thisisatest Wrote:Steve D
As much as I liked this movie, I couldn't tell where fiction and nonfiction met. Truth be told: I never read or seen a Peter Pan movie/story. When it comes to James Barrie, I'm a big Admirable Crighton fan. Don't get me wrong. I think not having any reference to Peter Pan helped me to enjoy the movie more. Depp was great as usual, and so too was the supporting cast. It was a joy to see how the story of Peter Pan was born; I just wondered how much of it was true.

My google search for the answers begins shortly. Go see this movie on the acting and storytelling method alone, and Peter Pan fans, could you let me know if that helped you to enjoy the movie more. Thanks ahead of time.

thisisatest Wrote:Steve D
As much as I liked this movie, I couldn't tell where fiction and nonfiction met. Truth be told: I never read or seen a Peter Pan movie/story. When it comes to James Barrie, I'm a big Admirable Crighton fan. Don't get me wrong. I think not having any reference to Peter Pan helped me to enjoy the movie more. Depp was great as usual, and so too was the supporting cast. It was a joy to see how the story of Peter Pan was born; I just wondered how much of it was true.

My google search for the answers begins shortly. Go see this movie on the acting and storytelling method alone, and Peter Pan fans, could you let me know if that helped you to enjoy the movie more. Thanks ahead of time.

Maggers Wrote:I just saw "Finding Neverland," and I loved it. It was an extraordinarily emotional film for me. "Peter Pan" loomed large in my childhood. The Disney cartoon was epic, and the musical stage version starring Mary Martin which was shown on television sometime in the late '50's, made a huge impression on me. I can sing the entire obsure soundtrack.

Weatherford Wrote:Obscure?? The musical was an "every-other-year we do it" (and at one point, someone even donated the flying equipment) at my grade school (k-9 - it was the upper schoolers who got to be in it ) during the 60's. And I thought they re-ran the Mary Martin movie annually, so I never realized it was obscure until the movie Hook - where they did NOT use the real Peter Pan play for Pater's kids in that early scene (the down moment in the show) and many of my friends simply didn't GET Hook, as they had never seen the show...

I have read mixed reviews of Finding Neverland - but since I am, like you, Maggers, a true Peter Pan fan, I will take your review to heart and see this ASAP - maybe even in a theatre

There is a book called JMBarrie and the Lost Boys if anyone is interested in the "real" story.

(I used to sing my brother to sleep with "Tender Shepherd".... should I add that he hated it?

Maggers Wrote:OMG! I LOVE "Tender Shepherd!" And you are the only other person in the world, it seems, who has ever even heard of the song, let alone loves it!!!

I believe they credited "J.M.Barrie and the Lost Boys" as being the inspiration for "Finding Neverland." They note that the story is "based on true events," so I suspect some creative license may have been taken.

Weatherford Wrote:I've been singing it to myself since I read your post... Now that I am old enough <cough, cough> to actually PLAY that part, no one does the play.... <the truth, I think, is closer to too old....>

I probably won't remember what was written in the book (which is somewhere in a box), so won't be much help in the comparison...

By the way, Maggers, that Mary Martin version of Peter Pan IS on VHS- I assume also on DVD, though I have not checked... Now, the perfect DVD collection, in my opinion, would include that, Mary Martin's South Pacific, Julie Andrew's Camelot & My Fair Lady as well as the Julie Andrews TV show of R&H's Cinderella. The latter, from all reports, is totally lost; the others, however, were filmed and the reels are around - I've seen some excerpts...

Which takes this discussion waaaaayyyyy far awaaaaayyyy from Neverland...

Maggers Wrote:I adore Mary Martin and I just rececently saw Julie Andrews' "Cinderella" on PBS, that's Public Broadcasting television! I loved it! She was so young!

You and I would have a great time sitting around, watching all these great old musicals, and singing our little hearts out. However, I suspect you can sing WAY better than I can. I lost my voice while at the GU 4 in Orlando, so when I tried to sing I quite literally croacked. FPW turned to me with a look in his eyes as if to say, "Please, please spare us any further torture!"

But I do enjoy singing, and can at least stay in key and carry a tune, not all that far, mind you, but enough for my own pleasure.

I was in the gym shower last night after swimming. I had the place to myself, and I began humming and then singing "Tender Shepherd." The acoustics in a tiled shower room are great! Then I went on to "Oh My Mysterious Lady, What Is Your Name," though that I doubt that is actual name of the song, and, of course, "I Won't Grow Up."

I thoroughly amused myself.