The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Gems: Pinocchio (1940)

How do you choose what to watch on all those streaming services you have access to? There are so many options that it is just overwhelming. These services constantly release new content and overshadow all the great films from the past that are already there and ready to watch. Now there is The Wasteland Gems! Here is a great film on streaming right now that you should check out this weekend:

Pinocchio (1940)

How far back does the magic of Disney Animation go? There was a whole series of Alice animated short films that really put Walt Disney on the spot. Then you had the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that was the first feature length animated film from the House of Mouse. This launched Disney into a whole new context in the world of cinema. From the late 1930s and all the way up to now, Walt Disney Animation has been creating “movie magic”. One of the early greats of Disney Animation that still feels connected to animation today is Pinocchio. Based on the classic Italian story from Carlo Collodi, this tells the tale of a sad word worker who wishes his new puppet to live as his new son. This animated puppet takes the audience on a wild journey with his “conscience”, Jiminy Cricket, that includes some of the most bizarre and fantastical fantasy elements you are going to find.

What is something unexpected that stands out about Pinocchio? This is a “family” film that captures a darkness that just might traumatize you as a child. These darker elements make this film work so much better when you are an adult. This is a tale about a young boy forced to grow up and explore a scary world in front of him. You get to witness a young Pinocchio party for the first time. Now this is a relatable moment for many…but most of them are probably in high school or college when that time comes. Pinocchio smokes and drinks it up and gets the hangover of all hangovers…also relatable. The results of these transgressions deliver one of the most horrifying sequences in any “kids” movie. The horror of how a bunch of young boys is turned into donkeys is frightening and well executed. The screams turning into braying are honestly bone-chilling. The use of shadows in the sequence is top notch visual storytelling as well. The climactic chase on the high seas from the whale named Monstro is terrifying. The design of this giant sperm well is impressive and makes Monstro so much scarier. So yes…Pinocchio goes harm for sure.

What makes this film stand out 85 years later? First off, the animation is gorgeous. The colors. The designs. Everything feels so impressive. The use of yellows and reds stands out so well. The blue of the Blue Fairy sparkles on screen as well. The character designs have become so iconic. When people think of Pinocchio…they imagine the Disney rendition from this film. Jiminy has become another iconic character in the realm of animation. The costume work is perfect with period accurate shoes, pants, hats, and such. The character designs of the animal people really work in the realm of the story. The antagonists look so evil and dastardly in such a fun and classic cinema type of way. The Stromboli’s puppet show is charming with the puppet designs (despite the scenario being horrific). Pleasure Island is a wild and creative place that just pops on screen. The internal design and external design of Monstro are fantastic as well. The fantastical world crafted by this Disney team is so special and a wonderful experience to take in.

Just how influential and iconic is Pinocchio? The concept of a puppet’s nose which grows by lying is a fantastic mechanism to make a cautionary tale for children. The physical embodiment of a conscience is such a wonderful idea and allows the audience to conceptualize our own little voice inside. The Blue Fairy is one of the most significant figures in fantasy with so many films drawing upon this idea. The music from Pinocchio is so iconic that Disney Animation has adopted “When You Wish Upon a Star” as its theme over the Disney Castle before all their films. The voice acting wholly embodies the classic style with all the period style of singing and those Mid-Atlantic accents. This film is a film that captures such a distinct period of cinema and brings its style to life in a beautiful and fantastic animated world.

Pinocchio is streaming on Disney+.