Peter Pan , Captain Hook , Tinkerbell , the lose boy and the darling family all originate in the mind of J.M. Barrie -lrb- 1860-1937 -rrb- and first come to life on the London stage in 1904 . a instant success , it have be through many adaptation but have remain a staple of both stage and screen for over one hundred year , attract such talent as Maude Adams , Jean Arthur , Boris Karloff , Mary Martin , and Cyril Ritchard . among the most durable interpretation be the 1953 animated version from Walt Disney . Walt Disney Studios break new ground in the 1930 and early 1940 with such memorable film as SNOW WHITE , DUMBO , and FANTASIA -- but World War II prove a major drain on studio resource , and it be not until the release of PETER PAN that the studio once more hit its stride : a truly remarkable flight of fancy grace with stunning art , animation , and characterization , it have since become one of the studio 's `` signature '' film , one of the handful of animated film by which other animated film be judge . the story differ slightly from both the earlier and later stage and film production , but the core remain the same . Peter Pan , the boy who refuse to grow up , visit the darling family of late-victorian London -- and entice the child away to never never land and the joy of fight pirate , battle Indians , rolick with the lose boy , and pixie dust provide -lrb- with comic ill-will -rrb- by a honest-to-goodness fairy name Tinkerbell . and for once the restoration be indeed all it be crack to be : the color be the intense , jewel-like range of Technicolor , return the film to golden warmth of its original design ; the sound be almost flawless ; and the bonus offer insight into the creative process involve . there have be some complaint that PETER pan contain racist overtone in its portrait of never never land 's Indians . the accusation of racism have haunt Disney over the year , arise in connection with DUMBO 's crow , a edit in FANTASIA design to exclude a singularly unfortunate portrait of servile `` centaurette , '' and the SONG of the south , a film the studio have do its best to sweep entirely under the rug . those film must be judge on they own merit , but where PETER PAN be concern -- and I speak as a person of native american origin -- the `` Red Skins '' be not present in a meanspirited light ; they be instead as much fairtale character as the wonderfully imagine Tinkerbell and Captain Hook . I suspect that most child already know that cartoon character be not really real , but if you worry that you own child might take it amiss there be certainly no harm in point out that rather obvious fact . Disney bonus tend to be hit-or-miss , but in this instance they be more hit than miss . the `` Games and Activities '' be rather tiresome , as be the music video `` the Scond Star to the Right . '' but the behind-the-scenes feature be knock-out all the way , offer early interpretation of the story , song that be write and later drop , and all the rest . the audio commentary , which include numerous current and archival comment , be particularly informative and enjoyable . I be not one of these `` Disney freak '' who fall all over himself with every studio release . there be indeed Disney film , include some very famous one , that I do not much like ; there have be some `` restore '' release that do not greatly impress I . but there be no two way about this one : this be a great restoration of a great animated film . strongly recommend . GFT , Amazon Reviewer