Customer Reviews

Faerie Tale Theatre - Pinocchio

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This version of PINOCCHIO from FAERIE TALE THEATRE is a wonderful adaptation of Carlo Collodi's timeless classic, about a wooden puppet who is brought to life thanks to a lonely man's desire to become a father.

Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman) plays the title role with Carl Reiner as Geppetto, Pinocchio's loving father. Lainie Kazan is a sassy delight as Sophia, the Blue Fairy who grants the gift of life to Pinocchio, and James Coburn is fantastic as the evil Gypsy. Also in the cast are James Belushi and Michael Richards.

One of the best!

I always liked this Fairy Tale Theater production the best! Paul Reubens is PERFECT as Pinocchio and with a supporting cast of folks including the likes of James Coburn and Carl Reiner, it can't be beat!

It comes from a time when cable was fun and not full of itself. Get this and be reminded of that time and have FUN!!

In this installment of the Faerie Tale Theatre, the classic story of Pinocchio is faithfully re-told. It is a pretty straightforward episode that eschews tongue-in-cheek humor for over-the-top acting and sight gags.

The celebrity guest starts in this one include Paul "Pee Wee Herman" Reubens, James Coburn, Michael "Kramer" Richards and Jim Belushi.

This effort will charm the kiddies but get a little grating on the "parental guardians". I prefer the Faerie Tale Theatre when it focuses on the humor, and this episode isn't so much about that. Plus, the shrill laugh/wine of Mr. Reubens is almost enough to make you cover your ears in agony. I'm dead serious.

A decent episode here, but nothing spectacular.

Faerie Tale Theatre's adaptation of "Pinocchio" is simply average. The best component of it is Carl Reiner's expert portrayal of the woodcarver Gepetto, as Mr. Reiner adopts an Italian accent, and believably plays a concerned father to the title puppet. Pinocchio is played much less successfully by Paul Reubens.

The main issue I have with Reubens' performance is that he is playing Pee Wee Herman as Pinocchio instead of doing a separate characterization for Pinocchio. To be fair, Pee Wee Herman as a character was at the height of its popularity and I don't know if the decision to incorporate his mannerisms into Pinocchio was entirely up to Reubens alone. Regardless, it was a bad decision because it pulls the viewer out of a character in Pinocchio they need to believe in for the character to be effective.

Also starring James Coburn and James Belushi, Faerie Tale Theatre's "Pinocchio" struggles just to be average. That is a shame, because with such a cast it had great potential to be much more.

This adaptation is marvelous because of the cast. Each character is funnier than the next. Adults will love it. Great fun for the kids to watch and enjoy. I'd say, we liked this one the best. All of this series is a 'must see'.

I remember my mom renting these video's from the public library when I was a kid. I found an old Shelly Duval tape in my basement and had to go research more. I was so excited when I found the Faerie Tale Theatre. When I watched them, I was suprised to see how many famous actors have participated in the videos. I have already purchased most of the videos on DVD and plan to collect the whole set!