Product Details

• Actors: Drew Carey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Brent Spiner, Rene Auberjonois, Seth Adkins
• Directors: Tom Moore (II)
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Live, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Walt Disney Video
• VHS Release Date: May 30, 2000
• Run Time: 89 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305870152
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,178 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #46 in	Video > Kids & Family > Adapted from Books > Fairy Tales
  #80 in	Video > Drama > By Genre > Musicals

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With Geppetto, Disney takes a different, live-action spin on the Pinocchio story it immortalized in animation in 1940. Yes, there's still the wooden boy with the nose that grows when he tells a lie, but here there are no singing insects (and only a bit of whale), and the focus is on the toymaker, not the toy. Geppetto (Drew Carey) delights all the kids in town with his creations, but he longs for a son of his own. Enter the Blue Fairy (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who turns Geppetto's puppet (Seth Adkins) into a living, breathing (albeit wooden) boy, but the thrill soon wears off when Geppetto learns that being a parent is harder than he thought.

Carey gives a winning performance as the struggling yet loving father, while Louis-Dreyfus is an attractive (though a bit too toothy) fairy, and both prove themselves solid singers. To create a new sound palette for this 2000 television production, Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, The Prince of Egypt) wrote eight appealing songs, ranging from the tender lament "Empty Heart" to the bouncy duet "Just Because It's Magic" to the bravura aria "Bravo, Stromboli," sung by Brent Spiner (best known as Star Trek: The Next Generation's Data but also a veteran of Broadway musicals). A good supporting cast and decent if somewhat modest special effects help make this an enjoyable family musical for ages 5 and older. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wish upon this star..., September 18, 2000

By A Customer

If Jiminy Cricket were around, he'd definitely give two white-gloved thumbs up to this delightful twist on the old Pinocchio story. With a breathy singing voice and gentle, good humor, Drew Carey plays Geppetto to perfection. The slightly tubby toymaker goes from know-it-all, would-be dad to father-in-training as the plot spins with unexpected twists and turns. Julia Louis-Dreyfus sparkles as the feisty and frolicsome Blue Fairy. Pinocchio (Seth Adkins) is a very good as the wooden kid who's completely overwhelmed by the possibility of becoming a "real boy." Brent Spiner portrays Stromboli with an entirely appropriate flair for the melodramatic. He is wickedly hilarious and a standout singer as well. Together the cast mixes up a magical moment that everyone from children to grandparents will enjoy. Geppetto will especially touch a parent's heart. This is classic entertainment from the Walt Disney Company the way Walt Disney used to do things. Don't hesitate to add this to your child's video collection. It belongs there.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting musical spin on the classic fairytale, December 11, 2004

By	Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

GEPPETTO is an interesting musical spin on the well-known tale of PINOCCHIO. Stephen Schwartz delivers a handsome-if average score, with fine performances from Drew Carey and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the lead roles.

GEPPETTO wisely doesn't try to emulate Disney's landmark 1940 animation version of PINOCCHIO, but instead retells the tale's events from the perspective of Pinocchio's loving creator and father Geppetto. Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays the sparkling and eccentric Blue Fairy, with Seth Adkins as Pinocchio. Among the supporting cast are Broadway talents Brent Spiner and Ana Gasteyer. Popular singing star Usher also appears in the "Pleasure Island" scene. Stephen Schwartz provides the score which features the catchy "Just Because It's Magic".

Drew Carey (who also served as the Executive Producer) has a warm and winning singing voice, and is just about perfect in the title role. A great original musical from Disney.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Movie of the Millenium, March 5, 2001

A Kid's Review

I rented this movie Friday and I loved it I watched it yesterday too I liked the music video at the end it kinda made me want to cry it just sounds sad I think I remember watching this when it was on abc in May 2000 I think it was before school started I don't know I just love this movie soooooooo much it gives me a warm feeling after I watch the music video it makes me want to sing "Since I gave me Heart Away" even though I'm 13 I still like it and I know I'm not a fan of Drew Carey I thought he did a good job as Geppetto he was kinda funny too I recommend you get this it just gives you a warm feeling after you watch it alot.