Peter and the Wolf (1946)

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.

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.

My two boys loved this movie. They wore out the VHS version years ago and I am searching for a DVD copy. It is a great story and captivated them from the first scene. I had heard and seen the story many times, in many formats, but this rendition was appropriate both to the story and for audiences of varying ages. The soundtrack is intriguing and helped me to interest my boys in the sounds of various instruments. Although not as sophisticated as modern animation, the characters are cleverly drawn and engaging. I highly recommend this version of the classic story and hope to see it in DVD form soon. I have two 'teenagers' who would be embarrassed but secretly pleased to see it again.

This 1946 version of Prokofiev's "Musical Fairy-Tale" is probably my favourite of Disney's animated adaptations. Peter and the Wolf was clearly ideal for this type of film - I read somewhere that Prokofiev wrote the piece with Disney in mind - and Uncle Walt doesn't let us down. It's (hilariously) funny, genuinely scary and even touching. Favourite moment: the wolf drooling over Sacha the duck's prone body. Shiver. Note: After many years unavailability in the UK, this is now available on DVD either separately or as part of Make Mine Music, the compilation film in which it received its original theatrical release. From memory (and it's been years), Peter and the Wolf is vastly better than anything else in the larger film - the only other bit worth a glance is a segment about a whale singing opera.