Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up and who
can fly, takes Wendy, John and Michael, three of his admirers, to the second
star to the right, Neverneverland. There
they enjoy adventures with American Indians, pirates, and mermaids. However, at
the end, the three visitors decide to return to their mother and to grow up.
This movie enchanted me on my 12th
birthday and several times since then, but I haven't seen it for a few decades.
To rent it as a workout movie was a bit of a risk; would it still hold the same
magical allure? To my pleasant surprise, it did. The colors were a bit faded
and the animation primitive by modern standards, but for a few minutes, I was
almost a boy again, watching the adventures of an innocent satyr showing off in
front of his pre-pubescent girlfriend. I even watched some parts twice. And the music is enchanting.
Disney's version is bland in some ways. Peter
lacks the exquisite conceit of the original, and the mermaids are far less
sinister. Several of the characters (especially the crocodile) are just plain
silly, and even Hook lacks the menace of other versions. Perhaps this is part
of Disney's genius, the ability to take a fairytale and make it comfortable to
children. I certainly enjoyed it then, and also now.
This specific film is not be a good workout
video for everyone, but most people probably have some favorite movie or show from
their childhood that can be rented and that would be a delight to watch again,
and in that delight, that would stimulate the pulse. I plan to rent Alice in Wonderland and
Cinderella.
For me, these childhood favorites deserve
++++. They get my pulse up to a run. Let me know what you think.
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