Neverland (2003/I)

Director:

Damion Dietz

Writer:

Damion Dietz (writer)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Never grow up. Never grow old.

Plot Keywords:

Gay Interest | One Word Title | Peter Pan | Never Neverland | Pirate Costume

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Deborah Quayle	...	Mrs. Darling
Marcus Reynaga	...	Michael
Wil Wheaton	...	John
Melany Bell	...	Wendy Darling
David Jahn	...	Mr. Darling
Joey	...	Nana
Stephanie Kirchen	...	Liza (as Stephanie Orff)
Rick Sparks	...	Peter Pan
Kari Wahlgren	...	Tink
Ryan Patrick Kelly	...	Tootles
Ian Mantha	...	Slightly
Eli Swanson	...	Curly
Zac Cole	...	Nibs (as Zach Cole)
Tyler Kremer	...	Twin #1
Nathan Towry	...	Twin #2
Jake Winsryg	...	Tink's Kid
Gary Kelley	...	Hook
Scott Mechlowicz	...	Smee
Kevin Christy	...	Crocodile
Reed Prescott	...	Boyfriend
Ray Garcia	...	Tiger Lily
Monica Louwerens	...	Indian
Yayoi Ito	...	Indian
Karen Blake Challman	...	Indian Dancer
Roman Vasquez	...	Indian
Red Savage	...	Indian (as Samuel 'Red' Savage)
Al Bee	...	Indian
Saadia Billman	...	Mermaid
Elena Fabri	...	Mermaid
Jill Kocalis	...	Mermaid
Karim Imam	...	Cecco
Gilbert Aguilera	...	Starkey
Richard John Walters	...	Bill Jukes
Steven Reiswig	...	Cookson
Craig Jackman	...	Park Announcer

Directed by
Damion Dietz

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Damion Dietz		writer

Produced by
Damion Dietz	....	producer
Stephanie Kirchen	....	producer (as Stephanie Orff)
Elyse Rogers	....	line producer

Original Music by
Jeffery Alan Jones

Cinematography by
Derek Dale

Film Editing by
Scott Baldyga

Costume Design by
Mary Kelly

Makeup Department
Cheri Law	....	assistant makeup artist
Oscar Loya	....	makeup artist
Chip Swalley	....	assistant makeup artist
Anne Wheaton	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Vince Filippone	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dave Jackson	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Kenneth Bryson	....	set builder
Gary Dennis	....	set builder
Mary Ellen	....	set builder
Richard Kelloway	....	dressing prop
Adrian Start	....	paint supervisor
Nic Stubbings	....	dressing props: dailies
Gene Tewksbury	....	set builder

Sound Department
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Jeffery Alan Jones	....	sound designer
Jeffery Alan Jones	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeffery Alan Jones	....	supervising sound editor
Patrick Mattison	....	assistant sound editor
Patrick Mattison	....	boom operator
Scott Parker	....	assistant sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Scott Alcala	....	assistant camera
Saadia Billman	....	still photographer
Hollywood Heard	....	electrician
Hollywood Heard	....	grip
Shuji Kobayashi	....	still photographer
Terence Pratt	....	gaffer (as Terry Pratt)
Terence Pratt	....	still photographer (as Terry Pratt)
Darryl St. Juste	....	best boy
Darryl St. Juste	....	electrician
Darryl St. Juste	....	grip
Brad Wallace	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Elena Fabri	....	casting assistant
Joanna Sims	....	casting assistant

Music Department
Pablo Mathiason	....	music supervisor
Elyse Rogers	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Michael McMullen	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Stephanie Anne	....	craft service
Scott Baldyga	....	script supervisor
Stephen Bealey	....	production assistant
Saadia Billman	....	unit publicist
Joe Constantino	....	production assistant
Kristin Cronin	....	production assistant
Alan Johnson	....	choreographer
Patrick Kirchen	....	courier
Kurt Koehler	....	production assistant
Mistress Simone	....	technical advisor

Production Companies

• New Media Entertainment LLC

Distributors

• Water Bearer Films (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Water Bearer Films (2004) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Alan Audio Works  sound post-production
• Carney & Delaney LLC  legal services
• Dubscape  post-production facilities
• Film Payment Services  payroll services
• Frantone's Bellflower  catering
• Future Image  photo reproduction
• Hollywood Digital  post-production facilities
• Hot Topic  additional costumes
• Jet Rag  additional costumes
• Pic  Indian costumes
• Picante, Pasadena  catering

Runtime:

USA:83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Bellflower, California, USA

Company:

New Media Entertainment LLC

Soundtrack:

Cancer

Amazing study in social satire with a classic spin.

A black Wendy? A juvenile delinquent Michael? A community college drop-out John? Obviously this isn't your grandparent's Peter Pan. These and many other stylish changes can be found in Damion Dietz's update of the J.M. Barrie classic, while sticking closely to the plot points of the original.

In fact, Neverland does follow the main points of the story fairly closely, which is scary considering the result. It's actually pretty amazing how easily Dietz was able to change certain plot points to make them fit a more contemporary backdrop. When he is introduced, Peter is looking for the keys to his car, nicknamed, appropriately enough, "My Shadow." Neverland is a run-down amusement park peopled by drug-addled "faeries" and runaway "lost boys." Tiger Lily is a performing drag queen from one of the park's cheezy revues. The pirates are costumed "cast members" of the park and Captain Hook a disgruntled janitor. Even the crocodile makes an appearance, in the form of a costumed nebbish whose one-night stand with Hook has him stalking the man for another "taste." All fit perfectly into the scheme of the Dietz update.

So much so, that when certain anachronistic fantasy elements are presented, it is pretty strange. Cute, but kind of creepy, too, given the hyper-real Kids-meets-Urbania motivations of this film. Especially when Tinkerbell makes with the "fairy dust" so that the "kids" can fly away to Neverland in a kaleidoscope of imagery and MTV jumpcuts with a grinding, hard-edged musical backbeat.

One aspect which could have used some fancifying, however, is the main character of Peter Pan. As presented by Dietz, he is an arrogant, snot-nosed punk; a poster child for disaffected youth and a thoroughly unlikeable hero who thinks he has the answer to all of life's problems. Oh, he's pretty enough, but whereas the Peter Pan of the original novel, was a high-flying sprite who was ageless and literally lived in a fantasy world, Dietz Pan is a brooding, whiney, trash-talking runaway, who simply refuses to grow up. Countered by a grounded and grown-up Wendy, who emerges as the true hero of the story, Peter comes across as the kid that everyone thinks is cool until the chips are down and he proves himself unworthy of the praise.

By contrast, the homoerotic motivations of Gary Kelley's Hook add dimension to what has always been a literary cypher. He fairly bristles with contempt for the lost boys living in the maintenance tunnels of the park, because they represent that which he has lost. His pomposity is also given a dark edge by his dead-end job as a janitor and his hate for the one "boy" he has always wanted, but could never have.

Setting the story in a theme park is an inspiration, as it allows for all the various fanciful "characters" which lend the novel its charm--pirates, mermaids, indians, etc.--to move about freely, without dragging the film too far from the reality it is grounded by. In the end, however, this updated version is pretty desolate and joyless, so don't expect to be humming "you can fly" when you're done watching it. If, however, what you're looking for is a creative and fascinating departure from form, a la the various contemporary updates of Shakespeare's work, then Neverland is an amazing study in social satire with a classic spin.