The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996 film)
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| The Adventures of Pinocchio | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Steve Barron |
| Produced by | Heinz Bibo |
| Written by | Carlo Collodi (novel) Sherry Mills Steve Barron Tom Benedek Barry Berman |
| Starring | Jonathan Taylor Thomas Martin Landau Udo Kier Geneviève Bujold |
| Music by | Rachel Portman Brian May Stevie Wonder Spencer Proffer David Goldsmith Lee Holdridge Craig Taubman |
| Cinematography | Juan Ruiz Anchía |
| Editing by | Sean Barton |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
| Release date(s) | July 26, 1996 |
| Running time | 96 min. |
| Country | UK / France / Germany |
| Language | Italian English |
| Followed by | The New Adventures of Pinocchio |
| IMDb profile | |
The Adventures of Pinocchio is a 1996 film directed by Steve Barron and starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Martin Landau, Geneviève Bujold, Udo Kier, Bebe Neuwirth, Rob Schneider, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, and Corey Carrier. It is a fairy tale/fantasy story (aimed at a family audience) about a wooden puppet who comes to life after being carved by a puppetmaker named Gepetto (Martin Landau). It is based on Carlo Collodi's original novel of the same name. It was shot in Croatia, Prague, Czech Republic, and High Force. For the character of Pinnochio, a complex animatronic puppet created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop was used. Pepe, the talking cricket, is computer-animated.
In the United States, the film was rated G. This was New Line's first G-rated movie. Upon its release, the film garnered generally negative reviews from critics, although some deemed it a worthy adaptation.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The film opens with the kindly woodcarver, Geppetto, declaring his secret love for a woman named Leona by carving their initials in a heart on an old pine tree in the woods. Later, lightening strikes the tree. Many years later, Geppetto, now an old man living alone with his cat and his puppets, returns to the forest. A piece of wood from that tree, bearing the heart Gepetto carved, finds its way into his cart. Feeling a certain affinity for it, he decides to carve a puppet from it. When he finishes his work, he names his new creation Pinocchio ,from the pine wood he made him from and for his magnificent eyes. Suddenly, the wooden boy comes to life and shocks the old puppet-maker. Although Gepetto tells Pinocchio that he is not his father, he seeks to protect the puppet, who damages himself while trying to imitate a pigeon leaping and running along the roofs of the city. Later, Pinocchio wanders off, following a child with a ball. He runs into Volpe and Felinet, who try to sell him to the puppet-maker Lorenzini. Although Lorenzini agrees to pay a great deal for Pinocchio, Geppetto declines.
Later, Pinocchio follows a group a schoolchildren and becomes fascinated by school and learning. But a boy named Lampwick involves him in a violent prank. The teacher punishes Pinocchio harshly, and the puppet is forced to leave the company of the real boys. He then causes a great deal of mischief in a bakery. Gepetto is held responsible for the puppets actions and arrested. While Geppetto spends the night in a prison cell, Pinocchio returns home and meets 'the voice of truth' in the form of a wise and optimistic cricket named Pepe. Pepe promises to help Pinocchio to become a real boy, if he can promise to be good. The next day, Gepetto and Pinocchio stand before the judge, who rules that unless Gepetto can pay for the damage Pinocchio caused they will both be sent to prison. Lorenzini steps in and offers to pay off the debt, on the condition that Pinocchio be handed over to his custody. Gepetto strongly refuses but eventually gives in, believing that perhaps the puppet will be better off that way. Pinocchio is heartbroken and does not want to leave his "father", but Gepetto tells them that he cannot be his father since he is not a real boy. Pinocchio comes to enjoy the theatre and and also comes to believe that Lorenzini loves him as much as his Papa did. Pepe tells him that Lorenzini is just using him to gain money and success. Pinocchio comes to realize this as he performs in Lorenzini's play, and manages to save several puppets from being burned by the cruel Lorenzini. As he escapes, he accidentally sets the theatre aflame. He floats away down the river, passing through the woodlands to a quiet church. Volpe and Felinet catch up with him and manage to swindle him out of the few pieces of gold that he still has by telling him that if he buries them in the ground they will grow and cause a miracle that will turn him into a real boy. Pepe scolds the puppet and proclaims: "Miracles don't grow on trees. Miracles are made in the heart!" Meanwhile, Geppetto and his friend (and secret love) Leona have begun searching the forest for Pinocchio. However, Pinocchio is enticed by Lampwick to join of wagon-load of other boys who are being taken to a valley of fun There they are encouraged to perform all sorts of cruel and naughty deeds. While riding on a rollercoaster, Lampwick and some others are turned into donkeys by the enchanted water of a huge fountain. They are then rounded up by Lorenzini, who runs the place and intends to sell the donkeys as work animals. Pinocchio, half-transformed himself, frees the donkeys form their pen. Chased by Lorenzini and his henchmen, Pinocchio attempts to warn the others. No one believes him until Lampwick strikes out with his hooves and knocks Lorenzini into the fountain, where he turns into a sea monster. The boys run form the valley together, leaving Pinocchio and the donkey Lampwick to journey alone.
Geppetto and Leona arrive and find Pinocchio's hat. Believing him to be lost at sea. Before striking out in a rowboat to search for the puppet, Geppetto finally declares his love for Leona. She angrily cries that she (who was married to his deceased brother for many years) is done waiting for him. However, when Pinocchio arrives she is still there, and takes care of Lampwick while reluctantly allowing Pinocchio to follow Gepetto. The puppet is swallowed by Lorenzini (now a monstrous whale). Inside the creature's stomach, Pinocchio is finally reunited with his Papa. In order to escape, Pinocchio tells Gepetto that he hates him. The lie causes Pinocchio's nose to lengthen and push the whale's throat open wider. They make it back to shore, where Geppetto apologizes for giving Pinocchio away and tells him he loves him. Pinocchio begins to cry tears and turns into a real boy. He proclaims: "Miracles are made in the heart, Papa,". Pepe leaves Pinocchio temporarily to go on a much needed vacation. On the way home, Pinocchio runs into Volpe and Felinet. He tricks them into drinking from the fountain where he and the other boys were turned into donkeys. The two swindlers are transformed into a fox and a cat. Pinocchio returns to live life as a real boy with his Papa, Leona and his best friend Lampwick, who changed back by becoming good.
[edit] Development
nearly ten years before the film was eventually made, Director Steve Barron and Jim Henson were considering the idea of a live-action version of Pinocchio. They approached Disney with this idea, but Disney turned down the project. Years later, producer Peter Locke sent Barron a script for a film based on the Carlo Collodi novel. Barron heavily rewrote the script. The project then finally got off the ground.
[edit] Sequel
A sequel was released in 1999 called The New Adventures of Pinocchio. Landau returned as Gepetto, while Kier returned as Lorenzini's estranged wife. In this film, Gepetto and Pinocchio are both given a potion that transforms them into puppets.
[edit] Footnotes
[edit] References
Bacon, Matt (1997). No Strings Attached: The Inside Story of Jim Henson's Creature Shop. New York: Macmillan. ISBN 0-02-862008-9.
