What Makes "Pinocchio" Great.

Disney's second feature film is a game changer for Disney and animation. The technical mastery on display is sensational to see on screen even 82 years later.

The story is a watered-down version of Carlo Collododi's 1883 novel while keeping the basic themes intact. A wood Carver named Geppetto wishes one night that his recently completed Marionette "Pinnochio" to be a real boy. Later the "The Blue Fairy" arrives and grants Geppetto's wish, bringing the puppet to life. She tells Pinnochio that to become a "real boy" he will have to prove himself as "Brave, Truthful, and Unselfish". She appoints the cricket Jiminy as his conscience and what follows are a series of events that put Pinnochio's morals to the test.

The original story of Pinnochio is very episodic, and that's very much the case in this version. Pinnochio's naivety lands him in all sorts of situations. It's like something out of Homer's Odyessy in this regard, with all the different segments leading to one eventual goal, in Pinnochio's case, to be a real boy. Pinnochio's innocent charm makes him an endearing protagonist as you want him so badly to do the right thing, but he is so gullible that it's easy to convince him to do otherwise. Disney icon Jiminy Cricket is also very likable as the wisecracking moral guide for Pinnochio, a task that often leaves him flustered. The characters that steal the show are the con artist "Honest John" and his mute partner "Gideon". Their comedic antics and the way they try to manipulate Pinnochio are so entertaining.

Another welcome aspect of the film (esspisally when compared to modern kids' films) is how dark it's willing to go. While not as dark as the original story, the film takes some freighting and morbid turns. This is done by showing the consequences of Pinnochio's bad decisions and behavior. It's best shown during the "Pleasure Island" sequence where "Stupid Little Boys" are lured to what appears to be a paradise where they can have fun and engage in brawling, drinking, etc. It turns out to be a trap as the boys are turned into donkeys and are sold on the market, essentially sold into slavery. It's a horrifying thought and an important lesson to children that bad decisions can lead to negative outcomes that they can never come back from. It's important to tell kids to do the right thing, but it's also important to show them what happens when they choose not to do the right thing. That has always been a key theme in Pinnochio.

The animation is nothing short of amazing. All the little details the animators put in make you appreciate the hard work the animators put in to bring this all to life. The climax involving Pinnochio and Geppetto's escape from the whale "Monstro" is the highlight of all this work. The splashing effects of the water and the scope of Monstro's size all lead to an intense finale that only the animation medium could pull off.

Pinnochio is a masterpiece, pure and simple. Disney took what they had in Snow White 3 years before and made something even better. If I were to say it doesn't have the same impact on me now then when I was a kid, my nose would be growing.