Peter Pan

This is one of the most charming, magical movies ever! It is an adaptation of James Barrie's Peter Pan, the story of the boy who wouldn't grow up. It starts in London, where a very proper Wendy has one night left in the nursery before she most grow up. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Darling are out for an office party, and the nursemaid, a dog named Nana is tied up outside for the night. Peter Pan comes and takes Wendy and her brothers John and Micheal away to Neverland, "the second star to the right and staight on til morning", with the help of the pixie dust from the jealous little pixie Tinkerbell. A sprinkling of the dust makes them fly, just like Peter does. Once in Neverland they encounter mermaids, Indians, and the foppish, but evil villian Captain Hook. This beloved story will bring you back to your childhood and this delightful score will be hard to forget! It is sure to have you singing along! This is a wonderful movie that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike!

This Disney cartoon classic offers flights of fancy that appeal directly to children's fertile imaginations. The ability to fly and be a devil-may-care youngster and never grow up, exploring a fantasy island of Indians, pirates, mermaids and mysterious caves is a powerful magnetic pull for young dreamers. The production's artwork is beautiful, and the characters and catchy tunes add to the pleasure of watching this movie. Peter Pan is nearly upstaged by his companion Tinker Bell, a temperamental pixie who is jealous and possessive of Peter's friendship with Wendy. Captain Hook and his shadow, the crocodile, the sniveling Smee, the beautiful mermaids, and the stoic Tiger Lily are all memorable characters. The catchy tunes also make this adventure one of Disney's best.

'Peter Pan' is undoubtedly one of the best of Disney's films. The story isn't too deep or meaningful, as, say, 'Bambi'. The power behind it is the familiarity. Every little kid yearns to haveadventures like Peter, so everyone identifies with the story. To tell the truth, the film is kind of episodic, like an extra-large TV cartoon special. The climax is fittingly climactic, but the final defeat of Hook isn't really powerful enough, which makes it disappointing after all the flashy swordplay. Speaking of Hook, he and Mr Smee are inevitably the scene-stealers, no matter how beloved Peter may be to children. The same way, in Hook/Smee scenes, if you throw in a hungry crocodile, the monstrous reptile will overshadow even Hook. Wendy really looks too old to be horrified about growing up, though, except for the sequences in which she fantasizes about Never Land with all the authenticity of a three-year-old. Never Land is beautiful, to say the least. The lush jungles and the mermaid lagoon is wonderfully brought to life, as is the eery Skull Island. This is the best showcase for the art direction. Also excellent is the detailed, meticulous design of the wooden hideout of the Lost Boys.

'Peter Pan' is one of my all-time favorites. It has humor, great animation, and the best part of it is a simplistic story that revolves around the desires of the child within all of us (I'm still twelve, so I never had to look too deep). A must-see for any animation fan, particularly Disney buffs, the young and the young-at-heart.

9/10

Barrie's "PeterPan" is a highly complex story.There are strong elements of social satire,moral ambiguities,deep psychological issues,and emotional traumas investigated in this play.Almost all these aspects have been eliminated in the animated version.Topics such as: dealing with our parents,abandonment,mixed feelings toward our loved ones,and developing a mature adult libidinal attitude have all been erased.Hook's escape at the end,and the return of Peter AND the Lost Boys to Neverland violate some of the core elements of the story.Those criticisms aside,this is really well done.The animation is excellent;the characterizations are first-rate;and by actually having Peter done by a boy,an element of a (benign )sexual rivalry between Wendy and Tiger Lily is introduced.The boys,pirates,and Indians are marvelous,and the crocodile is a masterpiece.(He does act more like a dog than a reptile;Nana come back in disguise,maybe?He reminds me of a miniature dachshund I owned for 13 years.)This is probably the best way to introduce anyone to Peter Pan.

"Peter Pan" is without a doubt one of Disney's classics, alongside animated features such as "Snow White" and "Pinocchio." It captures the imagination just as J.M. Barrie's novel and play have. In the movie, the eternally young Peter Pan takes Wendy Darling and her brothers to Neverland, a place of the imagination, populated by Indians, mermaids and pirates. Captain Hook, voiced by Hans Conreid, will always be a classic villain, and his henchman, Smee, is a perfect comic relief. There are many funny scenes and good animated sequences. Beneath it all, the story speaks to the kid in all of us. We remember how important it can be to remain young at heart.