Disney classic celebrates 65th anniversary with a loaded Blu-ray
One of the mainstays of the Disney canon, Peter Pan continues to introduce children to worlds of wonder, and on its 65th anniversary receives “Signature” treatment with bonus-laden Blu-ray release.
The story of Peter, Wendy, and crew was first brought into being on the London stage. Walt Disney optioned it early on, and by the 1950s it was finally ready to join the animated pantheon.
The entire enterprise is chock full of legendary characters. Of course there’s Peter Pan himself, but it’s possible Tinkerbell has overshadowed him over the decades. Then there’s Captain Hook, that pesky crocodile, and who can forget the Lost Boys? It’s childhood fantasy writ large at every turn.
Pirates and Indians. Indians and Pirates. These are the two groups that most fascinate the young people in this tale. This is also where the most problematic aspects of Peter Pan’s anachronism lie. Pirates are to this day fantastical and continually re-imagined in popular culture.
Indians on the other hand are very much real, and in most quarters not even called Indians any more. It can be jarring to hear talk of “red men” and shouts of “How!” from feather-frocked caricatures. This might be a deal breaker for some viewers, and rightly so. It shows a disregard for people who were mistreated like these native peoples were. The one saving grace is the over-the-top delivery of every associated trope, making this another tone-deaf exercise, but one surely of its time.
This new release does well with its bonuses. Included are some “Classical Bonuses,” ones obviously from previous releases, and their quality shows. The content isn’t bad, but the production value is far below that of the newer additions.
One very sweet segment shows the voice actors of Wendy and John in a nostalgic conversation about their time making the movie. Wendy was voiced by Kathryn Beaumont, the same dulcet tones behind Alice of Wonderland fame, a lovely link between two classics. Another short piece shows Walt’s love of flying and how it influenced Peter Pan’s signature super power.
Most films have trouble keeping up 65 years on, but Peter Pan will more than likely please audiences for a least another generation as an iconic slate of characters recreates Neverland once again.
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