HOOK
US, 1992, 144 minutes, Colour.
Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Caroline Goodall, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith, Phil Collins, Gwyneth Paltrow.
Directed by Steven Spielberg.
Hook is definitely a Steven Spielberg movie. Spielberg was in the fortunate position of being able to make multimillion-dollar versions of his favourite stories. He had always liked Peter Pan (an inspiration for ET) and in his life he had been accused of being an eternal child. However, Hook tells something of the story of Steven Spielberg in middle age.
Robin Williams is perfectly cast as Peter (both his serious - Dead Poets, Awakenings - side and his zany - Good Morning Vietnam, Fisher King - side). In middle age he has become a company lawyer, a corporate pirate who has forgotten his origins and neglects his children. His children are then abducted by Captain Hook, who wants to do battle in revenge with Peter. Dustin Hoffman's performance as Hook is highly entertaining, his gap and buck-toothed impersonation of Lionel Jeffries captures the spirit of Hook.
Tinkerbell is very American in Julia Roberts' portrayal of the fairy. She comes to the rescue and Peter rediscovers his boyhood, learns to fly, confronts Hook and, most importantly, rescues his children and takes on happily the responsibility of growing up. Spielberg's message is that the rediscovery of childhood does not mean remaining the eternal child but accepting responsibility and the joy of being a parent.
Hook has plenty to entertain children. There is quite a bit to intrigue adults who like myths and story analyses - although Never-Never? Land does look like a huge theme park of the '90s. (An interesting comparison is the dream of the Wizard of Oz, which the structure of Hook resembles.) There is an excellent supporting cast with Maggie Smith as Grandma Wendy, Bob Hoskins as Smee, Charlie Korsmo as young Jack, Caroline Goodall as Moira. As with most of Spielberg's films, there is a rousing John Williams score.
1.The popularity of Peter Pan? Fantasy? The psychological aspects of the Peter Pan story, the eternal youth, never growing up, losing his shadow, accepting responsibility?
2.The films of Steven Spielberg, their appeal for younger audiences? His fondness for children and children's stories? Entertainment, ET and the influence of Peter Pan? Spielberg and his Americanising the fantasies? The opening with the school play about Peter Pan?
3.The big budget, the sets (with the look of the theme park)? High budget? Decor of the '90s? Special effects, stunts? The quality of the cast? John Williams score?
4.The film's love for the work by J.M. Barrie, respect for Barrie? Americanising it? The dream structure of the film and the similarities with the dream structure and fable aspects of The Wizard of Oz?
5.Robin Williams as Peter, serious and zany? Middle age, busy with his mobile phone? Watching his daughter in the play but answering the phone? Forgetting his childhood? Not going to his son's ball game - but sending the man to video it? The comic High Noon fast draw with the mobile phones? His growing angers, his competitiveness, companies and amalgamations? Million-dollar deals? His neglect of his children, their anger, the anger of his wife?
6.The journey to England, his fear of planes and flying? His motives for going to England - Grandma Wendy? His daughter's drawing and his not having a parachute (and her later making him one)? Jack and his throwing the ball onto the locker - and the confusion and upheaval in the plane? His fears, trying to understand himself, rationalise his behaviour with his children? The alienation? The arrival, wanting good manners to impress? The phone calls, Moira throwing the phone out the window - and the dog burying it? The importance of Moira's strong speech and the plea for his being attentive to his children before their childhood was over?
7.Maggie Smith as Grandma Wendy, audience response to the Peter Pan stories and Wendy? Her version of the Peter Pan stories? Lisa and her laughter? Tootles and his losing his marbles? The dog - and the phone? Wendy's going to the ceremony, Peter's speech about her goodness to the orphans? The ominous opening of the windows and the cold? Going home, Captain Hook's note, the children gone?
8.Tinkerbell appearing, Peter's doubts, his concern for his children, the need to change? Arguing with Tinkerbell? Proving that he was rational and not Peter Pan? Her taking him to Never-Never? Land? His vision of Never-Never? Land, the wharves, the people, the ships? His disguise, Captain Hook and Smee? Hook boasting about the kidnapping, confronting the doubting sailor and putting him in the box? Confronting Peter Pan, mocking him? The children in the net, Peter trying to rescue, afraid of heights, reaching out and falling? Tinkerbell and her intervention and three days to get ready for the fight?
9.Tinkerbell taking Peter to the Lost Boys, his harshness, not being persuaded about being Peter Pan? The leader and his punk style, relationship with the other boys, the sword, resenting Peter Pan's return? The relationship with Tinkerbell, his being factual, her trying to persuade him otherwise? The boys eating the imaginary food? Tinkerbell's tour, finding the teddy bear, the jogging of his memories? His telling her the story, Peter Pan and the children, trying to get his shadow? The adventures year by year, the friendship with Wendy, her growing older, marrying, her children, seeing Moira and wanting to marry her? The kiss? His getting good thoughts, learning how to fly, the exhilaration of flying, becoming Peter Pan again, playing with the boys, eating the food, their throwing it at one another (colourfully)? His going into training, the plan for the attack?
10.Dustin Hoffman and his style as Captain Hook? The blend of the sinister and the stupid? His relationship with Smee? Tough, his manner, the British 18th century pirate? The challenge? His deciding to follow Smee's advice and turn the children against their father? The classroom, Jack changing and becoming a replica of Hook? Maggie's resistance?
11.The third day, the readiness to fight, the battle - and Spielberg's comic battles with mock injuries - and the shooting through the credit card? The children, Jack and his identifying with Hook? Maggie and her appeal to her father? Jack's growing bewilderment, recognising his father? The leader of the Lost Boys and his fight with Hook, his death? The unmasking - the unwigging of Hook? Being pathetic? Maggie saying that he needed a mother? The final fight with Peter, the boys and the clocks and Hook's fear of clocks - and the crocodile falling and devouring him?
12.Peter as Peter Pan rather than the middle-aged corporate pirate? Becoming the true Peter Pan but growing up? Flying with his children, returning to London? The reuniting with Moira, Wendy satisfied that he had become the true Peter Pan? Waking up under the statue and seeing Smee as the cleaner? The change, finding the phone, going up the drainpipe, leaving the windows open, throwing the phone away?
13.Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell, American fairy, the story, her jealousy, helping Peter, growing to normal size - but returning to her fairy size - and the farewell to Peter?
14.Wendy and her story, Peter remembering, Moira, the birth of Jack, the maturity of wanting to be a father and wanting to grow up?
15.Smee, attentive to Hook, advice, robbing him?
16.The Lost Boys, the motley group, their '90s appearance, dancing, vocabulary? (Echoes of rock videos and video games)? The fat boy and his engaging personality, leadership, rolling himself into a ball and demolishing the enemy? Peter making him leader?
17.Tootles, recovering his marbles and flying over London for a happy ending?
18.The Peter Pan story and its myth of the eternal youth, the boy who lost his shadow, could never grow up - but falls in love, wants to become a father, grows up and takes on responsibility?
19.The contrast with the technological world and its being mocked, Moira's strong speeches?
20.The structure of the film like The Wizard of Oz - the events, a fantasy dream, the returning to reality much the wiser?
