CineMage
Unlike many people, before I ever saw this cartoon or the Disney version, I read both of Barry's Peter Pan books, *Peter and Wendy* and the prequel *Peter in Kensington Gardens* and watched a number of televised versions of Sir James Barry's play (including the classic Mary Martin in rerun and a well-meaning effort with Sandy Duncan and Danny Kaye).I loved the tale of Peter Pan. For all the joyful energy in it, what I particularly loved was the witty satire beneath the hi-jinks and the tale's knowing, poignant forgiveness towards every person's childhood: "thus it will go on, so long as children are gay and innocent and heartless."After all this, I was overjoyed to see the cartoon *Peter Pan and the Pirates*. Not only is this cartoon true to the books and the unsanitized versions of the original play, it expands upon them to turn an incisive Victorian fairy tale into a genuine fantasy work, with a world as intriguing as any ever created by Lewis in his Narnia books.The very first episode even provides an icy elemental wizard/godling from whom Peter glibly steals treasures for his own amusement.The one unfortunate thing about this series is that it ruined the Disney version for me. When I finally had the chance to watch Disney's Peter Pan on the big screen, I was deeply disappointed by the tepid treatment of the characters (as well as the naive racism). Disney's version paled in comparison to the original play, Sir Barry's books -- and this cartoon series.
vader2000-1
This is one of the truest adaptations of the Peter Pan mythos I have yet seen. The characterization of Peter, Wendy, Tinkerbell, The Lost boys, the Pirates, and especially Captain Jas (James) Hook, seems to make them all come alive in my mind. They were never as real to me as they were after seeing that show. To this day it remains to me as the standard through which all Pan Adaptations are measured.What initially put me off to the show was the character designs of Peter, Wendy, and a few others, because I found that I was subconsciously comparing it to the Disney version. I had a hard time conceiving how he could've gotten a (brown) outfit like that, let alone the dagger that he used with it. Once I got over that and started judging the show by its own merit, I found that the writing and characterization was far superior to most other cartoons that were on the air at the time.My memory of Captain Hook from the Disney version was that of an evil pirate who would lie, cheat, and steal...anything to get at the innocent boy that he hated named Peter Pan.My view of Captain James Hook from Peter Pan and the Pirates is drastically different. For starters, he was portrayed (for the most part) as a highly honorable man...he valued telling the truth, education, good manners, and often went out of his way to keep his word, even if it meant letting Peter get away, when he could've easily taken him down on several occasions.This was a Captain Hook that I eagerly enjoyed watching. And on several occasions, even felt sorry for him. He was a man that was deeply conflicted. He feared for his own mortality and often sought to find the key to Peter's gift of immortal youth.Also, this Captain Hook looked menacing...not at all as whiny and effeminate as the one often portrayed by Disney.Peter on the other hand was shown more realistically. He was forgetful, often very cocky, and sometimes got himself and his friends into trouble under the pursuit of endless fun. Yes, Peter made mistakes...but that is what I loved most about this show, the fact that it took the events from the book where it mentions that Peter and Wendy had many adventures while in Neverland, and expounded upon them to very interesting results.I could go on...but these are a few things that I appreciate about the show.I would love to see this series get picked up again, or get continued on in some fashion, it was a true gem.
FloatingOpera7
Peter Pan And The Pirates (1990-1992?) Starring Jason Marsden, Tim Curry, Debi Derryberry, Cristina Lang, Ed Gilbert, Jack Lynch, Whit Hertfold, Chris M. Alport, Michael Wise, Aaron Lohr, Cree Summer, Scott Menville, David Shaughnessy, Jack Angel, Eugene Williams..Director Jon D. Williams, Writer Peter Lawrence This short-lived cartoon series, which only lasted about two seasons, was a superb, creative and colorful introduction to J.M. Barrie's classic children's novel "Peter Pan", which has been adapted into silent film, several sound/dramatic versions, a 1950's Disney animated film and a Broadway musical. The unforgettable story of a flying boy who refuses to grow up, of the enchanted world of Neverland and of the villainous Captain Hook never fades from memory. I remember this was a well-written, highly entertaining series, loosely based on the original novel. It had the same characters, including all the Pirates (Smee, Starkey, Billy Jukes, Cookson, Mullins) and the Indians (Tiger-Lily, Hard-To-Hit and Big Chief Little Panther). While many elements were fictionalized and tailor-made for the series, which has no formal plot or time continuity, meaning Peter Pan, Wendy and the Lost Boys remain in Neverland eternally battling Captain Hook and his crew. Each episode revealed creative subplots (One year before Steven Spieldberg's "Hook" starring Robin Williams, there was an episode in which Peter Pan grows up, becomes a roaming old man and causes Neverland to self-destruct, Wendy, Peter and the Lost Boys put on a play, Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet, later Hook, in a scheme to capture Wendy and kill Peter, takes part of the production, we journey to Tintagel, the fairy world where Tinker Bell comes from, a little magical world encased in glass) The adventures are just as exciting as in the films and novels, and we get more character development. Tinker bell (Debie Drewberry) is allowed to develop as a talking character, revealing her playfulness, her stubbornness, her mischief and her jealousy of Wendy for being loved by Peter. Whenever she was impatient or angry, she would curse but someone would "shhhh" her or she would be quited by the furious flapping of her own wings, which, like in the book, sound like tinkling bells. Literary elements like Hook's origins - he left the Spanish Main and got lost and got stuck in Neverland - the Crocodile that ate his hand and swallowed a clock, which, with every tick, reminds him he is coming to devour the rest of him. Wendy seems to grow from a naive girl, raised in a civil British Victorian home and initially believing that even Captain Hook is a true gentleman, to a girl who fends for herself and learns that she can not trust so easily. Tinker Bell, Peter Pan's savior (she rescued him when he was abandoned by his mother and whisks him off to Neverland where they become childhood playmates) is a lot like Peter Pan, just as defiant, playful and stubborn. More importantly, we get more of a sense of conflict between Captain Hook (voiced by Tim Curry in a great performance!), who is a gentleman, a villain, a manipulator and drunk on his own dictatorial power as Captain of the Jolly Roger, which even fuels Mutiny in one episode. Peter Pan (Jason Marsden) portrays Pan as an arrogant, cocky, stubborn, defiant, spoiled brat-hero, which, however unlike the Peter Pans you've seen before, makes him more flawed and therefore more real. Furthermore, thanks to the fine voice-acting of Tim Curry and Jason Marsden, we finally see what may be at the heart of the antagonism between Hook and Pan- the jealousy and resentment that comes with age difference. Hook, a powerful older alpha male, is humiliated and constantly defeated by a much younger, equally powerful Peter Pan. Perhaps I'm over-analyzing all of this, but if you watch these episodes with careful attention and appreciation, you'll discover the strength of the story. Other than the fine acting, we get a lot of comedy, especially in the nuances of the Lost Boys and the awkward pirates like Smee and the British gentleman Starkley. And, Hook, big and bad as he is, has a weakness: He loves his Mother and is submissive to her.
