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Pinocchio Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 12 Reviews)

If Somebody Else Played Pinocchio ....
[The following review refers to the original version.] Let's face it. I don't want to say this, but Roberto Begnigni's new film, live-action version about the story of Pinoccio is a huge disappointment.

Not that everything in it is bad, I tell you. On the contrary, you have Danilo Donati (famous for Felini's films) as production/costume designer. You also have Academy-nominee Dante Spinotti as photographer, whose works in such as "The Last of the Mohicans" "The Insider" "LA Confidential" are all memorable. Plus, Nocola Piovani gives good soundtrack as in "Life Is Beautiful," and even people from America help immensely with Rob Hodgson ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). But the result is quite unsatisfactory, even though we hear that this film became a big hit in Italy. But why?

It's Roberto Benigni as the star (not the director) of the film who should be blamed. You just cannot accuse the people at The Golden Raspberry Awards of giving him an award. If they find that Benigni's decision to cast himself as the titular wooden puppet unacceptable, that is only natural. I share their thought, too, and while I was watching the film, I tried to find any reason that he should be in the title role. I do not object his jumping around or talking fast itself. It is just that he is NOT that puppet, Pinocchio, no matter how he does.

In his country where films are more influantial than in Japan or in USA, Benigni has been seen as a sort of cultural icon, not just a comedian. That makes his decison understandable to take up a beloved story of Pinocchio as subject matter, but it is also an undeniable fact that he could have made the film better and more accesible internationally by staying back behind the camera, not in front of it. If the film is meant only for domestic market, his appearance could be justified, but as he is now known world-wide after the success of "Life Is Beautiful," he should have been more cautious.

A few words about the way of adapting the story. The film, unlike classic Disney animation or the recent live-action made in 1996 (starring Martin Landou), follows pretty faithfully the original story by Carlo Collodi. But as the original story was serialized in a periodical for children, and twice entended because of its huge popularity, the original book has some inconsistency in the plot. (Believe or not, Pinocchio is once killed after 15 chapters of the book, but given another life later to continue the story!)

As a consequence, in this film, you may not be sure whether or not The Talking Cricket is really dead; moreover, the identity of The Blue Fairy is very ambiguous. These apparently incoherent elements are brought into the film without being modified much from the original. The film adaptations of "Pinocchio" in the past solved the problem by simply smoothing out the jarring factors, simplifying the story, but Benigni just didn't follow suit. If you have read the original book recenty, you will see his point; otherwise, you may be irritated by the story's a bit redundant nature.

I don't think that the film is as bad as some people say. Still, it is true that Benigni's portrayal as Pinocchio is ineffective and often annoying. I like him and his partner Nicoletta Braschi (as The Blue Fairy); I really admire their sweet and creative relations represented in "Life Is Beautiful." But "Pinoccio" just doesn't show that to me.

Benigni's Pinocchio - The Anti-Disney
Roberto Benigni has done it again: he pulled off a fantastic experience by bringing a fresh approach to an over-worked genre. And by doing so, he has delivered a humbling blow to the Disney Studios - the monopolist of the genre. This is a children's story worthy of adult viewership. It melds the best of both the cinematic and theatrical worlds to an astounding effect. It is a movies' movie: It would have been viewed enthusiastically at Cinema Paradiso, had it preceded that wonderful memoir. The soundtrack works its magic in this composition of color and light. This is a seminal work, free and clear of any obligation to formulaic convention, while speaking eloquently the lanuage of the medium.
This film, however, is dubbed into English. I would appreciate the option to view it with subtitles in the original Italian.

Forget Disney!
I must admit I actually liked this version of Pinocchio. :-) The out-of-sync dubbing, I suppose, is to be expected. You can't expect to make English-speaking voices and Italian-speaking mouths match up perfectly.

I personally would have much preferred to see it in the original Italian. I think that would have made a huge difference -- just like it does with any movie in a language other than English.

Another thing -- FORGET Disney! It is nothing at all like the Disney story. And I think it is very nice to see an alternate version. And this one is made in Italy, by Italians, so it has a very homegrown touch to it. ;-)

The only problem I could see was that it is a bit more childish than Benigni's last film, "Life Is Beautiful". He goes from a touching Holocaust tragedy to a fanciful straight-up comedy. So I suppose that might pose a difficulty.

Other than that, I did like it! My advice is, again, to try to see it in the original Italian, subtitled in English. And try to steer clear of the Disney-propagated Pinocchio image.

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