We all know the story of Peter Pan. Or do we? Pan is a re-imagined version of the little boy who wouldn’t grow up. Actually, it’s the beginning of his story.

Little baby Peter was left on the doorstep of a London orphanage. This story takes up twelve years later with Peter (Levi Miller) who is a nice little guy but is often up to some mischief. He has good intentions, but after all, who could be good all the time when surrounded by evil nuns? Then one by one the boys begin to vanish in the middle of the night. It’s the middle of World War II so it’s not a stretch to think they have been taken to safety. But when Peter is snatched, he discovers what is going on.

Peter and the other boys are whisked away by pirates on a flying ship. It manages to evade the fighter planes in the sky over London, and then flies up past the second star to the right. Yep. You guessed it. It lands in Neverland, a magical world filled with fairies, mermaids, and all the wonders with which we are familiar. But that’s not quite all the story.

Peter and the others must work in the mines. They were brought there to work for the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman). They are mining for fairy dust. Peter is in for an awakening, as are viewers. This is not exactly the Neverland we know. First of all, Peter’s new friend is James Hook (Garrett Hedlund) who will eventually become Captain Hook. But for now he is really a good guy. Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara) is a trusted warrior who helps the fight against Blackbeard. Ultimately, viewers see the beginning of the boy we now know as the hero of Neverland – Peter Pan.

This is a magical story that adds another layer to viewers’ knowledge of Neverland. Is it all in Peter’s imagination? After all, he is definitely an imaginative little boy. It is a fantasy that fans of the little hero will embrace.

Besides the Blu-ray disc, the combo pack also includes DVD disc, Ultraviolet code, and several bonus features. For instance, a feature looks at the origins of the Peter Pan story from the time the boy first appeared in any story. Author J. M. Barrie first included Peter in a story called “The Little White Bird.” Then the orphan had his own story in the play “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.” From there this major literary character grew and grew and most of us simply know him from the Disney animated film.

Another bonus looks at the casting of Levi Miller who admits he was thrilled beyond belief to get the part of Peter. This was his first major role. A bonus feature focuses on ‘The Scoundrels of Neverland’ and all the characters who make up the nefarious side of the story. And the final bonus feature takes viewers on a tour of the locations in the film.

Pan is also available in a single-disc DVD that includes the bonus about casting Levi Miller. There is also a combo pack with a 3D disc.

Pan is rated PG for fantasy action violence, language, and some thematic elements.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

The Merry Widow stars Lana Turner and Fernando Lamas in this often-told story based on the famous operetta by composer Franz Lehar. Actually, this is just one of the movies based on this story. It was reproduced throughout the 20th century.

The story is about a wealthy American widow, Crystal Radek (Turner), who has just inherited $80 million. The year is 1900 and at that time (it still is) $80 million was a lot of money. Her husband came from a tiny country of Marchovia, which currently is on the verge of bankruptcy. If they cannot pay their debt, Austria will come in and annex the tiny country.

The king devises a plan. He proposes to bring the widow to Marshovia and have his playboy nephew Danilo (Lamas) woo her, marry her, and therefore solve their financial problems. Danilo is no stranger to wooing women. He loves women. Reluctantly he agrees to go along with the plan, which is basically an order from the king. But through mistaken identity, Danilo thinks he is to woo Mrs. Radek’s assistant who is traveling with her. He does not find her attractive and balks at the plan, but the king has ordered him to seduce her and he intends to do so, reluctantly.

When the two women discover the plan, they immediately leave for Paris. There they devise their own plan. All the men of Paris are after the rich widow, so they two women change identities. When Danilo comes to Paris to finish what he started, he falls in love with a woman he thinks is poor. He and Mrs. Radek do have feelings for each other, even though he thinks she is someone else. What is he to do? Follow his heart of save his country?

The Merry Widow was originally produced on film in 1925. This was a silent version starring John Gilbert and Mae Murray. It was reproduced in 1934 with Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald. This 1952 version was nominated for two Academy Awards. This is a film with big sets and lavish musical numbers. It represents the quintessential musical of the time. It was nominated for an Oscar for best art direction and set decoration for a color film, and for best costume design for a color film.

This 1952 version was not the final time the story was produced. In 1958 a version starred June Bronhill and Thomas Round was produced for TV, and in 1968 there was another TV movie starring Mary Costa and Jeremy Brett and in 1988 the story was reimagined with Joan Sutherland and Ron Stevens. 1983 brought a ballet version of the famous operetta to TV viewers.

Needless to say, this is a story that has captured the hearts of audiences for a century.

The Merry Widow is part of the Warner Archive Collection and can be ordered from their website.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter