Peter and the Wolf (1946)

6.8 ? Aug 15, 1946 0h 15m

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Overview

Disney's animated adaptation of Prokofiev's masterpiece, in which every character is represented musically by a different instrument. Young Peter decides to go hunting for the wolf that's been prowling around the village. Along the way, he is joined by his friends the bird, the duck and the cat. All the fun comes to end, however, when the wolf makes an appearance. Will Peter and his friends live to tell of their adventures?

Overview

Genres

Animation Family

Release Date

August 15, 1946

Rating

6.8 /10

Runtime

0h 15m

Sterling Holloway

Narrator (voice)

CinemaSerf

8.0/10

Jan 29, 2026

So often it’s not just the film itself, but the memories it evokes that can make it special. Every time I see this, I recall the 16mm projector we had in the classroom and the tinny (mono) speaker that belted out the Prokofiev score. With each of the main characters assigned their own, and highly appropriate, musical instrument and with only a sparing narration (in some cases from David Bowie) this tells us the story of a young lad who won’t do what he’s told. Maybe his grandfather ought to have shut the gate, so that “Peter” couldn’t sneak out while he was napping, but he didn’t so out into the snow our intrepid lad goes. Armed with his popgun and accompanied by his friends the bird, the duck and the peckish cat, he is on the trail of the menacing wolf. What chance any of them can survive long enough for the hunters to bring their real guns along? This is my favourite Disney animation. It’s perfectly drawn, characterised and the music brings the whole thing to a mischievous life charmingly. If I were only allowed one short film on my Desert Island, this would be it.

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