A wooden puppet comes to life and tries to become
a real boy by resisting temptation and being selfless. FAMILY/FANTASY
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Pinocchio (1940)Directed by Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske
Written by Ted Sears, Otto Englander, Webb Smith, William Cottrell, Joseph Sabo, Erdman Penner, Aurelius Battaglia Starring Dickie Jones, Cliff Edwards, Christian Rub, Evelyn Venable, Walter Catlett, Charles Judels, Frankie Darro Based on the novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi Oscar Wins - Best Original Score (Leigh Harline, Paul J. Smith, Ned Washington), Best Original Song (When You Wish Upon a Star) |
Pinocchio was only Walt Disney's second feature film after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but he already knew exactly what he was doing. This film has lasted over eighty years because of its charm, its delightful characters, and its thoughtful story. The story of Pinocchio has become a piece of the pop culture fabric, even to those who haven't seen the movie. The little wooden puppet who wants to be a real boy, whose nose grows long when he lies and has a conscience named Jiminy Cricket. It's just something you're supposed to know about. Walt Disney's ambitious vision of animated movies was further helped by Pinocchio, which was a massive hit after going painfully over budget.
The kindhearted toymaker Geppetto (Rub) wishes upon a star that his new creation Pinocchio could be a real boy so he might finally have a son. The Blue Fairy (Venable) hears his plea and grants his wish, giving life to Pinocchio (Jones). To aid him in his moral quest to be fully human, the fairy makes Jiminy Cricket (Edwards) his conscience. But Pinocchio finds temptation hard to resist and ends up courting fame and pleasure with disastrous results. The Pleasure Island sequence may be the most horrifying thing Disney has ever produced, and I can't imagine how many nightmares it was responsible for. Ultimately, Pinocchio remains one of Disney's greatest films. Its legacy speaks for itself, what with Disney releasing a remake by Robert Zemeckis as we speak. But if there's one thing the animated classics have consistently proven over their live-action counterparts, it's that you can't perform the same magic twice. |