The latest member of the Disney Blur-ray collection, Peter Pan has always had -- and always may -- have a hold on our collective hearts. Based on the famous play by J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan had been scheduled to follow the wild success of Disney's Bambi. Walt Disney had planned to make the film as early as 1939, but the outbreak of World War II waylaid the production until 1949. Subsequently, it was not released until 1953.
Though the character of Peter Pan had been played by a woman on stage, Disney was keen on casting an actual boy to voice his part. Indeed, the characters of Nana and the Crocodile (renamed Tick-Tock and Croc) would be played by animals on screen. In the 1911 novel, Nana was written as a Newfoundland dog, but it was drawn as a St. Bernard in the movie. The next-most beloved character, after Peter, was Tinker Bell. Rather than a ray of light, the fairy was drawn as a green-clad, winged girl. To this day, Tinker Bell is one of the most popular Disney characters. When she dies in the play, the children in audience are encouraged to clap to bring her back to life -- this, of course, did not figure into the movie.
In the novel, Captain Hook is eaten by the Crocodile, whereas in the movie he is always evading the reptile's jaws. Likewise, in the play Hook loses his right hand, but the animators felt this would seriously restrict his movements, so they opted for the left hand. One of the few traditions carried over from the play entails using the same actor (in this case the voice actor) to play both Captain Hook and Mr. Darling. Indeed, Hans Conried, the voice actor, was the live-action study for all of Captain Hook's movements as well.
The plot of the film involves the boy who will never grow up, Peter Pan, enticing the Darling children, Wendy, John, and Michael, to join him on his escapades in Never Land. Once there, they join Peter as he battles his arch rival, the pirate Captain Hook. Tinker Bell soon begins to resent Peter's time with Wendy and inadvertently betrays Peter and the Lost Boys to Hook.
The film famously features three songs by Sammy Cahn and Sammy Fain that have become classics of modern soundtrack music. The songs are "You Can Fly," "The Second Star to the Right," and "Your Mother and Mine." The film remains one of Walt Disney's most well-liked and requested movies to date. It is ranked in the upper echelon of Disney films, including such classics as Snow White, Bambi, and Cinderella.
Though the character of Peter Pan had been played by a woman on stage, Disney was keen on casting an actual boy to voice his part. Indeed, the characters of Nana and the Crocodile (renamed Tick-Tock and Croc) would be played by animals on screen. In the 1911 novel, Nana was written as a Newfoundland dog, but it was drawn as a St. Bernard in the movie. The next-most beloved character, after Peter, was Tinker Bell. Rather than a ray of light, the fairy was drawn as a green-clad, winged girl. To this day, Tinker Bell is one of the most popular Disney characters. When she dies in the play, the children in audience are encouraged to clap to bring her back to life -- this, of course, did not figure into the movie.
In the novel, Captain Hook is eaten by the Crocodile, whereas in the movie he is always evading the reptile's jaws. Likewise, in the play Hook loses his right hand, but the animators felt this would seriously restrict his movements, so they opted for the left hand. One of the few traditions carried over from the play entails using the same actor (in this case the voice actor) to play both Captain Hook and Mr. Darling. Indeed, Hans Conried, the voice actor, was the live-action study for all of Captain Hook's movements as well.
The plot of the film involves the boy who will never grow up, Peter Pan, enticing the Darling children, Wendy, John, and Michael, to join him on his escapades in Never Land. Once there, they join Peter as he battles his arch rival, the pirate Captain Hook. Tinker Bell soon begins to resent Peter's time with Wendy and inadvertently betrays Peter and the Lost Boys to Hook.
The film famously features three songs by Sammy Cahn and Sammy Fain that have become classics of modern soundtrack music. The songs are "You Can Fly," "The Second Star to the Right," and "Your Mother and Mine." The film remains one of Walt Disney's most well-liked and requested movies to date. It is ranked in the upper echelon of Disney films, including such classics as Snow White, Bambi, and Cinderella.
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