Wonderful Movie

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

I just rewatched this classic Disney cartoon for the first time in half a century and was vastly amused. Prokoviev's music was fine, the animation was sprightly, Sterling Hayden's narration held the same amusing, quavery-voiced simplicity as always, and Walt Disney, famed as a rabid anti-communist and union hater, had produced a fine parable of the power of collective action to resist a vile oppressor in defiance of the warnings of the old and outmoded authority figures of a patriarchal society.This is not something that will strike your average, or even your above-average youngster being exposed to this fine piece of narrated program music, but that is clearly the subtext as Peter disobeys his grandfather to go hunting the wolf in the company of other members of the lumpen-proletariat, in the form of a cat and two birds -- natural enemies. Nor is the army -- represented by the hunters with their bombastic kettle drums -- of much help, for Peter, the woodpecker and the cat have already captured the wolf and mother Duck is found to have survived. The people have triumphed! I doubt if Disney thought much about this. The music is still good, and the art is still excellent. But the thought amuses me.

This is definitely an underrated short movie, that I haven't seen around for ages. Though when I was a kid, I was absolutely terrified of the wolf, and his music, provided by three french horns. My younger sister is still terrified of this movie, and she still refuses to see it. What makes it memorable, is the music by Prokoviev. I loved it how he used a different instrument for each character, such as the flute for the bird and the clarinet for the cat. Actually, contrary to another review, I liked Sterling Holloway's narration. Sure it got a little distracting, but it is a kids movie, and Peter and the Wolf is one of those works where a narrator is obligatory. The animation is spot on, but it is easy to get frightened by the wolf. All in all, a memorable and underrated musical memory. Before I round off, I once had the video where it had two other shorts, the land of symphony and Isle of Jazz short and the one with Mickey Mouse conducting the orchestra. I'm just wondering if I'm the only one who remembers them. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Because crocodiles are always getting the hots for them!!LOL More seriously, few animals have had a facial expression mold an image of how they look more than wolves. Some say their howl gave them their reputation, I think it's their growl, & teeth baring. Traditionally, paintings of wolves showed them growling enough to easily lead to the impression that the snarl is a permanent facial fixture, & that image is reflected in the way they're drawn in animations like PATW. If cartoons of the time were all one had to go by, one could easily believe wolves look like hairy crocodiles w/ bushy tails & long legs who's dental daggers are on 24/7 display. Of coarse, their noses aren't that long, & they don't snarl much more than most any other canine, although their growl is a little more menacing. This was my favorite version of the musical, & my favorite portrayal of the wolf. I remember a stage-play version where the wolf was played by some hot babe who shook her booty to the wolf music. Not that my hormones weren't kicking in yet, but I liked the good & ferocious wolf of the 1946 Disney version, & didn't cotton to the awesome score being adapted to sexual overtones. I think I've noticed some versions of this try to downplay the wolf's music, probably because it was too dark & menacing for such a cute story.Probably thought it a genre conflict. However, Disney probably said "That's not conflict! That's CONTRAST!" Disney-true to its nature, is legendary at blendingsomething that's kid-friendly & something that's dark sided enough toentertain older watchers. They don't say it's for all ages for nothing!Best 10 minute feature Disney ever had. Would love to see the RichLittle version. Heard that he used the voice of Carol Channing as theDuck, Paul Lynd as the cat, & Richard Nixon as the wolf.Scene where folks are dancing in the street over the wolf's capture wouldn't go over well where wolves are being reintroduced however.

Peter and the Wolf is a fine little gem, but seriously marred by Sterling Halloway's narration. I mean come on, do we really need him commenting on everyone's actions, begging Peter to, "Do something quick!" It's not only distracting, it takes away from the music as well.Not that "Peter" is without hope. In fact, its finest moments are in the beginning when the characters are introduced with the music (To this day, "The Cat", known in this film as Sasha, is one of my favorite pieces.). Detail is meticulous; words are written in Russian when the average viewer wouldn't even notice, and watch the Wolf as he climbs up the tree and splinters wood everywhere. But honestly, Sterling Halloway, fine as he is playing Winnie the Pooh, adds nothing. In fact, he lessens the impact of what's going on. It would have been much better to let the music tell the story and have the characters themselves move in pantomime. If only...