Youthful ‘Peter Pan’ hits the half-century mark
Peter Pan soars to new heights this week. On Tuesday, Disney will release a “Special Edition” of its 1952 animated classic on VHS ($25) and for the first time on DVD ($30). Among the disc’s supplemental features will be a “Making of …” documentary segment (also included on the VHS) and audio commentary by Roy Disney, animation historian Leonard Maltin and legendary Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston.
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“Return to Never Land” opens Friday in theaters. Captain Hook inadvertently kidnaps Wendy’s daughter, Jane, in this “next generation” animated sequel.
`Puppy Love’ snares fans of Clifford
On Valentine’s Day, it is customary to share with someone you love something big and red. They don’t come bigger or redder than Clifford, the Big Red Dog. “Puppy Love,” just unleashed on video, is a collection of four stories from the popular animated preschool series based on the Scholastic books. Also new to video Thursday is “Winnie the Pooh: Un-Valentine’s Day,” in which Rabbit’s decree that Valentine’s Day be canceled is ignored after Pooh anonymously receives a jug of honey and reciprocates with an avalanche of Valentine greetings for his friends. Each video retails for $13.
Poetry helps teens communicate
There are some things teens can’t tell their parents, but poetry gives one creative writing class a voice in “Reading Your Heart Out,” a presentation of HBO Family’s “Parent Handbook” series. This often-wrenching 30-minute program is a plea for parents to listen to their children as these young poets, ages 14 and younger, address issues about which they might not be comfortable talking to their parents.
The most gripping scenes are those in which the students courageously perform their works in front of their parents. “You think I live in a happy world,” one student reads. “I live in a happy hell.”
Parents can preview the program at 11:20 p.m. Wednesday and then watch it with their teens at 8:15 p.m. Feb. 17.