Pinocchio Reviews

Con esta película entendí el significado del "body horror", es la película de Disney que mejor maneja todo el tema de "no hablar con extraños y hazle caso a tus padres", utilizando sus elementos fantásticos transmite ala perfección su mensaje y de paso te deja traumas para toda la vida.

Recomendable

This is a beautiful movie, not as good as Snow white and Bambi, but it is right up there with the classics. The animation is flawless, and I loved how they animated the Blue Fairy. She was beautiful! The songs are absolutely magnificent, the best being "When You Wish Upon a Star", which strangely reminds me of Christmas and never fails to bring tears to my eyes. The characters are unforgettable, and what a talented voice cast to bring Carlo Collodi's characters to life. Pinocchio is appealing enough, and Geopetto was inspiring. Figaro was really funny, although he never speaks,but his facial expressions are priceless, and Jiminy Cricket is my favourite character. Honest John and his feline sidekick were also great fun, as well as the cruel Stromboli. And I mustn't forget the terrifying Monstro the whale-and the coachman(prepare for nightmares)- who reminds me of a larger version of Jaws the Shark. Another scene that scared me was the donkey transformation. Watch this movie, because it is so relaxing to watch and a timeless Disney masterpiece. 10/10 Bethany Cox

(YT) It has not the social poor backgrund of Collodi, but Gepetto is as humble and naif as Pinnochio is arroant in his tenderness. 'Pepe Grillo' is the real conscience in the pretty animation...

Pasamos de Blanca Nieves a la segunda obra de Disney, y las mejoras se hacen notar. Pinocchio es un cuento de hadas hecho y derecho digno de ser visto. Dejemos a un lado lo de su animación y producción, los mismos factores pueden describirse con los mencionados en la reseña pasada salvo la innovación. Centrémonos en la trama en su lugar. Podríamos decir que es la madre de las crisis existenciales y de aquello que nos define como seres humanos. Ser un cuento de hadas no le impide tratar el asunto al menos raspando.

Pinocchio es este muñeco que desea ser un niño de verdad y para lograr tal incursa un viaje por el mundo para descubrirlo. Esa descripción hace atrayente al muñeco en su búsqueda, es una verdadera crisis de identidad causada por su naturaleza distinta a los demás niños con los que desea interactuar.

La mejora viene en forma de hacer a Pinocchio un personaje que madura y aprende de sus experiencias. Blanca Nieves no tenía desarrollo y los enanos se valían por mera química, por estos lares nos presentan verdadero crecimiento. El chico se presenta como este ingenuo desconocedor del mundo y se va deteriorando por malas influencias. Empieza a fumar y a meterse en negocios turbios creyendo que eso significa ser maduro. Él es entonces convertido en un asno junto con los niños maleantes que le acompañaban y son recluidos por un mercante que negocia con ellos. En síntesis, dan una lección a la pura vieja escuela guiada al protagonista como medio de auto-realización. Es una buena manera de manejar la tragedia al dar responsabilidad de sus actos al personaje, a la par como no existe un villano hay permiso para mejorar la situación sin acabar con el mencionado.

Tenemos que añadir que esta secuencia de eventos desafortunados son otra vez una alegoría, niños desobedientes que se creen adultos y se meten en lugares malos son tratados como mierda y obligados a trabajar como burros. En efecto, se trata de una forma sutil de mostrar esclavitud infantil y trata de blancas. Aclaremos que no se contiene con ser desagradable para la audiencia infantil. No habrá gore o erotismo (fuera de referencias), no quita lo perturbador cuando el único que se escapa de semejante miseria es Pinocchio, sus amigotes por el contrario recibirán todos los malos tratos de esos tiempos. Para los que leyeron el libro (o hayan visto el video de Dross si son flojos) saben que cosas ocurren.

El descenso de Pinocchio no acaba ahí puesto que es tragado por una ballena al rato de escapar. Entonces él se da cuenta de la buena vida que tuvo con su creador el juguetero y que irse de juerga mandándolo al diablo y a su amigo pepe grillo fue una terrible idea. En base a ello el personaje planea volver, sale de la panza de la ballena y vuelve con su familia en plan hijo prodigo (con lo de la ballena siendo reminiscente a Jonás). Luego de ello empieza a ir por el lado contrario a lo que hacía en un inicio, se volvió obediente, amigable, estudioso y con un sentimiento de sacrificarse por su ahora formada familia. Tan lejos llega que la misma hada que le dio vida le concede el deseo de volverse un niño de verdad ya que desarrolló las características de uno.

Bueno, no me gustó el final precisamente por ello, es lo mismo con las jóvenes de Blanca Nieves, un niño de verdad le vale tres hectáreas de heces fecales cualquiera de esas cosas. Los niños lo que quieren es jugar y ser cuán libres puedan, o que les consientan si es que son mimados. Otra vez Disney cometió la estupidez de decirnos que tal persona es este adjetivo en lugar de decir “debería ser x adjetivo”. Como les digo, para no tirar a la basura a Pinocchio lo mejor es no tomarse tan en serio este mensaje porque sería como los líderes del harem afeminados que obtienen cada vagina sin motivo. Fuera de ello fue una decente historia de maduración (nada fuera de lo estándar) con varias situaciones locas y divertidas. Pasa como una buena lección de vida fuera de su moraleja general y por ende merece estar por encima del promedio. 

Apartado visual: 10/10

Dirección general 2/2 (Disney)

Movimiento 2/2 (fluido)

fondos 2/2 (Detallada)

Cinemáticas 2/2 (divertidas)

Efectos especiales 2/2 (Disney)

Apartado acústico: 7/10

Actuación de voz 2/3 (ok)

Banda sonora 3/4 (ok)

Mezcla de sonido 2/3 (ok)

Trama: 6/10 

Base 1/2 (algo caduco pero ok)

Ritmo 2/2 (bueno)

Complejidad 1/2 (exploración básica)

plausibilidad 1/2 (es un cuento de hadas)

Conclusión 1/2 (melosa, pero está ahí)

Personajes: 6/10

Presencia: 2/2 (fuerte)

Personalidad 1/2 (ingenua pero está ahí)

Profundización 1/2 (hay algo)

Desarrollo 1/2 (hay algo de maduración)

Catarsis 1/2 (no muy bien fundamentada, pero ahí está)

Importancia: 7/10

Valor histórico 2/3 (Clásico literario)

revisita 2/3 (en familia)

Memorabilidad 3/4 (mucha)

Disfrute: 7/10

Mi favorita de Disney.

Calificación: 6/10 

If Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was to witness the invention of feature-length animation, then Pinocchio is to see the limits of the form being pushed against, expanded upon, and animation establishing itself as a legitimate film art. If this isn’t the greatest movie Disney has released, then it’s only real competitors are Fantasia and Sleeping Beauty. It’s definitely in the top three Disney animated features, it has to be.

 

Like many great films, Pinocchio was not a success during its initial run. Its costs ran up to nearly $3 million, only half of which it made back, and it wasn’t until later re-releases that its artistic and critical reputation began to soar. By the time I saw it in the 1992 theatrical re-release, I was five and the film was already considered a masterpiece. With damn good reason too, and it’s always been one of my all-time favorites.

 

With the heavy-lifting groundwork done with Snow White, Disney and his merry band of co-conspirators were free to go crazy, and so they did. That film relied upon animating recognizable human forms, but Pinocchio is more daring and ambitious. We have a talking cricket, donkey-boys, two humanoid con artists, various wooden puppets and clockwork inventions, a pet cat and goldfish, a monstrous blue whale, and, of course, Pinocchio, who moves like he never finished reading his own instruction manual. It’s a larger ensemble, massive even when you factor in the amount of boys on Pleasure Island, the inky demonic forces that help the sadistic Coachman, Stromboli, and numerous others.

 

Disney saw the massive success he had with Snow White, and decided to challenge his audience with something larger. Snow White played safely within recognizable story confines – cutesy sidekicks, musical numbers every few minutes, a pretty princess, a handsome prince, one central villain, and a happy ending. Pinocchio puts its characters through numerous trials and tribulations, daring its characters to act morally and not succumb to temptation, and then it makes the temptations look so good. But the characters must always pay for their crimes.

 

Who could forget Pinocchio’s nose growing? It happens only once, but so disturbing a vision is it that it haunts the rest of the film. He spends far longer with the remnants of his time on Pleasure Island than he does with his nose growing. And lord, seeing the nightmarish descent through the forest in Snow White as a challenge, Pinocchio provides true terror with the transformation of Lampwick into a donkey, or the sight of speaking donkeys begging for forgiveness and to go home. It is the stuff nightmares are born from, and the animators beautifully render it.

 

Then there’s Monstro, not so much a gigantic blue whale, and more of prehistoric force of nature. A super-monster seemingly as big as the ocean itself, his frame cannot be contained within the confines of the image. He bursts across the screen. His underwater chase is terrifying, yet it’s contrasted with Geppetto’s more humorous attempts to fish while stuck inside his belly. Perhaps Disney felt like the audience needed a break from all of the gloom? After all, Pinocchio is stuck with the donkey ears for the remainder of the film. This happy reunion doesn’t last long, as they must escape his stomach. Their daring escape, and Monstro’s off screen presence is scarier than anything else in the Golden Era, except for maybe “Night on Bald Mountain” in Fantasia.

 

If Snow White was a simple fairy tale, then Pinocchio is a frightening morality play. It reaches deeper into our psyches and emotions for something true and real. This can all be found in Carlo Collodi’s source material, which is even more despairing and weird than this film, if one can imagine such a thing. While Pinocchio has no shortage of darkness, it plays everything for sweetness and innocence by re-working the titular puppet into a sympathetic figure from the amoral brat he is in the novel. Disney’s long history of playing fast-and-loose with source material really starts here, as Snow White played it relatively straight as an adaptation of its material.

 

It’s a smarter idea here, as Pinocchio is now a root-able hero, a naïve little boy that want to get his head straight and do right. We want to see him overcome these obstacles, to see the Blue Fairy take pity upon him and grant his wish. While Disney would eventually over-play the fake death and instantaneous revival, it’s actually upsetting in Pinocchio. Deeply, deeply unsettling, as Pinocchio’s life-less corpse is viewed in lovingly rendered detail, yet his final act also grants his wish so we still get our happy ending.

 

Even when Pinocchio is frequently disturbing us with its various narrative turns, the animation is always of the highest caliber. Not just the character animation, which is fabulous, but the various effects that go into making the film so memorable. The Blue Fairy is highly detailed to standout from the more cartoon-like characters, and her glittering effects work is amazing. Even better are the numerous water effects. Not even The Little Mermaid created so alive an undersea world, or so hypnotic and fluid ocean waves. The chalk details on Figaro’s fur add nice flourishes, but every frame of Pinocchio is filled with these tiny details.

 

There’s a loneliness at the heart of Pinocchio, and a hard-fought sense of victory at the end. These characters deserve this happy ending because of how much they have suffered to get there, before during the narrative and before it. The high-caliber of animation, the memorable characters, and the beloved songs, everything about Pinocchio works incredibly well. God, I just love how challenging, weird, and daring this movie is. No other Disney movie comes close, except perhaps its fellow 1940 release, Fantasia. Those two films are the studio running at a level of artistry that it would never touch again, ever. Snow White laid the groundwork, but Pinocchio set the standard.

Even though I was pretty sure that I saw this movie when I was a kid, when I finally re-watched it with my own children, I didn't remember much of it. For example, I was actually surprised that the most iconic trademark of Pinocchio, the fact that his nose is growing when he lies, actually shows up just once in the movie. It actually shows how powerful this tale is and how it will be forever linked to this Disney version. Indeed, after the tremendous success of 'Snow White', Disney decided to go for another well known tale and it became another major classic. What I personally enjoy the most about the whole thing, except for the amazing animation even after 75 years, was actually how dark the whole thing was. Indeed, back then, they were still pretty much experimenting, testing how far they could go, and they didn't develop yet their traditional formula of avoiding anything that could be possibly challenging in order to always reach the lowest common denominator. Here, you get a rather complex main character who makes some terrible decisions but this little guy was much more fascinating than the perfect princes and heroes that they would give us afterwards. Anyway, to conclude, it is a timeless classic and it is pretty much a must-see, especially if you like the genre.

I doubt Disney would ever produce anything like Pinocchio these days. Disney isn't gutsy enough. To be honest, I still don't know how this got into theaters. Disney scarcely ever makes a film as subtly dark as this. On the surface, Pinocchio is a typical Disney children's film, but underneath, Pinocchio boasts a variety of dark themes that work like a charm. It's a shame Disney will likely never make something like Pinocchio again, because it's just so good.

Pinocchio is a very strange story. Even stranger than I originally anticipated. Geppetto, a wood carver, was quite pleased when he was finished with his wooden puppet, Pinocchio. He was even more pleased when it turned into a real boy. And with Jiminy Cricket as Pinocchio's conscience, what could go wrong? Well, a lot. Temptation proves too much for Pinocchio, and, without spoiling anything, he gets into a lot of trouble.

Part of what makes Pinocchio such a great movie is the characters. Geppetto is a mumbling wood carver who cares a lot for Pinocchio, and is easily excited. Jiminy Cricket, one of Disney's most enduring characters, makes many humorous quips that aimed more at the older crowd. And Pinocchio? He's certainly adorable, but his frequently obliviousness between right and wrong may grow tiresome to some viewers.

There are a few songs in Pinocchio, as one would expect from a Disney film, and while all are pleasant, there aren't too many memorable tunes. Naturally, the most memorable (and most recognizable) tune is "When You Wish Upon A Star," which is a sweet and beautiful song that, unlike the other songs in Pinocchio, has become a genuine classic, and well deserved too.

One memorable scene occurs towards the beginning when the many clocks in Geppetto's house go off at once. There are many sight gags, all of which should evoke chuckles. It's moments like this that really make Pinocchio a treat.

The animation in Pinocchio surprised me. Even for today, the animation is really sharp and detailed. It's certainly one of Disney's more visually dazzling adventures.

I mentioned early in this review that Disney would never make a film like this nowadays, and this is because of some of the slightly questionable themes. One of which occurs near the end where children are kidnapped and taken to an island where they are turned into donkeys, whipped, then sold into slavery. This may seem slightly disturbing, and it is, but it works.

If only Disney still made risks like that. Instead, they often take the predictable path that, while can be sweet sometimes, more often is disappointing.

Pinocchio is a unique Disney film that is better than almost anything Disney has served up in the last decade. It's a shame Disney isn't brave enough to do things like Pinocchio these days. With memorable characters, one of the most enduring Disney songs of all, and a lot of heart makes up Pinocchio: One of Disney's best creations.

I have had very personal feelings for Pinocchio pretty much my entire life which makes it my favourite Disney Classic (besides Pixar). Pinocchio is a life-teaching film because it reveals what is truly important and what you need to stick by: family! Also, it shows us what is right and what is wrong and what path to take. It is indeed a heartmelting adventure but it is pretty intense on occasions. I would say that Pinocchio is Disney's most underrated film and should be amongst The Lion King, Beauty And The Beast, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs as one of the most famous Disney's ever!


The story begins with Jiminy Cricket telling the story of Pinocchio and the experience he had. He was travelling in a village around the alp area and he found a warm house with a fire. It was the house of woodcarver Geppetto who is a very warm, kind and caring man who always seems to be a real delight towards those around him. He lives with his cat Figaro and fish Cleo. We see him build Pinocchio and wish that he was a real boy in front of a wishing star. The Blue Fairy comes along and brings Pinocchio to life that night but still a wooden boy not a real one. Jiminy becomes Pinocchio's conscience and guide to becoming a real boy. It doesn't go well to plan because Pinocchio is led astray the next morning by Honest John and his sidekick Gideon. That causes a series of turning events that are intense, funny and quite emotional as well.


The plan for the original film was actually quite different from what was released so the producers and directors of the film say. Shockingly, Walt Disney wasn't satisfied with the film half way through production so that the concept could be rethought and redesigned characters. I think there was something that Disney unintentionally did in this film. The film was mostly focused on Jiminy Cricket like he was the central figure to the story so to speak. In fact, Jiminy originally was not supposed to be in the film but I am glad he was because he is now one of the best Disney characters ever and to be honest, I can't see the film working without him. I noticed also that the Blue Fairy is almost like the exact image of what Snow White looked like (except the clothes and hair colour). Pinocchio didn't turn out as much of a success critically as Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs but it was still an awesome masterpiece that in my opinion, beat that but only just! Pinocchio was nominated for 2 Academy Awards and won both. They were Best Original Song ("When You Wish Upon A Star") and Best Original Score.


Overall, Pinocchio is an absolutely beautiful classic that has inspired and melted many for a long time (including me) and will remain in my memory for as long as I live!

"Now, remember, Pinocchio: be a good boy. And always let your conscience be your guide."

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 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.

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.

7.8/10