Customer Reviews

The Adventures of Pinocchio [VHS]

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When people watch movies like Jurassic Park, Congo, The Firm, etc., many claim, "It's a good movie, but the book is better." Isn't that the case with most movies? "Always watch the movie before you read the book...you will be disappointed if you read it before watching it." Well, we all should attach this way of thinking to Pinocchio. Originally written in the latter half of the 19th century, the book contained violence, deception, and trickery absent from our contemporary understanding of the sweet Pinocchio. Yes, in this movie, he burns off his feet, he squishes the Talking Cricket, and he lets Geppetto go to jail. But the same is true within the original book. But why would Collodi, the author, write with such shocking imagery? Maybe it's to show that little children can be mischievous, disrespectful, and unkind. But the movie does not end with such a horrid picture of children, nor does the original story. It ends in the exact same way as the Disney version. He becomes a real boy, learning from his experiences and realizing his earlier mistakes...making a clearer distinction between the trickster and the good son than the Disney movie, . Truly, this movie, accurately based on the original story, deserves much acclaim, at least for following the guidelines set by the creator of the story. Squishing the Cricket (that conscience that always plagues us), disobeying our elders, and acting for only selfish reasons are all qualities that children go through during their development. If we acknowledged this, we adults could perhaps shed our own wooden, stubborn shell, let our true self shine, and through example teach our children to do the same. Indeed, a great movie and lesson for all ages!

This is the same version of the most accurate animated version of the original tale of Collodi's "Adventures of Pinocchio" that I saw in 1980. A little harsh compared to the 1940 Disney version, which was obviously sugared, but suitable for toddlers and true to the original tale, with the exception of omitted scenes replaced by "frames". Definitely recommended for collectors of the original story.

If one is looking for a gentle version of the original Pinocchio story, look elsewhere. The animation is harsh, the characters hard and there is very little resemblance to the story that we grew up hearing. Pinocchio kills the Cricket, gets his feet burned, and Ghepetto spends time in jail. This is not a story that I would recommend for children.