The great character Peter Pan is familiar not only to children, but also to adults around the world. He is known primarily as a boy who does not want to grow up and lives on the magical and distant island of Netlandia. Each new day for him is connected with fascinating adventures, and life is like a series of funny and dangerous games, in which other inhabitants of the magical terrain are involved.
James Matthew Barry
The book character Peter Pan has more than once come to life on the screens in many different interpretations, but he owes it to James Barry for his first appearance .
The great writer was born in 1860 in Scotland. The family was not rich, but still was able to provide education to their sons. James became interested in writing at an early age. After university, he becomes a successful journalist and actively begins to write all kinds of essays, novels and plays.
Few people know about this, but before the publication of his main work, Barry managed to become famous as one of the most witty adult writers. He was friends with such great talents as Herbert Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle, and also received a lot of prestigious literary awards.
The idea to write his immortal work came to him after close contact with the Davis family. The first time the character Peter Pan appears in the novel "The White Bird", but its peak was 1911, when the book Peter Pan and Wendy was published.
The work of Barry is not forgotten, and his story continues to live in adaptations to the present.
Character
Peter personifies all the children who have ever lived on the planet. He is a completely ordinary boy who is constantly eager for battle. Immediately after meeting him, it becomes clear that he is mischievous and restless. His character traits can also be found out from the fact that the name of the leader of the Indians gave Peter Pan. He called it the Winged Eagle, but it is known that this bird is wayward, proud and loyal. In addition, the main feature of the boy is that he knows how to fly. The eternally young hero boldly looks into the face of any danger, is ready to do anything to protect his friends, and he is the undoubted leader. It is thanks to these qualities that the "lost boys" perceive him as their older brother and guardian, and also carry out any of his orders. It may also seem that Peter is extremely selfish and arrogant, but such qualities are common to all boys of his age. But this character will never grow up, which means that he is not destined to change.
Relations with other characters
The boy is rarely left alone, so it is important to find out who Peter Pan was friends with. First of all, it is worth noting his faithful companion fairy Tinker Bell, which at any time is ready to protect her best friend. However, she is very harsh and jealous of everyone who claims Pan’s attention. Also, the character is constantly followed by his detachment of boys, who were also once lost. He takes care of them and is their permanent commander.
A very important milestone in the life of Peter takes Wendy with his brothers, whom he invited to make a flight together in Netlandia. They remembered this adventure as one of the most exciting in life, and together the guys overcame a lot of dangers. After returning home, the hero visited Wendy more than once.
Of the difficult situations, Peter is often rescued by the Indians, with whom he once entered into an alliance. The most famous of them is the leader’s daughter - Tiger Lily. In addition to friends, he also has a sworn enemy - Captain James Hook. Together with his pirates and faithful assistant Media, he constantly gives the boy trouble in order to avenge the loss of his hand.
Disney Studio Cartoon
One of the most successful and significant adaptations is a cartoon at Disney called Peter Pan, a photo from which can be seen below. It was released back in 1953, and incredible success awaited him. The main character was voiced by the famous actor Bobby Driscoll, whose appearance became a kind of character model. The books practically do not describe how Peter looked, and how many years he was exactly. In the cartoon, he vaguely resembles the mythical character Pan because of his pipe, a sharp hat and a suit. It is known that the boy is very beautiful, and his snow-white smile is especially attractive. And in 2002, a sequel was released, which, however, did not become as memorable.
2003 film
One of the most famous film adaptations in which the character Peter Pan appears, was the picture of 2003, directed by Paul J. Hogan. The plot is most similar to the classic, and the characters and scenery are wonderfully designed. As is customary in the theater, the same actor played the role of Wendy's father and captain Hook. They became the great British performer Jason Isaacs, familiar to the audience for the role of Lucius Malfoy in "Harry Potter". Peter himself was embodied on the screen by 14-year-old Jeremy Sumpter, for whom this image became one of the most important in his career. Wendy's party went to actress Rachel Heard-Wood, who in the future expected great success in the cinema. It is noteworthy that in the picture there is an alternative end available for those who bought the disc.
Other adaptations
Peter Pan is a character with many faces, perhaps even one of the most diverse in history. The book has been filmed a huge number of times, including several countries. Not everyone prefers to follow the canon, so often authors come up with their own versions and interpretations.
A good example of this approach is the British mini-series Neverland, in which Hook and Peter live together in London, but accidentally end up on a magical island with the boys from the orphanage. The main storyline there is dedicated to the captain's appeal to the evil side.
And in 2015, the picture "Peng: Return to Netland" was released, where the captain Blackbeard became the main antagonist. This is a kind of backstory of already known events.
Among others, there is even the Soviet film "Peter Pan" in 1987 and many others that simply cannot be enumerated, not to mention theatrical productions.