I have, as regular readers of this blog know, strong feelings on JM Barrie’s seminal masterpiece Peter Pan and Wendy and its many adaptations.
Peter Pan and the Pirates was an animated series that ran on Fox Kids from 1990 to 1991 and, like all animated adaptations had to contend with comparisons to the Disney version of the nineteen fifties. This obvious comparison (and, I suspect, a desire to avoid leaving blood in the water for Disney’s lawyers) is why we get some of the most radical visual departures from how these characters are usually portrayed with the biggest change doubtless being the series’ depiction of one Jas. Hook.
Now, I’ll be honest I really don’t like this design. I get that the white hair and the black outfit is a deliberate subversion but the hook and crossbones on his his hat is goofy and his face looks more like a background henchman than a devious pirate king.
But, my God, none of that really matters because the creators got Tim Curry to voice him and we get probably the single best depiction of Captain Hook in any medium. I personally prefer Jason Isaacs because he looks perfect but Curry just eats this part alive.
And the great thing is, that for once the writers seemed to realise the gift they’d been given and they proceeded to give him Shakespeare. The writers delighted in giving Curry the most verbose, beautifully ornate dialogue and letting him go to town.
But for all the fun (and it’s is very, very fun), Curry gets at the darkness and majesty of the character in a way that very few actors have.
In the episode Ages of Pan, Peter succeeds in trapping Hook, tying him to a tree and threatening to kill him with a crossbow. And Hook faces him, entirely unflinching, and psychologically destroys him with words alone.
This? This is what Hook should always be.
Evil, Sexy, Evilly Sexy or Funny Accent?: Mostly evil, with a soupcon of Funny Accent given how he pronounces boy as “boi” like he’s on Total Request live circa 1998.
I was about to remark that ‘Resting Henchman Face’ is more fitted for Billy Bones than Captain Hook (Long John Silver, of course, has a fine example of ‘Onest ‘inglishman Face – if John Ford had ever made a TREASURE ISLAND one would hope he showed the good taste to cast Mr Victor McLaglen in the role – and abuses it with scant shame) but then it struck me that Mr Tim Curry played both Captain Hook, Long John Silver AND the Pirate King from THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE.
Throw in Captain Blood and he’d have completed the Grand Slam!
Also, might I offer some condolences on a subject near and dear to your heart receiving the approval of one Donald Trump? (Please permit me to express the sympathies of a man who has to share a name with the Worst US President of the 21st Century thus far).
I’m not expecting the Irish to spontaneously restore the Free State in sheer revulsion, but it wouldn’t entirely shock me (Perhaps you can try becoming a Commonwealth Republic as a compromise?).
I vaguely remember seeing a rerun of this as a kid, it was playing on a tv in an airport.
Years later I was listening to Rob Paulsen’s podcast which had Josh Keaton guest starring, Josh had a small part on the show as a kid and talked about his experiences. Amusingly enough IT had just come out and many of the crew were a little nervous working with Mr. Curry because he played the Pennywise role so well. But the kids on the show who were too young to have seen it just had the best time working with him because he was the “fun grown-up.”
After his passing I decided to track down some episodes (not through the most legal means, it’s a little hard to find this show). It’s pretty clear why he got that Emmy Award, he’s obviously having the time of his life. That, and I was surprised to find out there were more than a few animation veterans who worked on this like Michael Reaves and Larry DiTillio.
Loved this show, mostly for Curry, but honestly I think it nailed a lot of the characters and setting. Wish there were better ways to watch it, an official release on a streaming service would be great.
But I’m assuming Disney themselves own it now, because they own Fox, and probably don’t want any Captains Hook hanging around that aren’t their version. Shame.
I should have known Mouse wouldn’t exaggerate the wondrousness of a Tim Curry performance, especially when he was given free reign to do what he did best. But damn, I wasn’t prepared for that speech!
#TeamHook