "push in the right direction" to start off with.

Lastly, that they didn't use Kathryn Beaumont as older Wendy was a let down. Kath Sourcie's voice was far too clipped to sound like an older Beumont Wendy would.

Overall though, it was a very good follow up, and much better than it had any right to be!

Post by **Daniel** » September 28th, 2006, 2:59 pm

Somewhat agree with me Ben?

I know what you mean though. I to noticed how the Indians weren't really in this film. And I loved how they incorperated WWII, but I'm also happy they didn't drag it out. Its really not needed, for a happy go lucky movie. And the last thing, I was also ticked that they didn't use the original voice for Wendy.

I was so dissapointed it would've made a connection and in easter egg for lovers of the original. But maybe Disney didn't like her voice enough to represent Wendy at 20-30, or she didn't want to do it. Regardless for whatever reason, I think her sound-alike did justice.

Oh and another issue myself and most likely everyone, is how they ditched the crocodile for the octopus. It was just a waste and a silly replacement, but I loved Nanna 2 however

Post by **ShyViolet** » September 28th, 2006, 4:50 pm

Kathryn Beaumont

She also originally played Alice in Wonderland!

Also, doesn't Wendy's Jane like this film too?

Funny, in Hook they had Wendy's granddaughter, and here it was her daughter. They never mentioned Wendy's actual daughter in Hook.

Post by **Wonderlicious** » September 28th, 2006, 7:23 pm

Ben wrote:Lastly, that they didn't use Kathryn Beaumont as older Wendy was a let down. Kath Sourcie's voice was far too clipped to sound like an older Beumont Wendy would.

I haven't seen Return to Neverland, but I too am surprised that Kathryn Beaumont didn't play adult Wendy in this film. She seems proud of being in both Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland, and has done reprisals of her roles in House of Mouse and also Fantasmic and the Alice in Wonderland dark ride at Disneyland. Perhaps she declined to do something for a full-fledged sequel considering it's, well...a DTV sequel (okay, so it was theatrically released, but it's not as though WDFA made it).

Post by **ShyViolet** » September 29th, 2006, 1:43 am

One really weird thing was that when I first saw Hook and found out it was Bob Hoskins playing Smee, I was really surprised. Because I was sure he was American after watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I remember thinking: "Wow! He can sure do a great British accent!"