"Now, remember, Pinocchio: be a good boy. And always let your conscience be your guide."...( read more)Pinocchio - a morality tale based on the serialised stories of Italian author Carlo Collodi about a mischievous puppet who longs to be a real boy. Building on the equipment and techniques developed for Snow White, Pinocchio was released in 1940, and solidified the studio's reputation as the premiere producer of animated entertainment. It was one of the five early animated masterworks Disney presided over at the height of his powers, and decades after its initial theatrical release it remains a technical and emotional marvel which has lost practically none of its appeal, humour or horror.
After creating the first feature-length animated movie in history with 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney followed up the success of this risky gamble with
Told through the fourth wall by the lovable Jiminy Cricket (Edwards), the story is an extremely familiar one, and concerns a lonely woodcarver named Geppetto (Rub). He lives in his workshop with his kitten Figaro and goldfish Cleo, and dreams of having a son. Upon creating a magnificent wooden puppet which he names Pinocchio, Geppetto receives a visit from The Blue Fairy (Venable) who brings the little puppet to life and promises Pinocchio he'll become a real boy if he learns about bravery, loyalty and honesty. The rest of the narrative tracks the naïve, wooden young lad as he is caught up in a series of adventures which put these attributes to the test, while Jiminy Cricket - who has been appointed Pinocchio's conscience - tries to keep him out of trouble.
Chief among the most uneasy, tense sequences of Pinocchio occurs when the titular character is lured to a mysterious place called Pleasure Island whereupon he encounters a number of other young boys. Initially the tone is darkly comical as the lads are allowed free reign to do whatever they want (this involves drinking beer, eating cake, smoking cigars and destroying things). But directors Hamilton Luske and Ben Sharpsteen (who also worked separately on such other Disney animated classics as Dumbo, Cinderella and Peter Pan) slowly begin to build levels of unease; suggesting with ominous imagery that something is not quite right. Yet, the film balances these darker elements with humour and wit, most of which is courtesy of the wise-cracking, but ultimately humble and attentive Jiminy Cricket, who implores viewers at the film's beginning to believe in the magic of wishing upon a star. He's among the most memorable Disney creations: not a mere sidekick, this little guy is the narrator as well as the crucial link between the movie and the audience (he often breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to an audience, which was a rarity in 1940s cinema). Added to this, Cliff Edwards' vocal performance as Jiminy hits all the right notes.
Naturally, another great asset of Pinocchio is the visual appeal. Entirely hand-drawn in a period preceding computer animation, this movie is a dazzling mixture of impressionism and realism, replete with striking colours and an exquisite attention to detail. The artists at Disney played with elements of light & shadow, and managed to create vivid, three-dimensional landscapes inhabited by an array of animated characters. It's apparent that Walt and his crew hadn't perfected lip motion at the time of Pinocchio, but virtually every other aspect of fluid motion animation had been nailed. Furthermore, a variety of animation techniques (now taken for granted) were actually invented for this film. The underwater sequences and animated backgrounds included in this early masterwork helped add depth to what was formerly a fairly flat medium. The intricate details here would be praiseworthy even if they were digitally created...but every frame was manually drawn, inked, coloured and photographed in sequence for Pinocchio. It's a marvel. For those wanting to experience hand-drawn animation at its early apex, this is a movie to be savoured.
Yet, even with all its strengths, this is an inherently flawed movie. Due to the serialised nature of the source material, Pinocchio is divided into vignettes, resulting in a string of unconnected fables lacking a compelling story (and, more importantly, momentum). It's also the most consciously moral of the Disney classics (once again remaining true to the source material). While other Disney films are endowed with messages and lessons, Pinocchio is a little too preachy at times. Lazy narrative elements are mixed in as well, such as the fact that how Geppetto and his companions end up in the belly of a whale remains a perplexing mystery, and that Pinocchio finds out about his father's misfortune because he receives a note that's conveniently dropped by The Blue Fairy. Naturally, copious amounts of Disney syrup have been applied here, which does at times grow pretty overwhelming. The film of course ends with an obligatory happy ending, but it admittedly feels well-earned.
In spite of its flaws, Pinocchio remains integral in the history of animation. Sure, it was the second feature-length animated movie in history behind Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but movie-goers were still sceptical about a cartoon keeping an audience hooked for its entire runtime. If Pinocchio was a failure, it would have proved just as devastating to the company, as Snow White would've been if it hadn't been received so positively. Fortunately, the film was a deserved hit which earned several Oscars (including Best Original Song for When You Wish Upon a Star - the Jiminy Cricket ballad that became the theme for Walt Disney enterprises). By some miracle, too, Disney also managed to release the legendary Fantasia later in the same year.
Charles Judels,
Christian Rub,
Cliff Edwards,
Dickie Jones,
Don Brodie
...( see more
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Inventor Gepetto creates a wooden marionette called Pinocchio. His wish that Pinocchio be a real boy is unexpectedly granted by a fairy. The fairy assigns Jiminy Cricket to act as Pinocchio's "conscie...( read more
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DVD Release Date: March 10, 2009
Stats: 8,648 reviews
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Flixster Reviews (8,648)
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January 8, 2010"Now, remember, Pinocchio: be a good boy. And always let your conscience be your guide."
...( read more)
After creating the first feature-length animated movie in history with 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney followed up the success of this risky gamble with -
December 31, 2009A lot of Disney's best work still holds up today. Pinocchio is an episodic but delightfully twisted film. It's basically a fable on how to choose between right from wrong but who cares when it has some scenes worthy of the best horror films. Pleasure Island is a twisted and terri...( read more)
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September 29, 2009Favourite Disney as a child. Not that it was written by Disney, he just took the credit but unfortunately not enough children (or adults for that matter) realise this.
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February 7, 2010i love gimmeny cricket in this and the kitty thought it was a good disney movie though i noticed disney movies seem so short now compared to when i was a child
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August 15, 2009I am desperately after a copy of this movie. Even a burnt copy will do. Willing to swap other movies. If you have this movie, please message me.
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May 2, 2008I have seen over 500 films. and this is my 14th favourite film of all time. My favourite animated film and favourite DIsney Classic aswell.
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September 2, 2007i dont usually enjoy really old disney movies. but this one is like the best one. i love it. such a classic!
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August 2, 2007Well, not really the best disney can produce, but I don't really think its that bad. We've come a long way, but its still a classic
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