The Disney Studio version of the little wooden puppet who, by making the supreme sacrifice (but not before learning some very hard lessons), becomes a real boy, may be at variance with Collodi's (Carlo Lorenzini) original (rather tedious and boring) tale, but there would be few surely who would not argue that the change was for the better. In the 1940's it was slightly different: Lorenzini's nephew requested the Italian Ministry of Popular Culture to sue Walt Disney for portraying Pinocchio in that he might be mistaken for an American - good job the Brit's didn't sue over Peter Pan voice!
The film cost, not including $65,000 to re-dub it into seven languages, some $2,500,000 slightly more than the ambitious Fantasia, but every dollar spent shows up on screen. Today it would cost $50,000,000 to produce using the same high standards and techniques.
In sheer technical terms, Pinocchio cannot be faulted. It is a true classic - a term now loosely applied to all Disney releases. Seamless animation, at[ done by human hand, not a dreaded pixel in sight - remarkable multiplane images, superb Technicolor and an Oscar-winning musical score by Leigh Hartine, Ned Washington & Paul J. Smith) from which "When You Wish Upon a Star" went on to become the Disney theme tune.
If current Disney animated releases have a weakness, it is perhaps, at least in my opinion, in the characterization (the animation itself seems to be getting better all the time). No such weaknesses can be observed in Pinocchio, but then Watt was ruthless. Ruthless enough, for example, to ditch five months of Pinocchio animation with. the order, "start again!".
The 'cast' of Pinocchio features a collection of strong and endearing characters - some who survived to appear in later productions: Jiminy Cricket, who not only introduces Pinocchio, but plays the linking role, went on to fame and fortune in subsequent Disney releases, Fun and Fancy Free (1947) and numerous TV appearances. He most recent starring rote was in Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983). Jiminy was voiced by a radio singer, Cliff Edwards, also known as Ukulele Ike whose personal fame did not rise with that of Jiminy. He died penniless and near forgotten in 1971.
Old Geppetto, who carved the puppet out of wood and then wished that he might be 'a real boy' is absent-minded and gentle. Surrounded by a roomful of clocks chiming the hour he looks at his pocket watch and wonders what the time is. Originally voiced by Spencer Charters, Geppetto's first minute of screen was scrapped and re-shot when it was decided that Charters's voice was too harsh. He was replaced by Christian Rub and the re-shot footage matched the characteristics of the new voice and the person supplying it.
Pinocchio was Geppetto's only 'appearance, but his two pets, Figaro the kitten and Cleo the goldfish did go on to further fame and fortune. In Pinocchio they provide both gentle and knockabout humour - one of the best moments being when the startled Figaro, on being touched by Pinocchio, now made animate by the Blue Fairy, leaps up Geppetto's night-gown causing him to discharge a blunderbuss. Figaro went on to appear in a war-savings advertisement ("All Together") in 1942 and then six Disney shorts, the first of which, in 1943, was Figaro and Cleo. He final appearance was in Pluto's Sweater (1949).
The rest of the cast appeared (as far as I'm aware) only in Pinocchio Stromboli the unsavoury showman, who keeps Pinocchio captive was animated by the talented Vtadimir (Bill) Tytla and voiced by Charles Judels as was the sinister Coachman.
'Honest John' (J. Worthington Foulfellow), the wiley fox that lures Pinocchio with the promise of fame and fortune was voiced by Walter catlett whose screen roles were apparently similar to that of the fox - that of flamboyant fraudsters. His sidekick, Gideon the gormless cat was voiced by Met Blanc but Watt decided the cat should remain silent so all that remains of Blanc on the soundtrack is one Lone hiccup.
In addition to superb animation and excellent characters, Pinocchio has a first-rate score that includes "When You Wish Upon A Star", Little Woodenhead, Hi diddle Dee Dee (An Actor's Life for Me), "I've Got No Strings" and "Give A Little Whistle.
The original glowing 1940 Technicolor was faithfully reproduced in our review copy - an early check print. The colour on the underwater sequences are stunning. I was able to directly compare it to an original 16mm Technicolor print I'd viewed only recently and the colour was virtually identical. The 8mm print is also nice and sharp and clean. The sound was good too nice and smooth, better than the 16mm in fact.
At the start of Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, addressing the audiences asks: I'll bet a lot of you don't believe that about a wish coming true". Well here's one who does. The release on 8mm of one of the best animated features of all time proves that dreams can be realized. Very Highly recommended.
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Distributed by: Derann
Films. Pinocchio was also released as a 200ft extract Monstro the whale. |
The above review was printed in Super Eight Film Review in issue 38. |
This page was last updated 02 Dec 2002