"Pinocchio" is a shockingly well made animated classic -- profoundly beautiful, funny, sad and haunting in every way imaginable.
Pinocchio (1940, Blu-ray)
Directors: Hamilton Luske (supervising) Ben Sharpsteen (supervising)
Producers: Various
Writers: Carlo Collodi (story) (as Collodi) Ted Sears (story adaptation) & Otto Englander (story adaptation) & Webb Smith (story adaptation) & William Cottrell (story adaptation) & Joseph Sabo (story adaptation) & Erdman Penner (story adaptat
Features: * Commentary * PiP Track * Documentary * Featurettes * Deleted Material * Games * Trivia Track * Music Video * BD-Live Features
Characters:
Mel Blanc ... Cleo / Figaro / Gideon / Additional Voices
Don Brodie ... Carnival Barker
Walter Catlett ... Honest John
Marion Darlington ... Cuckoo Clock Birds
Frankie Darro ... Lampwick
Cliff Edwards ... Jiminy Cricket
Dickie Jones ... Alexander / Pinocchio
Charles Judels ... The Coachman / Stromboli
Jack Mercer ... Carnival Barker
Patricia Page ... Marionettes
Christian Rub ... Geppetto
Evelyn Venable ... The Blue Fairy
Genre: Animation
Review:
Click on the image above to see a full-res 1900x1080 Blu-ray screengrab!
There’s nothing I can really say about "Pinocchio" -- a true bonafide classic -- that hasn’t been said already -- and by better writers than I. It makes reviewing this sort of film a little hard. "Pinocchio" has stood the test of time and in many ways, remains one of Disney’s finest animated hits ever made.
The animation style is complicated, colorful and dazzling, holding up rather well, even when some of the story elements feel dated by the 70-year gap between the film’s release and today (though it’s shocking how well it holds up). Who knows how many countless illustrators, animators, writers and other artists the film has inspired. Hundreds? Thousands? Maybe millions?
The story, by know, is known to everyone. At its core, "Pinocchio" is a film about a boy attempting to please his father, while his father attempts to please the boy. But, obviously, the film is also about the love, companionship and friendship they share. They need one another and once they become detached in the film, they both lose their way, wrought with loneliness and fear.
My very first introduction to the story was through book-form. My parents had purchased one of those Disney storybooks, popular in the late 70s-early 80s and still popular today. I vividly recall falling in love with the story, though I didn’t fully understand why. Incidentally the film also stands as the very first Disney animated picture I ever saw and perhaps one of the very first movies I’ve ever seen! Its staggering impact on my way of thinking resonates throughout all my work in some way -- conscious or unconscious.
When I was a kid, it scared me -- in many ways it still generates residual memories of fear when I watch it. The other children, and Pinocchio’s transformation into a donkey, was horrifying. I never wanted to even see a place called Pleasure Island -- though the Disney park is quite fun now that I’m an adult.
The whale, found in the final act, scared the hell out of me. It truly is an amazing movie monster with sharp, thick teeth, frightening eyes, a lumbering, gigantic body and a thunderous growl that sticks in your head long after the beast is gone from the screen. He’s nothing like a real whale which only adds to the ferocity and tension of it all.
"Pinocchio" is a shockingly well made animated classic -- profoundly beautiful, funny, sad and haunting in every way imaginable. There’s rarely a moment that fails throughout this entire feature. This is an extraordinary movie experience -- a dash of true movie magic. If you haven’t seen the film, do yourself a favor and place it at the top of rental queue. "Pinocchio" is not a film you’ll likely forget.
Film Report Card:
Entertainment Value: A+
Film Value: A+
Final Grade:
A+
HD REVIEW:
Video:
"Pinocchio" is presented in full frame 1.33:1 using the AVC MPEG-4 codec on a dual-layered BD50 disc. I’ve owned many of the previous versions of "Pinocchio" on home video (VHS and DVD) and while each has been impressive in their own respective eras, this is far and beyond the finest the film has ever looked.
Digitally restored, this print is free or dust and dirt. Colors look more vibrant and free-flowing than ever before. Sharp images and striking details pop off the screen. Virtually no digital flaws were noted at all. This is an extraordinary release full of vibrancy and zest that’s bound to please most, if not all, fans of this animated classic.
Audio:
Audio choices are English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English Mono with French and Spanish subtitles and English captions for the hearing impaired. The 7.1 mix here is rather engaged, giving much depth to the film, expanding on the original mono sound field in ways that surprised me. Dialogue is mostly crammed into the center channel, but distinct surround elements and score pop up all throughout the picture breathing life into the mix. Never once did added sound effects feel inorganically mixed or tweaked. This is a naturalistic redesign that deserves much credit. Hardcore purists still have their untouched, but restored, Dolby Mono track to enjoy.
Extras:
Of course, this is a fully-loaded three-disc set jam-packed with hours of extras. The second disc is actually a BD50! That’s a rarity these days. Extras include:
Disc One:
• Commentary -- Featuring critic/historians Leonard Maltin, Eric Goldberg and J. B. Kaufman this is trivia-laden track rich with insight and information. Worth a listen, but I’d give the PiP version a spin instead since it boasts behind-the-scenes videos and more.
• Karaoke Subtitles -- Pretty straight forward stuff. Turn this on and you can sing along with the songs.
• Music Video (3 minutes, HD) -- Another crappy cover performed by some up-and-coming Disney Channel star. Yuck!
• Trivia Track -- A pretty engaging trivia track loaded with insightful bits, the original story and more. There’s some definite replay value here.
Disc Two:
• No Strings Attached Documentary (56 minutes, HD) -- This newly-produced documentary gives fans an inside look at the film -- as much as one can get for a 70-year-old movie. A lot of the historical material here is repeated in the PiP track and the trivia track, but there’s still enough insightful story elements and behind-the-scenes nuggets to keep fans interested.
• Deleted Material (25 minutes, HD) -- Several never-before-seen deleted scenes and lost clips and video have been restored and presented here. There’s also an audio-only deleted song and a live-action video montage. Frankly, I’m surprised at how much deleted material has survived. That Disney vault is quite impressive indeed.
• Featurettes: "Geppettos Now and Then" and "The Sweat Box" (18 minutes, HD) -- Two rather brief featurettes rounds on the bonus material on disc two. The first takes a look toymaking through the ages and the second deals the Disney screening room where animators make their pitches.
• Still Galleries (HD) -- Several still galleries feature storyboards, artwork and more. If you like this sort of stuff, give it look.
• Trailer (SD)
Disc Three
• DVD Copy -- As a nice added bonus, Disney has included a DVD copy of the film. This is a nice addition for families with mobile DVD players for the kids. Now they don’t have to buy two versions of the film -- one for home and one for travel. Oddly, Disney didn’t cram a digital copy onto this disc which is a shame. I would have loved to have this film on my iPhone.
HD Content:
A few added goodies are presented on this BD. Most are geared towards kids and require a profile 2.0 player with internet connectivity. They include:
• PiP Disney View Commentary -- This is the same commentary track found above, only now it’s paired with behind-the-scenes footage and well as stills and archival material. Of the two tracks, I’d give this one a spin as it’s a more complete experience.
• Interactive Game -- Disney provides their usual set of BD-Java games for the kids. There are three games total: "Pinocchio Trivia Challenge," "Pleasure Island Carnival Games" and "Pinocchio’s Puzzles." The best of the bunch are the "Pleasure Island Carnival Games" which play like arcade games. Even those are only mildly fun and not particularly exciting.
• BD-Live -- There are four features that use BD-Live. The first, and best feature, is in an online trivia game. The remaining features allow you to check your Disney mail, Rewards points and chat with friends while watching the film. Frankly, I don’t find much use for these features since they’re all a little clunky.
Packaging:
The film is presented in a blue "Elite" case with a shiny cardboard slipcover. It’s pretty consistent with Disney’s other Platinum titles.
Final Thoughts:
"Pinocchio" is an unforgettable movie experience and now it’s paired with an awesome Blu-ray loaded with hours of goodies and flawless, A/V presentation. Fans should buy this disc. It’s well worth the cost.
Blu-ray Report Card:
Video: A+
Audio: A+
Extras: A
HD Content: B
Packaging: A+
Recommendation: A must-own disc!
On Blu-ray and DVD: March 10, 2009.
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