Pinocchio

Okay, before I get back to my "Ideal Disneyland" series, I want to mention something. Tonight, I watched Pinocchio for the fist time in about 15 years (which means I haven't seen it since Preschool and didn't remember hardly anything) so it was basically like watching it for the first time. I did fall asleep from the part where Pinocchio is locked in the cage to the part where they arrive at "Pleasure Island." It was on abc family which was awesome. And before they showed it, they showed Aladdin, so props to you abc family! Keep it up!

So Pinocchio was Disney's 2nd feature length animated movie after Snow White, which I had forgotten about until tonight. Personally, I think it's kind of lame. Sorry to anyone who thinks otherwise or is a huge fan. I mean, the music is decent and the animation is great (especially the Blue Fairy and Monstro) and I did like a few other things. I thought Gipetto was pretty funny like when he talks to Pinocchio for a while before noticing that he is alive several times in the movie. Jiminey Cricket is also pretty funny. The whole opening sequence is great and I love Cleo and Figaro. Also, I really like the way they animated "Honest John's" fingers. They just always look cool haha.

Here's what I didn't like about it: 1) The confusion between Swiss/German and Italian settings. Okay, so when it opens up, we see the Alps, which means it could be Italy OR Sweden because both have areas that border the Alps. Then, we see the setting with the little clocks (you can even see little Swiss people on one of the clocks), the dollhouse-like wood work and the swirling paintings and decor, which suggests Swiss. But then, we learn the names of the characters, which are all Italian. Then, the next morning, it looks like Gipetto and Pinocchio are wearing Lederhosen, which is German and can look Swiss. Then, there's the puppet guy who rants in Italian. WHAT IS UP? I was confused the whole time. I guess it doesn't matter to the story but I, being a person who notices the weirdest things in movies and is always paying attention to costumes and set dressings, was a bit frustrated. Also, I looked up the original story and it's Italian. Why the meshing of two countries? 2) The randomness of the story. I mean, how could you get a fairy, a wooden boy, a cricket, boys turning to donkeys, getting swallowed by a whale, and being put in a circus into one movie? It's pretty crazy. I mean the original story is even crazier they did simplify it quite a bit. But why pick such an insane story in the first place? Idk. 3) Monstro has teeth and eats fish and he's a whale. It's just weird. I like the scary image that it creates but it's just odd that they decided to do it and I can't say I'm not glad they did because we wouldn't have an awesome entrance to the Storybook Land Canalboats over at Disneyland. :) (Can I just say that the fact that Monstro's eye opens and closes and glows at night creeps the CRAP out of me?) 4) This isn't really something that I don't like about the movie. It's just something that surprised me. It's the violence/scariness of it. Like the part where Lampwick turns into a Donkey is really pretty terrifying. Also, all the smoking in the movie (especially the kids) and the word "Jack Ass" a couple of times (even if it is referring to the animal). And the Monstro scenes are pretty darn scary. Also the sexual innuendo was pretty funny and unexpected. Like when the puppet dude dances and shakes his butt at camera, when Jiminey accidentally touches that doll's backside, etc.

So those are my thoughts on Pinocchio!