Peter Pan - Sherman Brothers

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 8:32pm

Speaking of the Sherman Brothers, how is their score to Peter Pan?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 8:36pm

What year was this production?

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 8:41pm

If I am correct it was broadcast in 1976, Mia Farrow as Peter.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 8:50pm

Gotcha.

The Mia Farrow production was only aired ONCE on TV. Never re-aired, never released to video nor DVD.

I have read that it was so unbelievely dull, that many turned the channel and wished it would have been a re-airing of the Mary Martin version instead.

I have a copy of this from the original airing, and I turned it off after the first five minutes. Unbearable. Haven't even heard one song.

I must pick a day and sit through this thing.

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 8:52pm

Well that's a shame.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 11:32am

I have not heard good things about, though I must admit I am HIGHLY curious about it.....

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 12:43pm

I looked all throughout my Sherman Brothers book and could find absolutely no reference to it (nor have I ever heard of it). Very strange...

Although I did find an awesome picture of the St. James Theatre when Busker Alley was coming (but never opened, due to Tommy Tune breaking his toe). What a small world it is!

~Jessica

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 2:19pm

I'm popping it into the VCR now and will try to watch as I do my work online.

Will put a review here when it is finished.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 4:22pm

Hoep you don't die from boredom. I saw a picture of Mia as pan.. it was a posed publicty shot and a few reviews........ other than that, I have had No exposure to this version

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 4:49pm

Lame. Boring. And above all, BAD.

Cheesy. Unbearable. Nearly shameful. Half the time, just WRONG.

If you think Mary Martin was too much of a "feminine" Peter Pan, then you haven't seen Mia Farrow. Uses her normal female voice, no accent. Very woman-like.

This was not filmed on stage. It was filmed in a television studio. Very little flying. Tinker Bell, Peter's shadow, and fairydust is all animated. When Peter and the Darlings fly over London, all bluescreen lame flying effects. You can easily see the overlapping layers they used (I know, this was 1970's, but they could have done this differently).

The songs were uninspiring. Unemotional. Only there to be classified as a musical. They served no purpose at all. When the Lost Boys sang, they sounded like the chorus you hear when in OLVIER, the boys sing "Food, Glorious Food." Very 'Christmas chorale' like.

I don't know what Captain Hook was. He wasn't scary. He wasn't comical. He wasn't even a villain!! He was only a character involved in a plot. He could have killed Peter Pan easily, he was right behind him, but he heard the Croc, so he let Peter go, and ran away. Oops - WALKED away.

The only thing that had potential was in the beggining, after Wendy sows on Peter's shadow. He dances around the room, and there is an animated (think Disney) shadow on the walls, immitating and sometimes doing the opposite of what Peter Pan was doing.

Tinker Bell sounded like an alien spaceship.

I saw it once, and I wish I hadn't seen it. This gives PETER PAN a bad name. Be glad it is not on DVD. Be glad you will not see this.

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 4:58pm

So is this really have Sherman Brothers music in it? Seems strange that they would have absolutely no reference to it in their book. I will have to look into this...

~Jessica

Updated On: 8/4/04 at 04:58 PM

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 5:06pm

Okay, according to imdb.com Anthony Newley wrote the songs. I sure hope that is true as I wouldn't want the Shermans to be connected to something that sounds so horrible!

~Jessica

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 5:08pm

Danny kaye was Hook.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 6:00pm

How was Mia's singing voice?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 6:46pm

Let's put it this way. She can sing, but her voice was all wrong for Peter Pan.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 12:43am

Also forgot to mention that Julie Andrews sings a song for the opening credits.

[Phantom487]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 2:27am

The score to the 1976 Mia Farrow "Peter Pan" was written by Leslie Bricusse. After searching for this version for YEARS, I founally got it on video... and I must say - it's HORRIBLE. All the singing is CLEARLY dubbed very poorly. The flying effects (or a lack there of) are crappy. And the acting isn't really beleivable. Stick to the Mary Martin, or the new Cathy Rigby videos if you want a good "Peter Pan".....

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 12:49pm

Agree 100% with everything you said.

[Phantom487]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 2:57pm

Correct me if I'm wrong... but didn't the Sherman Brothers write the music to the DISNEY "Peter Pan"??? I'm pretty sure they did.........

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 3:32pm

Phantom - nope, I'm sorry. The 1953 Peter Pan's songs were written by Frank Churchill, Sammy Fain, Ted Sears, Oliver Wallace and Jack Lawrence.

To my knowledge the Sherman Brothers have never been involved in any Peter Pan production - so I'm actually not quite sure why they were worked into this thread at all...

~Jessica

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 3:32pm

They might have.. I am not sure myself.

Everything I have heard about Mia's pan is AWFUL, but i still want to see it... at least for the experience.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 7:41pm

The Sherman Brothers WERE involved in Disney's PETER PAN - but they did not "write" anything for it. I'm not quite sure what they did, to tell you the truth, but I have seen their name pop up on a few searches for Disney.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 7:56pm

Has Leslie Bricusse ever written ANYTHING that wasn't dull?

Ever hear his score for the movie SCROOGE? (No, I haven't seen the film, but our local radio station only has four Christmas albums and SCROOGE is one of them!)

DR> DOOLITTLE isn't much better.

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 8:29pm

The Sherman Brothers were not even WITH Disney when Peter Pan came out - if in fact you are talking about the 1953 animated version. If you are not, then please let me know which one you are referring to and I will look in my Sherman Brothers book.

~Jessica

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 8:40pm

Perhaps it was the 1960s or 1970s Peter Pan on Ice show in London. It featured songs from Disney and the Leigh/Charlap musical version, including new songs, I believe.

I'll have to take a day and research this.