By Hook or by Crook
Lost Boys to attend 25th anniversary of Hook at the Long Center
By Jessi Cape, 1:15PM, Fri. Nov. 20, 2015
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years since we first heard the Lost Boys chant, "Rufio, Rufio, Ru-fi-oooooo!" in Hook.
The Long Center is partnering with the Alamo Drafthouse for an interactive movie event celebrating Steven Spielberg’s beloved spin on Neverland, complete with toy cell phones, inflatable swords, and Pixy Stix, and of course, a quote-along. With Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell, Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook, Maggie Smith as (Granny) Wendy, and the late, great Robin Williams as a grownup, bogged down Peter, this charming retelling of Peter Pan is sure to sprinkle some much-needed magic back in your life.
On the bazillion quotable lines in the film, Henri Mazza, VP of special events at the Drafthouse said in an email interview, “As I was building out the event, I realized there were a lot more than I thought! Obviously the whole exchange between Peter and Rufio over the food fight table that culminates in ‘You lewd, crude, rude, bag of pre-chewed food, dude’ is amazing. Although I think what I'm most excited about hearing the audience at the Long Center quote will actually be when they all crow-along with Peter. I'm pretty sure that will be a sound that has never been heard in a performing arts center like that before, unless there was a really rowdy performance of the Peter Pan musical that I missed out on.”
Lost Boys Rufio (Dante Basco) and Don’t Ask (James Madio) will be in attendance for the event for a short intro and a post-screening moderated conversation with plenty of audience questions.
“I think there's so much brilliance in the original story of Peter Pan, and for me it was probably the first time I wanted to get lost in a work of fiction for total wish fulfillment. Never growing up? Always staying a boy and having fun? When I was a kid, I didn't realize that you could also have fun as an adult, and I wanted that so much,” said Mazza. “But then revisiting that story from the perspective of a fully grown Peter who doesn't even remember his time in Neverland brings on this entirely new magical state of being. We remember all the references that Peter doesn't get, and it's impossible not to root for him to get his sense of magic back.”
And remember: Every time someone says “I don’t believe in fairies,” one of the magical little creatures drops dead. So, second star to the right and straight on till morning!
The 25th anniversary screening of Hook screens at the Dell Hall at the Long Center, January 30, 2016, 7:30pm. For tickets and more info, see here.
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Hook, Robin Williams, Tinkerbell, Alamo Drafthouse, Rufio, Long Center