Peter Pan (1953 film)
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| Peter Pan | |
|---|---|
 Peter Pan 1953 Release Poster |
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| Directed by | Clyde Geronimi Wilfred Jackson Hamilton Luske |
| Produced by | Walt Disney Productions |
| Written by | J.M. Barrie (original author) Milt Banta William Cottrell Winston Hibler Bill Peet Erdman Penner Joe Rinaldi Ted Sears Ralph Wright |
| Starring | Bobby Driscoll Kathryn Beaumont Hans Conried Paul Collins Tommy Luske Bill Thompson Candy Candido Heather Angel Tom Conway Roland Dupree Don Barclay |
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
| Release date(s) | February 5, 1953 |
| Running time | 76 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4,000,000 USD (est.) |
| Followed by | Return to Never Land (2002) |
| IMDb profile | |
Peter Pan is the fourteenth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon. It was produced by Walt Disney Productions and was originally released to theaters on February 5, 1953 by RKO Radio Pictures. This would be the final Disney animated feature released through RKO, as Walt Disney established his own distribution company, Buena Vista Distribution, by the end of 1953.
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[edit] Production
The film's story is based on the play and novel Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. Disney had been trying to buy the rights to the play since 1935. He finally received them four years later, after he arranged with the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London (to whom Barrie had bequeathed the rights to the play). His studio started the story development and character designs in the early-1940s, and intended Peter Pan as a follow-up to Bambi, but World War II forced the project to be put on hold. Just like Pinocchio before it, the original pre-war character designs for Peter Pan were very different from the final product. The original version actually had Nana go to Neverland with Pan and the Darling children, and had a much darker ending. It was not until after the war that actual production of the film commenced.
Until this movie, the role of Peter Pan had always been played by a young woman. Instead, Walt Disney chose to portray him as a 16-year-old boy. Disney explained the age by saying, "He is 16 years old forever simply because he refuses to grow up beyond that comfortable age." There are numerous other differences, including the revision of Tinker Bell's "death" (whereas in the original play she gets knocked out by poison, in the animated film she gets knocked out by a bomb), which can be attributed to Disney's history of artistic license and reshaping of content to be more suitable for younger audiences. The animated film not only marked the first time in which Pan was played by a male, it was also the first time in which Tinker Bell, Nana and the Crocodile (named Tick-Tock the Croc in comics published later on) were all shown as believably as Barrie had originally intended (on stage, Tinker Bell was shown as not much more than a mere spot of light, Nana was played by an actual actor, and the Crocodile was represented by offstage ticking; here, Tinker Bell was represented as an actual sprite, Nana was a real dog, and the Crocodile was a real crocodile who had ingested an alarm clock.
Tinker Bell (who wears a slim, green dress, slippers, and yellow panties) owes her shapely form to the Pin-up girls of the war. Margaret Kerry was Tinker Bell's live-action reference model, contrary to rumors that it was Marilyn Monroe. Margaret Kerry posed on a soundstage, while animator Marc Davis drew Tinker Bell. Kerry was also the voice of the red-haired mermaid in the film.
Like Margaret, Bobby Driscoll was the live-action reference for Peter Pan's character, primarily in close-up scenes. Peter's graceful flying and action reference shots were provided by dancer Roland Dupree.
Kathryn Beaumont, the voice for the beautiful young Wendy, also performed the live action references. In an interview, she said she had to hold out her arms and pretend to fly for all the scenes requiring it.
One of the few stage traditions that Disney did retain for the animated film was to have Captain Hook and Mr. Darling be played by the same actor. In this case, Hans Conried not only voiced both characters, he was the live-action reference for them as well. Also, in the original play, Hook lost his right hand, but the Disney artists felt that would limit his actions too much, and so relocated the hook to his left hand (This is referenced to in the movie when Wendy corrects a Captain-Hook-playing John that the hook was on the left hand, not the right).
[edit] Re-release schedule and home video
The film was re-issued to theaters in 1958, 1969, 1976, 1982, and 1989, and on VHS in 1990 (as a Walt Disney Classics release) and 1998 (as a Masterpiece Collection release). A Limited Issue DVD was released in 1999, and a special edition DVD came out in 2002. A Platinum Edition DVD of the film was released on March 6th, 2007. [1]
[edit] Peter Pan theatrical release history |
[edit] Worldwide release dates
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[edit] Characters
- Peter Pan: Protagonist, the boy who won't grow up. Like Tink, Peter can be very hot-headed. He is also commanding, but very brave.
- Tinker Bell: Pan's hot-headed pixie pal.
- Wendy Darling: The eldest of the Darling children; adores Peter Pan. She is 14 years old.
- John Darling: One of Wendy's two younger siblings. Wears glasses. He is exactly 10 years old.
- Michael Darling: Wendy's youngest brother. Carries a teddy bear with him and is very sensitive.
- George and Mary: The Darling children's parents; their mother likes Peter Pan and their father doesn't at first; in fact, he wishes the kids to grow up to be practical. He often shows it an an angry way, often blowing up at the slightest mention of Peter or his world, Neverland. However, he changes his mind about Wendy's "crazy stories" at the end of the film, and he later remarks that he saw a pirate ship before when he was a child.
- Nana: The Darlings' maid, a dog (St. Bernard).
- Captain Hook: The villain of the film; a pirate captain who wants revenge on Pan for getting his hand lopped off and fed to the Crocodile.
- Mr. Smee: Hook's right-hand man or the comic relief of the story, Mr. Smee is always being bossed around or the crew takes there frustations out on him with belly jabbing, tying up Mr. Smee and putting him in a treasure box, hooking his shirt on the wall and throwing darts next to his belly.
- The Crocodile: A crocodile who swallowed an alarm clock and is after the remains of Hook; Pan had cut off Hook's hand and threw it to the Crocodile who enjoyed the little appetizer so much, he's been following him ever since. In comics published later on, the character was known as Tick-Tock the Croc. In the books Peter and the Starcatchers/Peter and the Shadow Thieves, he was called Mr. Grin.
- The Lost Boys: Pan's right-hand boys, dressed as various animals. Their names are Slightly (fox costume), Cubby (bear costume), Nibs (rabbit costume), Tootles (skunk costume) and the Twins (raccoon costumes).
- Mermaids: These mermaids are friends of Peter Pan and they are very interested in his stories. They are resentful of Wendy and try to drown her although Peter insists they were having fun. They are frightened away when they hear that Captain Hook is rowing nearby. The mermaids appear to be in their mid-teens and one of them has red hair leaving some to believe she was the inspiration for another Disney character, Ariel.
[edit] Voice cast
- Bobby Driscoll as Peter Pan
- Kathryn Beaumont as Wendy Darling
- Hans Conried as Captain James Hook and George Darling
- Bill Thompson as Mr. Smee and Other Pirates
- Heather Angel as Mrs. Darling
- Paul Collins as John Darling
- Tommy Luske as Michael Darling
- Candy Candido as The Indian Chief
- Tom Conway as Narrator
- Tony Butala as Slightley (listed as Lost Boy)
- Robert Ellis as Cubby (listed as Lost Boy)
- Carol Coombas as Mr. Stockings
- June Foray as Mermaid and Squaw
- Connie Hilton as Mermaid
- Margaret Kerry as Mermaid
- Karen Kester as Mermaid
- Johnny McGovern as Twins (listed as Lost Boy)
- Jeffrey Silver as Nibs (listed as Lost Boy)
- Stuffy Singer as Lost Boy
- David Frankham as Imaginary Gary
[edit] Directing Animators
- Milt Kahl
- Frank Thomas (Captain Hook)
- Wolfgang Reitherman (Crocodile)
- Ward Kimball (Wendy, John, Michael and The Lost Boys)
- Ollie Johnston (Mr. Smee)
- Marc Davis (Tinker Bell)
- Eric Larson
- John Lounsbery (George Darling)
- Les Clark (The Indian Chiefs)
- Norm Ferguson
[edit] Crew
The movie was adapted by Milt Banta, William Cottrell, Winston Hibler, Bill Peet, Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Ted Sears, and Ralph Wright from the play and novel Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. The film was directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske.
[edit] Songs
The songs in Peter Pan were composed by Sammy Fain, Sammy Cahn, Frank Churchill, Winston Hibler and Ted Sears. Oliver Wallace composed the incidental music score.
- "The Second Star To the Right" - The Jud Conlon Chorus and The Mellomen
- "You Can Fly!" - The Jud Conlon Chorus and The Mellomen
- "A Pirate's Life" - Mr. Smee; The Pirates
- "Following the Leader" - John and Michael Darling; The Lost Boys
- "What Made the Red Man Red" - The Indian Tribe, (Candy Candido and The Mellomen) which was very controversial because of offensive lyrics
- "Your Mother and Mine" - Wendy Darling
- "The Elegant Captain Hook" - Captain Hook; Mr. Smee; The Pirates
- "You Can Fly! (Reprise)" - The Jud Conlon Chorus and The Mellomen
- "Never Smile at a Crocodile" - The lyrics were not heard, but the music was.
[edit] Trivia
- In the original 1911 novel, Nana was a Newfoundland, instead of a St. Bernard as she is in the 1953 movie.
- This film marked two "lasts" for Disney: 1) This was the final Disney film in which all nine members of the Nine Old Men worked together on it as directing animators. 2) It was the last Disney animated feature to be distributed by RKO Radio before Disney started its own distributor, Buena Vista.
- The phrase "second to the right and straight on till morning" was changed into "second star to the right..." for the Disney version, however the phrase was said by Peter Pan while standing on one of Big Ben's clock hands. Also, since the film came out, non-Disney versions have used the term "Never Never Land" as opposed to "Neverland".
- Although original author Barrie is credited, this is the only major film version of "Peter Pan" which does not use any of his original dialogue, although one of Barrie's original lines is paraphrased when Hook first tells Smee why the Crocodile is always following him. Even the live-action musical versions, as well as the 1924 silent film version, use Barrie's original dialogue.
- The melody for "The Second Star to the Right" was originally written for Alice in Wonderland as part of a song to be entitled "Beyond the Laughing Sky".
- Though the film was extremely successful, Walt himself was dissatisfied with the finished product. He felt that the character of Peter Pan was cold and unlikable.
- In 1989, British pop group Five Star performed a medley of Peter Pan songs "You Can Fly", "Never Smile At A Crocodile" and "Second Star To The Right" for a BBC Television special celebrating the works of Walt Disney.
- Initially planned for the film was a scene where Tinkerbell is dying and Peter sings a song to save her. This scene was cut for pacing purposes and Tinkerbell appears with Peter later in the film and no explanation is given as to her healing.
- The film beget multiple spinoffs in various forms, including, but not limited to: "Peter Pan's Flight", the dark ride found at many of the Disney parks worldwide; a sequel some fifty years after the original film, Return To Neverland; and two areas of the Kingdom Hearts series: namely, Neverland as a playable world in both Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (with Tinker Bell as a Summon in both games as well) and Peter Pan as a Summon in Kingdom Hearts II.
- Tinker Bell is the only character in the film to appear in the Disney Fairies franchise. However, unlike in the film, Tinker Bell spoke on the series.
- Michael Jackson has cited Peter Pan as being his favorite movie of all time, and is where he derived the name for his estate, Neverland Ranch.
[edit] Disney Fairies
Disney Fairies is a series of children's books published by Random House, which features Tinker Bell and her friends: Beck, Lily, Vidia, Rani, Prilla, Fira, and Bess.
[edit] Sequels
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Peter Pan at the Internet Movie Database
- Peter Pan Fan.com - Celebrating 100 Years of Peter Pan (Disney's Version Page)
- Peter Pan - Official Peter Pan - Platinum Edition DVD site
- Beaumont and Kerry: Peter Pan’s Leading Ladies Animated News & Views interviews
