GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO (2022) – My rating: 9/10

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (or simply Pinocchio) is a 2022 stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy film directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, with a screenplay by del Toro and Patrick McHale from a story by del Toro and Matthew Robbins. Loosely based on the 1883 Italian novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, and strongly influenced by Gris Grimly’s illustrations for a 2002 edition of the book. The book reimagined the story of Pinocchio, a wooden puppet who comes to life as the son of his carver Geppetto. Two years ago, Pinocchio was re-created by Matteo Garrone and earned three Oscar nominations. I was curious to compare the two creations.  I thought this version was great, as was the last creation so no comparison except a slight deviation in the story.

Pinocchio starts in Italy during World War I.  Master Geppetto (voice: David Bradley), who is a carpenter, is still grieving twenty years after losing his son, Carlo. Geppetto cuts down a pine tree, which he uses to create a wooden boy in a fit of drunken rage but passes out, leaving it unfinished. The Wood Sprite (voice: Tilda Swinton) brings the wooden doll to life, christening him Pinocchio (voice: Gregory Mann).  Additionally, Sebastian J. Cricket (voice: Ewan McGregor) is assigned to guide Pinocchio as his conscience and in return, The Wood Sprite grants him a wish of his choice.

Pinocchio is “a story of love and disobedience as the wooden puppet struggles to live up to his father’s expectations, learning the true meaning of life”, set in Fascist Italy during the interwar period and World War II. From the moment that Pinocchio realizes he’s alive, many problems arise.  His cocky attitude causes ill reception from the village people.  The Podestà orders Geppetto to send Pinocchio to school.  From there, the journey begins.  From becoming a puppeteer in a circus to ending up in the afterlife.   This version is slightly different and a little darker than the last in 2021.  The special effects were outstanding but some of the characters might be a little scary for some children.  Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio can be seen on Netflix — Check It Out!

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 269 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website’s consensus reads, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio delivers fully on its title – which is to say it’s a visually stunning adaptation that embraces its source material’s darkness.”

SOME ADDITIONAL CHARACTER INFORMATION: 

**** SPOILERS ****

• Carlo is Geppetto’s deceased son who was killed in a bombing raid. He is named after Carlo Collodi, author of the original book.
• Count Volpe is a conniving and cruel former aristocrat-turned-puppet master, con artist, and ringmaster living in destitution. His name means “fox” in Italian and he is a combination of the Fox, Mangiafuoco, and the Ringmaster from the original Pinocchio story.
• Spazzatura is Count Volpe’s mistreated monkey assistant. His name means “trash” or “garbage” in Italian and he is the film’s counterpart of the Cat from the original Pinocchio story. Spazzatura can only speak through the puppets he operates.
• The Podestà is a strict fascist government official who turns Pinocchio into a soldier. He is the film’s counterpart of the Coachman from the original story.
• The Wood Sprite is a wise magical fairy who gives Pinocchio life. Her appearance is a humanoid with eight wings that have eyes on them and a feathered snake-like tail.
• Death is the Wood Sprite’s sister who oversees the afterlife. Her appearance is a Chimera with the face of a human, the horns of a cape buffalo with eyes on them, the lower horns of a Jacob sheep, the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle with eyes on them, and a two-headed snake-like tail.
• The Black Rabbits have skeletal bodies and work for Death. They are based on the Undertaker Rabbits from the original story.

[GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO is Oscar-nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 95th Academy Awards -Totaling 1 Oscar Nomination]

 

WON an Oscar for BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM (Guillermo del Toro)

 

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