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maderrI was so annoyed with work I failed to rant at length about the movie I went to see. Overall I was rather disappointed, b/c from the previews it had looked like it would be a cool version of Peter Pan.
I've never read the book (though I would like to now), so everything I'm saying is based on this latest movie.
I thought the whole point of Pan was childhood vs. adulthood (or growing up), and that's certainly in this movie but I don't know...it's too much of why the former is good and too much of why the later is bad. I mean I know that's the whole point, but I think it's overkill. My big thing is that no one every really tries to explore it. They all use the exact same thing: the whole pan/wendy thing, Hook is evil, lessons learned and everyone goes home.
My favorite damned part was when Wendy first saw Hook and was entranced rather than scared. That was cool, b/c for once it seemed like they were going to explore the relationship my sister & I always perceived b/t Pan, Wendy, and Hook. I got my hopes up for nothing of course, but for a moment it was there.
Hook was always my fav char, and not just b/c he was a villian (as always seems to be my pref). Going with the child vs. adult thing, it's always been the eternal child Pan vs. the adult Hook. But in every version it's just good boy vs. bad man, which I always thought was lame. Like I said, I've never read the book. Maybe Hook really is just evil, but I always wondered what he'd be like if we didn't see him through the eyes of bratty Pan. I mean the two are a great deal alike. Still going by the movie, they're both lonely and seem to want some sort of companionship, they both cling stubbornly to what they think/believe, the live (are trapped?) in Neverland, and going back to the lonely thing neither seems to have an actual peer/friend - just subordinates. Pan at some point latched onto Wendy, and there's that whole thing. But later Hook seems genuinely disappointed (maybe I misread this whole scene) that Pan found a lady. It was like he knew he lost something when Pan found someone else. He kidnaps Wendy, but he was only interested in her to get to Pan, even though she seemed briefly taken with him (that would be her interested in a "man" rather than a "boy" which was cool but they didn't play with, that's what disappointed me).
So you have these two guys, who's only regular sort of relationship is their rivalry, with Pan trying to beat back Hook, in whom he sees the evil grown up he never wants to be, and Hook trying to destroy a reminder of the childhood he lost years ago (?). I mean, Wendy does leave and despite Hooks rather insanely stupid "death" I don't think he's gone quite yet. So everything goes back to normal, where Pan & Hook literally thrive on trying to destroy each other. Of course now this all seems slashy to me but that wasn't my original intent.
Mostly I just hate how Hook is treated. There's this whole triangle with him, Pan, and Wendy and instead it's always just "Pan & Wendy beat down the evil pirate." They need to anime this - the Japs are good for taking a seemingly simple story and turning it into a royal mindfuck. Which is what I always thought Peter Pan was meant to be.
Leaving all of that behind, I still dislike Wendy's character though I didn't mind the actress herself too much. The boy that played Peter can't act, and I think everyone must have known that because he had maybe ten lines the whole movie. Hook was awesome, didn't know that he could be a hot character, but he def was in this movie. Jason Isaacs = Yum.
I've never read the book (though I would like to now), so everything I'm saying is based on this latest movie.
I thought the whole point of Pan was childhood vs. adulthood (or growing up), and that's certainly in this movie but I don't know...it's too much of why the former is good and too much of why the later is bad. I mean I know that's the whole point, but I think it's overkill. My big thing is that no one every really tries to explore it. They all use the exact same thing: the whole pan/wendy thing, Hook is evil, lessons learned and everyone goes home.
My favorite damned part was when Wendy first saw Hook and was entranced rather than scared. That was cool, b/c for once it seemed like they were going to explore the relationship my sister & I always perceived b/t Pan, Wendy, and Hook. I got my hopes up for nothing of course, but for a moment it was there.
Hook was always my fav char, and not just b/c he was a villian (as always seems to be my pref). Going with the child vs. adult thing, it's always been the eternal child Pan vs. the adult Hook. But in every version it's just good boy vs. bad man, which I always thought was lame. Like I said, I've never read the book. Maybe Hook really is just evil, but I always wondered what he'd be like if we didn't see him through the eyes of bratty Pan. I mean the two are a great deal alike. Still going by the movie, they're both lonely and seem to want some sort of companionship, they both cling stubbornly to what they think/believe, the live (are trapped?) in Neverland, and going back to the lonely thing neither seems to have an actual peer/friend - just subordinates. Pan at some point latched onto Wendy, and there's that whole thing. But later Hook seems genuinely disappointed (maybe I misread this whole scene) that Pan found a lady. It was like he knew he lost something when Pan found someone else. He kidnaps Wendy, but he was only interested in her to get to Pan, even though she seemed briefly taken with him (that would be her interested in a "man" rather than a "boy" which was cool but they didn't play with, that's what disappointed me).
So you have these two guys, who's only regular sort of relationship is their rivalry, with Pan trying to beat back Hook, in whom he sees the evil grown up he never wants to be, and Hook trying to destroy a reminder of the childhood he lost years ago (?). I mean, Wendy does leave and despite Hooks rather insanely stupid "death" I don't think he's gone quite yet. So everything goes back to normal, where Pan & Hook literally thrive on trying to destroy each other. Of course now this all seems slashy to me but that wasn't my original intent.
Mostly I just hate how Hook is treated. There's this whole triangle with him, Pan, and Wendy and instead it's always just "Pan & Wendy beat down the evil pirate." They need to anime this - the Japs are good for taking a seemingly simple story and turning it into a royal mindfuck. Which is what I always thought Peter Pan was meant to be.
Leaving all of that behind, I still dislike Wendy's character though I didn't mind the actress herself too much. The boy that played Peter can't act, and I think everyone must have known that because he had maybe ten lines the whole movie. Hook was awesome, didn't know that he could be a hot character, but he def was in this movie. Jason Isaacs = Yum.
no subject
Date: 2004-02-02 05:38 pm (UTC)Ok now Maybe it's because I've been dinking around with them this morning but re-read this with Pan as Rose, Hook as Mari, and Pansy as Wendy.
but I always wondered what he'd be like if we didn't see him through the eyes of bratty Pan. I mean the two are a great deal alike. Still going by the movie, they're both lonely and seem to want some sort of companionship, they both cling stubbornly to what they think/believe, the live (are trapped?) in Neverland, and going back to the lonely thing neither seems to have an actual peer/friend - just subordinates. Pan at some point latched onto Wendy...
Not exact but still interesting at the same time, yes?
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Date: 2004-02-02 06:41 pm (UTC)*blink blink*
Very intersting...
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Date: 2004-02-02 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-02-02 06:33 pm (UTC)I liked the cinematic style in which this movie was done (it reminded me a lot of Baz Luhrman - Moulin Rouge), and how artsy the whole thing was visually. So it was eye candy, not brain candy, give the kiddie movie a break.
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Date: 2004-02-02 06:39 pm (UTC)lol. to give me some credit drake, you're not entirely free of being too critical of movies - and I rarely do it. Plus, I really did try to just sit back and watch. But I'd been hoping for something different from every other pan movie I've seen. That's the only reason I cared. He is adorable, I'll give you that one. But so far as pedophilia goes, I really feel guilty watching the HP movies.
Visually it was stunning, and I LOVED the music. But it wasn't entirely a kiddie movie, and if you're allowed to be snotty about matrix I can bitch about this one. (But don't think I'm upset about your comments, I am laughing).
I see what you mean about the moulin rouge feel, I never thought about it but you're right. It does sort of come off like that.
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Date: 2004-02-02 07:20 pm (UTC)Yeah, yeah, I was surprised about your vehemence in your review of the movie, though. I thought that you would like this one, but I called it wrong. It was absolutley beautiful just to watch, even if the plot left a little to be desired for the Deer. :o)
And about the Moulin Rouge thing... yeah, I stuck around for the credits to make sure it WASN'T Baz Luhrman... seriously. Maybe it was just Tinkerbell looking/acting/sounding like the Green Fairy...
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Date: 2004-02-02 07:32 pm (UTC)I think every older female watching HP feels guilty. The minute he's legal it's all over.
I was kind of surprised too. But it's not really this movie, it's mostly peter pan in general. I was never a big fan, and watching this I finally pegged why. I really want the book now.
She was the green fairy. I really didn't like pyscho bitch tinkerbell. I think for once I actully prefer julia roberts.
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Date: 2004-02-02 07:39 pm (UTC)Click me, baby, click me!!!
Bah
Date: 2004-02-03 03:23 am (UTC)I thought they made Wendy out to be a slut.
I will side with you and say that I liked the Captain. I definitely didn't like they way he ended... a little too Disney for my tastes. But just the fact that they gave Hook bishi sex appeal made me laugh.
I actually wanted you to post more on your own interpretations of Peter Pan vs. the movie. But as for the "eyes of Pan" I thought the movie didn't make it clear if it was more of a Pan perspective or a Wendy perspective.
I still love Hook, the movie. MUCH HOOK LOVE
Re: Bah
Date: 2004-02-03 03:32 am (UTC)Sexual innuendo did abound. Though I don't think they wanted to make Wendy a slut so much as young & stupid? I don't know, I didn't much care for her.
Hook's death was stupid. I think I finally lost all patience there. Maybe that was compensation for giving him bishie appeal.
More Pan vs. the movie? In what respect exactly? Personally I've never much cared for Peter himself. He always struck me as really weak, just b/c he never wants to grow up. I mean I guess there's some sort of ideal in there, but I never liked it. Everyone else was brave enough to grow up, he never could. If I didn't want to piss Ang off further, I'd try to argue he's the real villian here.
hm hmm
Date: 2004-02-03 10:49 am (UTC)Go on. You know you want to! I can see it in your eyes... er... sort of...
Upp--times up. Gotta go. Later!
no subject
Date: 2004-02-12 06:27 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-12 02:59 pm (UTC)heh, thanks mcleod.