Pinocchio's Revenge

Last updated

Pinocchio's Revenge
Pinocchios Revenge.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Kevin S. Tenney
Screenplay by Kevin S. Tenney
Produced byJeff Geoffray
Walter Josten
Starring Rosalind Allen
Todd Allen
Aaron Lustig
Ron Canada
Candace McKenzie
Lewis Van Bergen
Larry Cedar
Brittany Alyse Smith
CinematographyEric Anderson
Edited byDaniel Duncan
Music byDennis Michael Tenney
Production
company
Distributed by Trimark Pictures
Blue Rider Productions
Release date
  • October 7, 1996 (1996-10-07)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Pinocchio's Revenge is a 1996 American psychological slasher film written and directed by Kevin S. Tenney and distributed by Trimark Pictures. It stars Rosalind Allen and Todd Allen and was released direct-to-video. The film's plot concerns a lawyer who brings home a wooden puppet that was found buried with a boy supposedly killed by his father. Her 8-year-old daughter Zoe sees the doll and takes it as her own. Soon accidents start happening and Jennifer struggles to find the cause as she begins to question her daughter's wellbeing and whether or not there may be something sinister to the doll. [1] [2] [3] The movie is closer "to Don Mancini's original intent for Child's Play". [4]

Contents

Conceptualised as Bad Pinocchio, written as The Pinocchio Syndrome, shot as ‘Pinocchio’, and, finally, released on VHS and Laserdisc on 23 September 1997. [5]

Plot

Despite overwhelming evidence, Jennifer Garrick (Rosalind Allen), the lawyer defending convicted child murderer Vincent Gotto (Lewis Van Bergen), believes her client is not guilty and is hiding the identity of the real killer. A fellow attorney in Jennifer's office (Ron Canada) explains the presence of a large Pinocchio-type puppet sitting in her chair, previously buried by Gotto in his son's grave, as belatedly delivered evidence which she had earlier requisitioned. Intending to examine the puppet in the hope of finding a clue which might prevent Gotto's execution, Jennifer brings it home and her emotionally fragile daughter Zoe (Brittany Alyse Smith) mistakes it for a birthday gift.

Zoe develops a relationship with the Pinocchio puppet and becomes unbalanced to an even greater degree. Trouble begins when Zoe's bully at school is pushed in front of a bus, which Zoe blames on Pinocchio trying to protect her. Soon after, Jennifer's boyfriend David Kaminsky (Todd Allen) is knocked down the basement stairs while babysitting Zoe, but is saved when she calls 9-1-1. Later, Zoe is at one of her therapy sessions when her psychiatrist, Dr. Edwards (Aaron Lustig), has to leave the room. Zoe begins talking with Pinocchio about who is to blame for David's accident, with each placing blame on the other. Jennifer and Dr. Edwards watch the argument through a video feed, seeing that Zoe is talking to herself.

That night, Pinocchio convinces Zoe to set him free on the pretense that he will confess to David about causing his accident. Zoe makes him promise he will not do anything bad and cuts his strings, at which point Pinocchio takes off for the hospital with Zoe in pursuit. Through a first-person perspective, an unknown person walks into David's room and unplugs his life support machine, killing him. When Zoe denies to Jennifer that she visited the hospital and blames David's death on Pinocchio, an angry and confused Jennifer locks the puppet in the trunk of her car.

That night, Zoe is left in the care of babysitter Sophia (Candace McKenzie), who reminds Zoe that she gave Pinocchio a conscience in the form of a cricket she caught earlier. Zoe runs to her room to check on the cricket, only to find it killed. Sophia runs to the sound of Zoe's screams, only to be attacked and killed by someone wielding a fireplace poker. Jennifer arrives home to find the babysitter dead and Zoe standing in a dark hallway. When she tries to confront Zoe, the girl runs away in a panic. As Jennifer explores the house, she is struck by the poker and sees her daughter standing above her with it in her hand.

Zoe explains that she just managed to get the poker away from Pinocchio, but before Jennifer can inquire further, she vanishes. Jennifer stands up to see Pinocchio standing in the room, at which point he suddenly turns towards her and attacks her with a knife. Following a pursuit through the house, Jennifer throws Pinocchio through a glass coffee table, only to see that her daughter is suddenly lying in the puppet's place. The movie closes with a catatonic Zoe being committed. Jennifer vows not to give up until Zoe recovers and comes home, to which Dr. Edwards states, "I hope not, for your sake, I hope not."

Cast

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairy with Turquoise Hair</span> Fictional character

The Fairy with Turquoise Hair is a fictional character in the 1883 Italian book The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, repeatedly appearing at critical moments in Pinocchio's wanderings to admonish the little wooden puppet to avoid bad or risky behavior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Todd Lincoln</span> First Lady of the United States (1861-1865)

Mary Ann Todd Lincoln served as the first lady of the United States from 1861 until the assassination of her husband, President Abraham Lincoln, in 1865.

The Reverse-Flash is a name used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Each iteration of the character serves as a foil and an enemy of the Flash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Tilly</span> American–Canadian actress (born 1958)

Jennifer Tilly is an American–Canadian actress and professional poker player. Known for her distinctive breathy voice and comedic timing, she is the recipient of a Saturn Award, a Fantasporto Award, and a GLAAD Award, as well as nominations for an American Comedy Award, a Gemini Award, two MTV Movie Awards, and an Academy Award.

<i>Baby Blues</i> American comic strip

Baby Blues is an American comic strip created and produced by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott since January 7, 1990. Distributed by King Features Syndicate from 1995 until January 2022, and distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication as of January 2022, the strip focuses on the MacPherson family and specifically on the raising of the three MacPherson children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Harris (Hollyoaks)</span> UK soap opera character, created 2005

Jessica Harris is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jennifer Biddall. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing in October 2005. Biddal decided to leave the serial in December 2007, Jessica last appeared on 31 December 2007, and Biddall has since admitted she doesn't want to return to the serial permanently. Jessica's notable storylines include affairs, being unlucky in love, gambling and a carbon monoxide plot.

<i>Witchboard</i> 1986 American horror film by Kevin S. Tenney

Witchboard is a 1986 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Kevin Tenney in his directorial debut, and starring Tawny Kitaen, Stephen Nichols, and Todd Allen. The plot centers on a college student who becomes entranced into using her friend's Ouija board alone after it was accidentally left behind at her party, resulting in her becoming terrorized by a malevolent spirit.

<i>The New Adventures of Pinocchio</i> (TV series) TV series or program

The New Adventures of Pinocchio is a 1961 syndicated stop motion animated television series produced by Rankin/Bass Productions in the United States and made by Dentsu Studios in Japan. Created by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and his partner Jules Bass, it was based on the 1883 book The Adventures of Pinocchio written by Italian author, Carlo Collodi. The series was Rankin/Bass' first production to be made in "Animagic", a stop motion puppet animation technique which, in association with the company, was done by Tadahito Mochinaga's MOM Productions.

<i>Boogeyman 3</i> 2008 American film

Boogeyman 3 is a 2008 American supernatural horror film directed by Gary Jones and starring Erin Cahill, Chuck Hittinger, and Mimi Michaels. It is the final installment of the Boogeyman film series, following Boogeyman and Boogeyman 2 and centers on a college sophomore, Sarah Morris, who tries to convince her dorm that the Boogeyman is real. Little does she know that the more she tells people of the existence of the Boogeyman, the evil supernatural force becomes stronger.

<i>Movie Stars</i> (TV series) American sitcom

Movie Stars is an American sitcom television series that aired on The WB from July 11, 1999, to June 18, 2000. It stars Harry Hamlin and Jennifer Grant as famous Hollywood actors trying to raise their children.

<i>Bella Mafia</i> American TV series or program

Bella Mafia is a 1997 American television film starring Vanessa Redgrave, Nastassja Kinski, Jennifer Tilly, Illeana Douglas and Dennis Farina. Redgrave was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film.

<i>Colombiana</i> 2011 film by Olivier Megaton

Colombiana is a 2011 French English-language action thriller film co-written and produced by Luc Besson and directed by Olivier Megaton. The film stars Zoe Saldaña with supporting roles by Michael Vartan, Cliff Curtis, Lennie James, Callum Blue, and Jordi Mollà. The term "Colombiana" means a woman from Colombia. The film is about Cataleya, a nine-year-old girl in Colombia whose family is killed by a drug lord. Fifteen years later, a grown Cataleya seeks her revenge.

"The Stranger" is the 20th episode of the American fairy tale/drama television series Once Upon a Time, which aired in the United States on ABC on April 29, 2012.

<i>The Case of the Bloody Iris</i> 1972 Italian film

The Case of the Bloody Iris is a 1972 Italian giallo film directed by Giuliano Carnimeo, identified in the credits as Anthony Ascott. The film was referred to as "never boring" and "a competent thriller which offers enough violence and sex to satisfy the most ardent giallo fan".

<i>The Happytime Murders</i> 2018 film by Brian Henson

The Happytime Murders is a 2018 American adult puppet buddy cop crime comedy film directed by Brian Henson and written by Todd Berger from a story by Berger and Dee Austin Robertson. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Bill Barretta, Joel McHale, Maya Rudolph, Leslie David Baker, and Elizabeth Banks. Set in a world where humans and living puppets co-exist, the film follows a puppet private investigator and a human police detective who must solve a murder spree of retired sitcom stars.

The Devil You Know is a 2013 American mystery thriller film starring Lena Olin and Rosamund Pike. Jennifer Lawrence also appears in the film, playing a younger version of the character portrayed by Pike.

<i>Pinocchio</i> (2022 live-action film) 2022 film directed by Robert Zemeckis

Pinocchio is a 2022 American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay by Zemeckis and Chris Weitz. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Depth of Field and ImageMovers, this film is a live-action remake of Walt Disney's 1940 animated film Pinocchio, which is itself based on the 1883 Italian book The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It stars Tom Hanks, Cynthia Erivo, and Luke Evans with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key, and Lorraine Bracco in voice roles. The reimagined story follows a wooden puppet named Pinocchio, who is brought to life by a blue fairy (Erivo) after being crafted by an old Italian woodcarver named Geppetto (Hanks). While the role of Pinocchio's conscience Jiminy Cricket (Gordon-Levitt) attempts to guide Pinocchio in matters of right and wrong, Pinocchio encounters a host of unsavory characters in his efforts to become a real boy.

<i>The Eternal Daughter</i> 2022 film by Joanna Hogg

The Eternal Daughter is a 2022 Gothic mystery drama film produced, written and directed by Joanna Hogg. It stars Tilda Swinton in a double role, as both a middle-aged filmmaker and her elderly mother who are guests at a mysterious hotel. Joseph Mydell and Carly-Sophia Davies are featured in supporting roles.

References

  1. Johnson, Judge David. "Pinocchio's Revenge" (DVD Verdict, October 15, 2005)
  2. Weinberg, Scott. "Pinocchio's Revenge" (DVD talk, October 15, 2005
  3. Vasquez, Felix Jr. "Pinocchio's Revenge (1996)" (Cinema Crazed, October 18, 2013
  4. "Pinocchio's Revenge (1996) Review • AIPT". February 20, 2014.
  5. "Less Child's Play, More Magic: Kevin S. Tenney's Pinocchio's Revenge (1996)". November 6, 2020.