After Snow White (1937), Pinocchio is the second animated feature made by Disney, which was an ambitious venture with an emotional core that has stood the test of time.
Pinocchio is available to stream on Disney+ (perfect for all-family entertainment during Thanksgiving and beyond).
Adapted from an 1883 Italian children’s story, Disney’s Pinocchio is about a wooden puppet who must prove himself worthy to become a real boy.
| Pinocchio | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
the film follows a wooden puppet Pinocchio, who is created by an old woodcarver Geppetto and brought to life by a blue fairy. Wishing to become a real boy, Pinocchio must prove himself to be “brave, truthful, and unselfish.” Along his journey, Pinocchio encounters several characters representing the temptations and consequences of wrongdoing, as Jiminy Cricket, who takes the role of Pinocchio’s conscience, attempts to guide him in matters of right and wrong.
The film was adapted by several storyboard artists from Collodi’s book. The production was supervised by Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske, and the film’s sequences were directed by Norman Ferguson, T. Hee, Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney, and Bill Roberts. Pinocchio was a groundbreaking achievement in the area of effects animation, giving realistic movement to vehicles and machinery as well as natural elements such as rain, water, lightning, smoke, and shadow. After premiering at the Center Theatre in New York City on February 7, 1940, Pinocchio was released in theatres on February 23, 1940.
Although it received critical acclaim and won Oscars, it was initially a box office bomb, mainly due to World War II cutting off the European and Asian markets.
It eventually made a profit after its 1945 rerelease, and is considered one of the greatest animated films ever made.
Critical Status:
In 1994, Pinocchio was added to the United States National Film Registry for being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
In 2000, live-action made-for-television film titled Geppetto, told from Geppetto’s perspective, was released via ABC.
Stay away from the live-action remake directed by Robert Zemeckis, released in 2022 via Disney+, where it was poorly received by both critics and audiences alike.
The film and characters are still prevalent in popular culture, featuring at various Disney parks and other forms of entertainment.
The film was a brilliant technical achievement for Disney that set the tone for the enchanting nature, beautiful visuals, and storytelling power that became the standard for animation.
Oscar Context:
Pinocchio was also the first animated feature to win competitive awards at the Oscars, including Best Original Song and Best Original Score.
Supervising Directors: Ben Sharpsteen, Hamilton Luske
Sequence Directors: Bill Roberts, Norman Ferguson, Jack Kinney, Wilfred Jackson, T. Hee
Story by Ted Sears, Otto Englander, Webb Smith, William Cottrell, Joseph Sabo, Erdman Penner, Aurelius Battaglia
Based on The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
Produced by Walt Disney
Music by Leigh Harline, Ned Washington, Paul J. Smith
Production company: Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release dates: Feb 7, 1940 (Center Theatre); Feb 23, 1940 (US)
Running time: 88 minutes
Budget $2.6 million
Box office $164 million
Pinocchio Score Breakdown
IMDB Score: 7.5/10
Metacritic Score 99/100
Our Grade: A
