Pinocchio (1940)

 

Genre: Family/ Musical 

Time: 1h 28mins

Directors: Ben Sharpsteen, Hamilton Luske, Norm Ferguson, Wilfred Jackson, Bill Roberts, Jack Kinney, T. Hee

Quick Summary: A living puppet, with the help of a cricket as his conscience, must prove himself worthy to become a real boy.

I dare you to say something wrong with this film.

This is so damn charming it warms my heart every single time I watch it. I remember watching this over and over again as a child just so I could see this fantastical journey all over again. Sure, there were moments that traumatised me, like the Donkey Transformation scene. But it did teach me not to be a little shit, or it would happen to me. Good old Disney.

Jokes aside, this does actually teach a lot of morals, such as that it's not okay to lie because it will just get out of hand and so obvious, like your nose growing with each lie. How temptations can distract you, and how to make good choices. Something I do like as well is that it doesn't fully punish Pinocchio for making the wrong choices, he had learned from his mistake. As well, there are good things from being truthful and brave. None of these are forced down the kids throat but are cleverly mixed into the story.

I love the first 30 minutes. It's such a beautiful introduction to this world. The level of true animation art is thrown up to the max, and it is honestly so stunning. Many clocks come to life in sort of cartoony but realistic ways. The warmth and cosiness of all the backgrounds are wonderful, especially with how detailed they are. There is just something about old-school Disney backgrounds. So much love and care and detail was put into them. Even the more scary parts like Monstro the whale. Absolutely horrifying for a child to watch (or, if you're like me, an adult), as he is one of the most terrifying sea creatures I have seen in film. A lot of this goes down to his animation art style. He's drawn and painted in a lot of dark moody colours, in contrast to the warmth of the rest of the film.

I mean, look at him.

That said, what also makes him terrifying is the music score. This is another thing I love about his. It's so musical. Yes, there are songs, and really cute and catchy ones still, but this whole film has musical elements to it. Cuckoo clocks chiming in tune, things being tapped in tune, chimes, twinkles, chirps, all sorts are littered throughout this film that makes this so much more whimsical and fantastical. A lot of orchestral music is used too, especially in the scenes with Monstro; huge crescendos and Allegro string music really help to give our first experiences of anxiety. 

There are so many moments I love about this film that show the sheer amount of love that went into this film, and just so damn impressive it is. The scene of Gepetto searching for Pinocchio with a lantern on a rainy night after he has been captured by Stromboli, and we see their carriage slowly go past Gepetto. Just pleasure island as a whole. The dramatic underwater chase scenes. 

How could I forget to talk about the star of the show? Pinocchio. He is so adorable and cute. There wasn't a single moment I found him annoying or irritating. The perfect character of a little innocent boy who is still learning right from wrong. Honestly too, I find it very impressive for Disney to do this when they did, as this would have been more directed towards young boys who might not have been inclined to watch something like this, but it does well to cater towards them and for them to relate to. 

Absolutely a classic and will hopefully be forever remembered for the beauty it is. Fun, charming, wonderful, stunning, and loveable. 

10/10

Week 2 of me and my partner cooking Disney Food: 

Stromboli with Sponge cake covered in Chocolate Icing.

"The Blue Fairy: A lie keeps growing and growing until it's as plain as the nose on your face"

"Geppetto: Say hello to Figaro.

Pinocchio: Hello to Figaro."

"Jiminy Cricket: Yep, temptations. They're the wrong things that seem right at the time... but... uh... even though the right things may seem wrong sometimes, or sometimes the wrong things...

[chuckles]

Jiminy Cricket: may be right at the wrong time, or visa versa."