Peter Pan

[oyceter]

Ha, got to see Peter Pan today (saw Cold Mountain yesterday because the theater we were going to watch Peter Pan at had an electricity outage!). I liked it, but with a few reservations.

The bad first: Jeremy Sumpter was, er, not my Peter Pan. Actually, he felt kind of like Jake Lloyd in Phantom Menace, a little too rote or something. I don't know what it was, but the bits of magic in the movie fell flat when he spoke. I also thought the movie relied a leeetle too much on special effects in a way that Peter Jackson managed to miraculously avoid in LotR. Some shots didn't work for me, like the one with them flying past the planets. I also got a little annoyed with Tinkerbell's slightly too obvious kind of humor.

Other than that, I really liked it. It felt like the Peter Pan in my head and makes me miss the book. I don't really remember the Disney version or the Mary Martin filmed play that I watched so often in childhood; I don't even remember the book that much, which I read dozens of times. I loved how the movie had a narrator, and small mentions of things like the hidden kiss in Mrs. Darling's mouth that made me remember not the other two movies, but the book. Neverland was spectacularly beautiful and wild. I loved the Darling family, and the people who played Wendy and Captain Hook were particularly good. Especially Wendy, who had to carry the weight of the movie.

And it managed to capture the melancholy of the book, which I don't think the other two movies really did. That was one of the things I liked about Hook (I know, everyone says it's a horrid movie, but I watched it young and in love with Peter Pan). I liked the thought of Wendy growing old and waiting for Peter to come back for her, except he never does.

Comments

Re: Peter Pan fan

[oyceter]

OOoo, illustrated. We had an illustrated one too, but I have no idea where it went, or who illustrated it or anything =(. I fell in love with Hook as a kid via the novelization! Heh, worst way ever ;).

I like Peter Pan de Milo... very classy ;).

It's a very gorgeous movie in some ways... has a few missteps that are regrettable (heh, Peter!) but also a lot of eye candy that I really liked. I think I need to read the book again to get a better feel. Hey what other movie versions are around? I've seen Hook, the Disney one, and a taped version of the Mary Martin one...

Who thought "Hook" was bad?

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I loved "Hook"! I was 27 when it came out, and I found it completely charming. I suppose I might have had a different perspective than some of your friends, coming at it from the point of view of an adult who had been in the corporate world. Watching this stiff paunchy adult all caught up in his so-called "real world" job finding out he had this lost identity--Peter Pan of all people! was magical for me.

I've always enjoyed the theme of "discovering your real (magical) identity". My favorite film when I was a kid was "Escape to Witch Mountain" where the kids find out they are really aliens.

And Robin Williams was absolutely great, as was Dustin Hoffman and Julia Roberts and Maggie Smith.

Wee!

Re: Who thought "Hook" was bad?

[oyceter]

I did too! I think I read the novelization first because of Scholastic book order or something, and finally bought the tape when I saw it in a supermarket. I loved the whole thing about an old Pan who had to learn to be a kid again, seeing as how my main goal in life back then was to not grow up ;).

But it's funny, because half the reviews I've read of this version pan Hook, and almost unfailingly, when people talk about Robin Williams' career, they mark it as one of the down spots.

And finally: Maggie Smith is Wendy?! That's awesome!! I had no idea!

Re: Who thought "Hook" was bad?

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Maggie Smith is Wendy?! That's awesome!! I had no idea!

What's amazing is she was supposed be playing an extremely OLD Wendy thirteen years ago, and now she is playing a vigorous Professor McGonegal in the HP series, and pulling off both well!

Re: Who thought "Hook" was bad?

[oyceter]

Hee, yeah! I really want to see OotP with her in it, just so I can have full pleasure watching her and Umbridge.

The kid actors in HP and Hagrid haven't quite gotten into my head, but whenever I read the books now, I can't help but see and hear Richard Harris and Maggie Smith. Have you seen her in Gosford Park?

I did

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Although my memory of that movie isn't quite in my head. But I see the HP kids loud and clear. I saw the movies before reading the books, so that makes sense.