The second feature animated film from Walt Disney was 1940’s Pinocchio. Following up on the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio took the Carlo Collodi story of Pinocchio: Tale of a Puppet and brought it to life as a colourful, adventurous vision of animation. Watching it now, it still remains a classic film with a brightness and an energy that can’t be beat.
It is said that Disney halted early production of the film to resurface it with “better” ideas that deviated from Collodi’s story. Pinocchio was originally supposed to be a sort of wise guy puppet, like in the original novel, but Disney discarded that in favour of a good ol’ boy with lessons to learn and a more boyish appearance than originally designed. In the end, the version of Pinocchio that Disney put to screen was probably more palatable for its intended audience.
The film begins with Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Cliff Edwards) arrives in the workshop of Geppetto (voiced by Christian Rub) to warm up after a cold day outside. It is there that Jiminy observes the completion of Pinocchio, a wooden toy that looks an awful lot like a boy. Geppetto enjoys life with a cat named Figaro and a fish named Cleo, but life seems lonely for the guy and it isn’t long before Jiminy overhears Geppetto wishing that Pinocchio was a real boy.
Of course, a blue fairy (voiced by Evelyn Venable) overhears Geppetto’s wish and aims to make it come true. She brings Pinocchio to life as a puppet and promises that he’ll become a real boy if he remains truthful, unselfish and brave. She says that he’ll need to listen to his conscience and assigns Jiminy Cricket to the task of teaching the puppet right from wrong. It isn’t long, however, before Pinocchio is tested in all three areas and must make the right decisions to become a real boy.
It’s interesting to note that Pinocchio was a loss for Walt Disney at the time of its original release. It wasn’t until a 1947 release that the film regained some ground and, to this day, it is known as a classic Disney picture. Noted for its song “When You Wish Upon A Star,” Pinocchio is one of Disney’s most famous properties. The character of Jiminy Cricket is one of the company’s most endearing figures, even though it clearly looks nothing like a cricket.
Watching Pinocchio is a treat, although Studio Ghibli’s impeccable work still does diminish the overall quality of the animation. It is true that the backgrounds are beautiful and the animation of many of the characters is quite good, but it is rare for a Disney animated picture to reach that “wow” factor of the Ghibli films. Perhaps it is an unfair comparison given the technological advantages Ghibli has now to polish things up. Even so, Disney’s Pinocchio is a colourful, vibrant film.
The story is pretty standard fare, I suppose. Running in easily divided parts, the adventures Pinocchio has are easy to follow and fun. The whale, Pleasure Island and the whole ordeal with Stromboli add some adventure and tension to the picture without overwhelming the main plot point. We never forget what Pinocchio’s ultimate aim is and we never forget that he must behave himself in order to achieve it.
Despite Disney’s modern tendencies to pursue marketing over artistic substance, theirs is a legacy always marked by early delights. Pinocchio is one of those delights, representing a charming period in Disney’s history where things weren’t as much about moving units and toys and were more about telling stories that people could relate to. There’s an innocence to Pinocchio that resonates well and keeps it a timeless tale of right, wrong and crickets that don’t look like crickets at all.
8.9/10
Trailer:
October 30, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Figaro is where it’s at, yo!