SYNOPSIS:
Join
Geppetto's beloved puppet -- with Jiminy Cricket as his guide
-- on a thrilling quest that tests Pinocchio's bravery, loyalty
and honesty, virtues he must learn to become a real boy. The
one and only PINOCCHIO will live on forever in the heart of
anyone who has wished upon a star. Lonely
woodcarver Geppetto longs for a child, and his wish is partially
granted when the Blue Fairy brings his wooden marionette Pinocchio
to life. In order to become a real boy, Pinocchio must prove
himself worthy. He sets out into the world, accompanied by
his "conscience," Jiminy Cricket. Pinocchio is led
astray by the wicked fox J. Worthington Fowlfellow, first
to "a life in the theater"- Stromboli's puppet show
- and then to Pleasure Island, where boys behave like (and
become!) jackasses. Pinocchio redeems himself by saving Geppetto
from Monstro, the whale.
MOVIE REVIEW:
We have said it before and we’ll say it again: There is a certain charm about traditional 2D animation that still rocks. That’s also the reason why we get these reissues of Disney animated classics, whether they are marketed as “Special Edition”, “Platinum Edition” or “50th Anniversary Edition”, fans of these classics will want to own every edition on their collector’s shelves. And since its first screening in 1940, this classic tale about a wooden puppet who becomes a real boy is given royal treatment here, with Disney reissuing this “70th Anniversary Platinum Edition”. Of course, the love for this charming animated feature never left – we still adore it the way we did since the first time we saw it.
If you don’t know already, this 88 minute movie based on Carlo Collodi’s story recounts the adventures of a wooden puppet that is brought to life by a blue fairy. She tells him that if he proves himself to be brave, truthful and unselfish, he will become a real boy. Through a series of encounters with different (good and bad) characters, Pinnochio eventually proves himself and, yes, as all fairy tales go, live happily ever after with his inventor father.
This being the second animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, it was a successful follow up to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). We don’t suppose many people know the voices behind the famous characters like Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, Geppetto and The Blue Fairy because it wasn’t a trend to use big names in animated movies back then. Dickie Jones provides the innocent voice for Pinoke (we love that nickname), Cliff Edwards provides the wisecracking voice for Jiminy Cricket, Christian Rub provides the fatherly voice for Geppetto, while Evelyn Venable provides the kind voice for The Blue Fairy.
There are many reasons why this movie will continue to be an evergreen hit, no matter how many reissues Disney decides to have 10 years from now. First, there is that wholesome message which both young and old can connect to – and who wouldn’t want something hopeful in these cynical times? Second, there is that clean animation style which will appeal to old school fans of animation. This will also inspire the modern animators to realise some basic principles of animation. Third, there is that lovely music – who can ever forget the magical moments in “When You Wish Upon A Star”? It even won the movie an Oscar for Best Original Song, together with Best Original Score. The list of reasons why we love this movie can go on, but we may want to reserve them for the next review of a probable reissue.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
This Special Edition Code 3 edition is loaded with goodies (two discs worth of them!), and the Disney fan in you would rejoice and want to own it on your DVD shelf.
DISC ONE :
Music & More – In this section, there is a disturbingly modern Music Video “When You Wish Upon A Star” performed by Meaghan Jette Martin, and also a choice of jumping straight to the five songs in the film.
Backstage Disney – The Audio Commentary with Leonard Maltin, Eric Goldberg and J.B. Kaufman is an engaging listen. All three tell us they are lifelong Disney fans. They talk about the history of Pinnochio, why Walt Disney decided to make a second full length animated feature. Archival sound bites from the people who worked on the movie are also included. Did you know the animator for Jiminy Cricket had his scene cut from Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, almost quit before Walt Disney told him about this character?
Games and Activities – Pinocchio’s Matter of Facts is a feature to learn more about the production of the movie. There will be pop up screens during the movie to tell you facts like how the film began production in 1937, a time when Walt Disney wasn’t sure whether full length animated features will be well received by the audiences.
Sneak Peeks – See how Disney Blu Ray will stun your world, and how Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs is getting another reissue. Also, trailers for Up and Bolt are included.
DISC TWO:
Games and Activities – Pinocchio Puzzles is a jigsaw puzzle game (18 different designs in all) that will probably only appeal to the kiddies.
No Strings Attached: The Making of Pinocchio – The 56 minute featurette has film historians and animators talking about the phenomenon of Pinocchio. Watch it and realise how lavishing and rich the visuals, the themes and the story is – making it a favourite amongst many people although 70 years have passed.
Deleted Scenes – There are three deleted scenes (in storyboard forms) included in this section, as well as an alternate ending (in storyboard form too) where Pinocchio was turned into a real boy at the beach.
The Sweatbox – This six minute clip illustrates how animators gathered in a room to discuss how the story would be told. This amongst other technical innovations was what made Walt Disney different from other filmmakers at that time.
Gepoettos Then and Now – In this 11 minute clip, different toy makers through the ages are interviewed to show what joy toys bring to children. It’s amazing how a block of wood is turned into a doll to make a child’s day.
Live Action Reference Footage – This 10 minute series of footage was used by beginner animators to translate live actions to animation. Watch how detailed the process is in this informative clip.
Pinocchio Art Galleries– Here, you’d find visual developments, character designs, backgrounds, layouts, storyboard arts and production pictures amongst other interesting conceptual materials.
Publicity – The original theatrical trailer (1940), and two theatrical re-releases (1984 and 1992) are included in this section.
Deleted Song – A tune entitled “Honest John” was deleted from the film, and you can hear the jolly song here.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The disc’s visual transfer is clear, and you can choose to watch the movie in either 5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound English, Mandarin, Cantonese or Korean audio tracks.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD
RATING :
Review
by John Li
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