Our second film of the marathon is of course Pinocchio (which is quite difficult to spell.) It's the story of a wooden puppet brought to life who just wants to be a real boy.
Eli
Rating: 7/10
Reaction: Pinocchio was never one of my ultimate favorite movies growing up. I remember, I enjoyed watching it, but it was never one I needed to watch upon repeat. That doesn't mean it isn't good. One of my favorite musical sequences is in this movie. It's the one where Pinocchio sings "I've Got No Strings" and you've got dancing Russians, can-can girls, and Dutch ladies in clogs. Fabulous! And, let's be real, besides the fighting and destruction, Pleasure Island looks like a friggin' awesome time! Rollercoasters and rides, a fun house, hopefully some mozzarella sticks. I'd go. But - oh yeah - don't get turned into a jackass. That's why I wouldn't break anything or be nasty. Maybe then, if I had nice fun, I wouldn't get turned.
But that damn whale Monstro will never cease to be frightening. The animation in that scene is super fantastic, and I never want to be in the middle of the sea on a raft with a puppet, cricket, cat and goldfish. It would be an unpleasant experience. But I do enjoy this film, and I think it has some good lessons. Don't follow strangers or you'll end up in a cage. Don't smoke cigars or drink beer, or you'll turn into a donkey. Oh yeah, and don't become an actor.
Regan
Rating: 7/10
Reaction: This one has really withstood the test of time nicely, I think. I remember being pretty disturbed by the scenes of the boys turning into donkeys when I watched this as a kid, and it's no less freaky now (especially since the turning-boys-into-donkeys-and-using-them-as-slaves storyline is never brought up again once Pinocchio escapes...). The movie really feels like three short stories tacked one after the other and doesn't really make sense as a cohesive piece, but the animation (especially on the whale scenes) is so good it's hard to worry about that too much. Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket are almost as idiotic as Snow White and the dwarves, but their foolishness is less irritating since they're a kid and a cricket. "When You Wish Upon a Star" is a great song.
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