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Topic: Peter Pan Super 8 Feature
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Laksmi Breathwaite
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 771
From: Las Vegas
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted February 05, 2013 01:18 AM
A pet project of Walt Disney's since 1939, this animated version of James M. Barrie's Peter Pan reached full fruition in 1953. Eschewing much of Barrie's gentle whimsy (not to mention the more sinister aspects of the leading character), Disney and his staff fashioned a cheery, tuneful cartoon extravaganza, which cost $4 million and reaped several times that amount. The straightforward story concerns the Darling family, specifically the children: Wendy, Michael and John. Wendy enjoys telling her younger siblings stories about the mythical Peter Pan, the little boy who never grew up. One night, much to everyone's surprise, Peter flies into the Darling nursery, in search of his shadow, which Wendy had previously captured. Sprinkling the kids with magic pixie dust, Peter flies off to Never-Never Land, with Wendy, Michael and John following behind. Once in Peter's domain, the children are terrorized by Captain Hook, who intends to capture Peter and do away with him. After rescuing Indian princess Tiger Lily from Captain Hook, Peter must save the children, not to mention his own "Lost Boys," from the diabolical pirate captain. In addition, he must contend with the jealousy of tiny sprite Tinker Bell, who doesn't like Wendy one little bit. Breaking with several traditions, Peter had been played by a girl in all previous incarnations, Tinker Bell had always been depicted by a shaft of light, etc ... this "Disneyized" version of Peter Pan may not be authentic James Barrie, but it has never failed to enthrall audiences of all ages. Adding to the fun are the spirited voiceover performances by Bobby Driscoll (Peter), Hans Conried (Captain Hook and Mr. Darling), Kathryn Beaumont (Wendy) and Bill Thompson (Smee), and the sprightly songs by Sammy Cahn, Sammy Fain, Ollie Wallace, Erdman Penner, Ted Sears, Winston Hibler, Frank Churchill and Jack Lawrence. I could not believe how much I loved watching this film I caught myself at times in tears singing the songs I new as a child. This is a beautiful super 8 mm color sound feature on low fade LPP by Derann. It is beautiful and looks new I can not believe how nice it was to watch. And the Blue ray is coming out next month here is the review Peter Pan flies onto Blu-ray for the first time with a vibrant, striking 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer, restored -- or rather renewed -- with all the digital advances available to the Disney restoration team. The results will delight most and mildly irritate a few; the few being those who feel the complete absence of grain and the slight (stress on slight) alterations made to the film's original color and contrast are contrary to Walt Disney and his animators' intentions and the film's original presentation. The debate is admittedly a noble one. Should a classic film be subjected to such changes? Should Disney attempt to create a transfer that's truer to the original cel art or to the 1953 theatrical image? Ideally, a release like Peter Pan would present both a classic restoration and a spectacularly clean revitalization, but the choice has been made. The latter over the former it is. Still, purists would do well to embrace everything Disney has accomplished, if only in part. Marvelous leaps and strides have been made here, and not all of them controversial. In fact, only the grain removal -- which appears to have taken little to no toll on the image other than its intended use -- gave me pause, as it alters the texture of the original film. For more on the ongoing discussion about Disney's restorations, visit this fascinating thread in our forum. Just please be civil. Again, both sides of the argument have merit.
But I love the super 8 feature that is the film I saw as a child and Disney was still in charge. I guess I'm lucky I own a piece of history now. 
[ February 05, 2013, 10:25 PM: Message edited by: Laksmi Breathwaite ]
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" Faster then a speeding bullet, more powerful then a Locomotive "."Look up in the sky it's a bird it's a plane it's SUPERMAN"
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Richard Bock
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 239
From: El Cerrito,CA,USA
Registered: Jan 2010
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posted February 11, 2013 09:12 AM
Gorgeous print Laksmi, my favorite Disney film or Pinocchio, one of the two. It was the second film I saw as a kid and I remember the movie theatre in NYCity where I saw it, the plush carpets, the movie matrons with the flashlights,the one sheet advertising of Peter Pan at the theatre entry. Everything felt special and inviting and comfortable to sit before, a 10x bigger than life screen to watch the magical Peter Pan,Tinkerbell and Captain Hook. Pure heaven. Great screen shots by the way.
New York Movie, 1939 by Edward Hopper
[ February 11, 2013, 02:09 PM: Message edited by: Richard Bock ]
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