Day 2: Pinocchio

Pinocchio (1940)

Starring: Dickie Jones, Cliff Edwards, Christian Rub

Songs: "When You Wish Upon a Star," "Little Wooden Head," "Give a Little Whistle," "Hi Diddle Dee Dee," "I've Got No Strings"

Pinocchio is the story of a little wooden puppet who longs to be a real boy, but has a knack for getting into trouble -- and that's putting it generously.  This movie is charming and looks beautiful.  

Something I was really excited about when I decided to do this was being able to see technological advancements and whatnot between films.  And watching this film so soon after Snow White shows how far they had come in such a short time.  It's actually hard to believe the movies were made less than three years apart.  One scene that stood out to me is when Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket were looking for Geppetto underwater.  The special effects animation involved here -- the water whooshing in front of the camera, the bubbles, etc... I can't imagine them being able to do that, and especially not to do it so well, just a few years before.

As for the story, it's very cute and straightforward.  I admit I've never read the book the movie is based on (The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi) but from what I understand, Pinocchio is a very unsympathetic character in the book.  I know people complain when Disney changes the source material to suit their story, but in the case, I'm glad they did.  

Like Snow White, this is another movie that wasn't a favorite as a kid.  I actually hadn't seen it in quite a few years before I watched it today, but at this point in my life, it appealed to me in some unexpected ways:  the backgrounds made me long for Italy, and I feel like Geppetto is just a lot cooler than I remembered.  He makes clocks and toys (COOL), he talks to his cat and goldfish like they're people and probably loves them a little too much (COOL), and he just really wants a son (COOL).  Okay, none of those things is actually all that cool but they're cool to me. 

What I Liked: The animation.  The backgrounds.  Geppetto.

What I Disliked: The fact that this movie made me say, "He should have just went to school."

Should You Watch This Movie: Yes, if you're a Disney fan or movie fan.  It could also be a fun one to watch as a family.  Just... make sure your kid knows not to mimic Stromboli's stereotypical thick Italian accent.