Pinocchio | |
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Directed by | Robert Zemeckis |
Screenplay by |
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Based on | Disney's Pinocchio The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Don Burgess |
Edited by |
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Music by | Alan Silvestri |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Disney+ |
Release date |
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Running time | 105 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $150 million [1] |
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 in live-action roles, and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key, and Lorraine Bracco in voice roles. The reimagined story follows a wooden puppet named Pinocchio (Evan Ainsworth), 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.
Development of the live-action Pinocchio began in 1985, with Jim Henson and Steve Barron approached with the idea, but Disney turned down the project. Disney eventually announced the remake film in April 2015 with Peter Hedges being reported to be writing the film's script, before being replaced with Weitz in May 2017, who also went on to produce. Sam Mendes and Paul King were originally considered for directing, and Zemeckis was confirmed as director in January 2020. By November 2018, it was reported that Hanks was in early talks to play Geppetto; he passed on the project after King's departure but rejoined in August 2020. The main cast was announced in January and March 2021. Principal photography began in March 2021 before finishing the following month. Alan Silvestri, who has collaborated in all of Zemeckis's films, composed the score, who also wrote the new songs with Glen Ballard.
Pinocchio was released on September 8, 2022, by Disney+, as an original film and as part of Disney+ Day. It received generally negative reviews from critics and received six Golden Raspberry Award nominations.
In a small Italian village in 1895, a vagrant cricket named Jiminy Cricket enters the home of a widowed elderly woodcarver named Geppetto, who lives with his pet kitten Figaro and goldfish Cleo. Geppetto has completed work on a puppet based on his young deceased son, which he names Pinocchio. Before falling asleep, Geppetto makes a wish on a star. Later that night, the star magically brings Pinocchio to life and he is soon visited by the Blue Fairy who tells him that if he acts brave, truthful and selfless, he can be a real boy. The Blue Fairy appoints Jiminy the responsibility of being Pinocchio's conscience to teach him right from wrong. When Geppetto awakens and finds Pinocchio alive, he is at first shocked, but becomes overjoyed.
After a few days, Geppetto sends Pinocchio to school. The fox con-artist, "Honest" John, and his cat partner, Gideon, soon approach Pinocchio. He convinces Pinocchio that he should live a life of fame to truly be a real boy when he really plans to sell him to the puppet master Stromboli. With the help of a seagull named Sofia, Jiminy convinces Pinocchio to go to school, but the headmaster throws Pinocchio out of the school because he is a puppet. Pinocchio decides to go to Stromboli's after all while Honest John places a glass jar over Jiminy. Geppetto, Figaro, and Cleo go out to look for Pinocchio when he fails to come home for dinner. At Stromboli's theater, Pinocchio befriends one of Stromboli's employees, Fabiana and her puppet Sabina. Pinocchio puts on a good show for the crowd, but Stromboli locks him in a bird cage to prevent him from ever leaving. Stromboli's coach ends up freeing Jiminy from the jar and Pinocchio has him reach the keys for the cage's lock by telling lies to make his nose grow longer.
Soon, Pinocchio is swiped up by a coach full of children driven by a charismatic Coachman, who is taking them to Pleasure Island, where misbehavior is encouraged. Once there, Pinocchio is disturbed by some of the brutality the kids display, but befriends an irresponsible boy named Lampwick and manages to enjoy some of the attractions. Later on, Jiminy finds that all of the children have turned into donkeys and that the Coachman sells them to the salt mines with help from his Vapor Monsters. Pinocchio witnesses Lampwick's transformation at a billiard hall as Pinocchio gains a donkey's ears and tail. Pinocchio and Jiminy escape the island before the Coachman and his goons can get them.
Pinocchio and Jiminy make it back to Geppetto's, but find that Sofia gave him a flyer of Pleasure Island to let him know where Pinocchio was and that he sold all of his clocks to buy a boat to go there. Pinocchio reunites with Fabiana and Sabina who tell him that Stromboli has been arrested by the Carabinieri last night for cruelty against his employees, and they have taken over his puppet show. They offer Pinocchio to join them, but Pinocchio declines, wanting to save his father, which makes his donkey parts disappear. Sofia pulls a rope for Pinocchio to hold out to the Mediterranean Sea, where they soon find Geppetto in his boat. Just as they reunite, they are swallowed by a giant sea monster named Monstro. They take refuge in a giant boat in Monstro's stomach and Pinocchio gets the idea to make him sneeze by starting a fire within him. The plan works, and Monstro sneezes them out, but he gives chase that ends with the group crashing on dry land and apparently killing Geppetto.
Believing his father has died, Pinocchio mourns over him and a magical tear falls from his eye on Geppetto, reviving him. Geppetto tells Pinocchio that despite being a puppet, he has proven himself to be a true boy at heart. As Pinocchio and Geppetto depart for home, Jiminy narrates that stories have been told of Pinocchio becoming a real boy, but doesn't confirm them (even as Pinocchio's limbs appear to turn human), stressing that, in his heart, Pinocchio is already a real boy.
Non-speaking animal characters include Geppetto's pet kitten Figaro and goldfish Cleo, and Monstro, an enormous, chimeric sea monster who devours anything that crosses his path.
In 1985, Jim Henson and director Steve Barron approached Walt Disney Pictures with the idea of a live-action version of Pinocchio, but Disney turned down the project. [5] Barron still managed to make The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996), distributed by New Line Cinema. [6] On April 8, 2015, it was announced that Walt Disney Pictures was developing a live-action adaptation of the 1940 animated film Pinocchio . [7] Peter Hedges was reported to be writing the film's script. [7] On May 22, 2017, it was announced that Chris Weitz would replace Hedges as a screenwriter, as well as serve as a producer, while Sam Mendes was in talks to direct the project. [8] On November 13, 2017, Mendes stepped down as the director. [9]
On February 20, 2018, it was announced that Paul King was set to direct the film, while Andrew Milano was announced to be co-producing the film alongside Weitz, and production was expected to begin in late 2018. [10] Though Jack Thorne was announced to be re-writing Weitz's script, [10] Weitz revealed on August 21, 2018, that the script was still being developed, as well as that production was set to take place in England and Italy during 2019. [11] In November 2018, Simon Farnaby was reported to have worked on a new draft for the film. [12] However, on January 13, 2019, it was reported that King left the film due to "family reasons", while Disney was announced to be searching for a new director for the project. [13]
On October 18, 2019, it was reported that Robert Zemeckis was in talks to direct the film, while the film's latest version of the screenplay was reported to have been written by Weitz, King, and Farnaby, with Weitz and Milano still being attached to the project as producers. [14] On January 24, 2020, it was reported that Jack Rapke and Jackie Levine would serve as executive producers. [15]
On November 29, 2018, it was reported that Tom Hanks was in early talks to play Geppetto in the film, [16] but passed on the project after King's departure. [14] In August 2020, Hanks rejoined the project. [17] Hanks reportedly reached out to director Robert Zemeckis for the role after reading the script; the two have previously worked together in the films Forrest Gump (1994), Cast Away (2000), and The Polar Express (2004). [17] [18] In January 2021, Luke Evans joined the cast as the Coachman and Oakes Fegley entered early negotiations to play Lampwick. [19] Lewin Lloyd was eventually cast in the role. [20] In March, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth was cast in the titular role, with Cynthia Erivo, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key and Lorraine Bracco also added. Erivo portrayed The Blue Fairy, while Gordon-Levitt, Key and Bracco voiced Jiminy Cricket, Honest John and a new character, Sofia the Seagull, respectively. [3]
Principal photography began on March 17, 2021, in Cardington Film Studios, England, under the working title Mahogany. [2] [21] Filming was completed in April 2021 according to Benjamin Evan Ainswoth. [22]
Moving Picture Company provided full animation and visual effects for the film. DNEG contributed a part of the virtual production. [23] [24]
Alan Silvestri, a recurring collaborator of Zemeckis', composed the score for the film. [25] The song, "When You Wish Upon a Star", was performed by Cynthia Erivo as the Blue Fairy. [26] On August 31, 2022, it was revealed that "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee (An Actor's Life for Me)" and "I've Got No Strings" would also be featured, along with the titles of the four new songs: "When He Was Here with Me" and "Pinocchio, Pinocchio" performed by Tom Hanks as Geppetto, "I Will Always Dance" performed by Kyanne Lamaya as Fabiana, and "The Coachman to Pleasure Island" performed by Luke Evans as the Coachman. Only four songs from the original film, "Little Wooden Head", "Give a Little Whistle", and the reprises of "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee" and "When You Wish Upon a Star" did not make the cut. In addition to the songs from the original film, Silvestri and Glen Ballard wrote new songs for the project. [25] The soundtrack album was released on September 8, 2022, the same day as the film. [27]
On March 9, 2022, the first look at the upcoming adaptation was released, revealing that the film would be released in September of that year. [28] The teaser trailer and poster for Pinocchio debuted on May 31, 2022, announcing the premiere date of September 8 on Disney+, coinciding with Disney+ Day. [29] The trailer features part of Erivo's rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star" as well as footage of Hanks as Geppetto. [20] On August 22, a teaser used to promote Disney+ Day showed the first look of Pinocchio's CGI appearance, near-identical to the 1940 animated version. [30] On August 24, 2022, the official trailer and the first-look photos for the live-action adaptation were released. [31] On August 29, Disney+ released a behind-the-scenes featurette that included interviews with some members of the film's cast. [32] On September 8, Disney+ released a second featurette which details the impact the 1940 animated version had on the film's cast and crew as well as the satisfaction it gives them to bring the story to a new generation. [33] On September 15, Disney+ released a third featurette which featured new interviews with composer Alan Silvestri, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (voice of Pinocchio), Luke Evans and lyricist Glen Ballard sharing insights on their respective contributions to the film. [34]
On October 29, 2019, it was reported that Disney was considering releasing the film on its streaming service Disney+ due to the box office failure of its 2019 remake of Dumbo , though "a theatrical release seems more likely" after the hiring of Robert Zemeckis as director. [35] On December 9, 2020, the film was officially announced to be moving back to Disney+ instead of a theatrical release in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [2] The film was released on September 8, 2022, as part of Disney+ Day. [36] [37]
According to Nielsen, Pinocchio was the 6th most watched program across all platforms during the week of September 11, 2022. [38] According to streaming aggregator Reelgood, Pinocchio was the 5th most watched program across all platforms during the week of September 17, 2022. [39] According to Whip Media, Pinocchio was the 8th most watched film across all platforms in the United States during the week of September 23, 2022. [40]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 28% of 181 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.8/10.The website's consensus reads: "Visually dazzling but soulless, the largely inert Pinocchio reaffirms that you should always let your conscience be your guide… away from unnecessary remakes." [41] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 38 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [42]
Adrian Horton of The Guardian gave the film three out of five stars, saying, "A live-action take on the classic animation has effective visual moments and an impactful turn from Tom Hanks but never quite justifies its existence." [43] Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three stars out of four, writing, "Every frame of Pinocchio is filled with rich and lush detail — at times this almost looks like a 3-D film — and the performances, whether live action or voiced, are universally excellent." [44] Danny Leigh of the Financial Times thought that "The animation is now so hyper-advanced, the landscape of the movie so eerily both this and that, it is easy to get confused about where reality stops and ones and zeros take over." [45] Jennifer Green of Common Sense Media gave the film three out of five stars and felt it "boasts an impressive mix of CGI animation and live actors and settings, but the final product feels a little jumbled". [46]
Amy Nicholson of The New York Times was critical of the script: "Geppetto [sings] about his freshly concocted dead son. Someone wished to burden the old whittler with more motivation, and tacked on a dead wife to boot." [47] Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com called Key's performance "by far the film's highlight", but felt other updates to the story "too often feel empty and add no insight". [48] Alex Godfrey of Empire gave the film two stars out of five, saying, "It's hard to invest much in Geppetto and Pinocchio's relationship when they spend barely any time together. Ultimately, it's all a bit flat, and feels like an exercise. It exists because it can." [49] In a "C" review, Christian Zilko of IndieWire wrote, "While the original story remains undeniably excellent, Pinocchio fails at re-telling it because it ignores its own advice. ... If Disney truly believed that timeless virtue and character were more important than having a shiny new exterior, this remake would never have been made." [50] Patrick Cremona of the Radio Times thought it "never does enough to justify its own existence, failing to improve on the tremendous 1940 animation in any meaningful way." [51] Andrew Barker of Variety was similarly negative, saying, "There may be no strings on this Pinocchio, but there isn't much of a heart in him either." [52]
Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
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Golden Raspberry Awards | March 11, 2023 | Worst Picture | Derek Hogue, Andrew Milano, Chris Weitz, and Robert Zemeckis | Nominated | [53] |
Worst Director | Robert Zemeckis | Nominated | |||
Worst Actor | Tom Hanks | Nominated | |||
Worst Supporting Actress | Lorraine Bracco (voice) | Nominated | |||
Worst Screenplay | Screenplay by Robert Zemeckis and Chris Weitz; Based on the 1940 Disney animated film and the novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi | Nominated | |||
Worst Remake, Rip-off or Sequel | Pinocchio | Won | |||
Hollywood Music In Media Awards | November 16, 2022 | Best Original Score – Streamed Live Action Film (No Theatrical Release) | Alan Silvestri | Nominated | [54] |
Best Original Song – Streamed Film (No Theatrical Release) | "I Will Always Dance" Written by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard; Performed by Kyanne Lamaya | Nominated | |||
Golden Reel Awards | February 26, 2023 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Non-Theatrical Feature | Bjørn O. Schroeder, Leff Lefferts, Randy Thom, Malcolm Fife, Pascal Garneau, Teresa Eckton, Goeun Everett, James Spencer, Chris Frazier, Dee Shelby, Christopher Manning, John Roesch, and Shelley Roden | Nominated | [55] |
Visual Effects Society Awards | February 15, 2023 | Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature | Christophe Paradis, Valentina Rosselli, Armita Khanlarpour, and Kyoungmin Kim (for Honest John) | Nominated | [56] [57] |
Pinocchio is a 1940 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. Loosely based on Carlo Collodi's 1883 Italian children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio, it is the studio's second animated feature film, as well as the third animated film overall produced by an American film studio, after Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Fleischer Studios' Gulliver's Travels (1939). With the voices of Cliff Edwards, Dickie Jones, Christian Rub, Walter Catlett, Charles Judels, Evelyn Venable, and Frankie Darro, the film follows a wooden puppet, Pinocchio, who is created by an old woodcarver, Geppetto, and brought to life by a blue fairy. Wishing to become a real boy, Pinocchio must prove himself to be "brave, truthful, and unselfish." Along his journey, Pinocchio encounters several characters representing the temptations and consequences of wrongdoing, as a cricket named Jiminy, who takes the role of Pinocchio's conscience, attempts to guide him in matters of right and wrong.
Jiminy Cricket is the Disney version of the Talking Cricket, a fictional character created by Italian writer Carlo Collodi for his 1883 children's book The Adventures of Pinocchio, which Walt Disney adapted into the animated film Pinocchio in 1940. Originally an unnamed, minor character in Collodi's novel who is killed by Pinocchio before returning as a ghost, he was transformed for the Disney adaptation into a comical and wisecracking partner who accompanies Pinocchio on his adventures, having been appointed by the Blue Fairy to serve as Pinocchio's official conscience. In the film, he sings "When You Wish Upon a Star", the Walt Disney Company's signature song, and "Give a Little Whistle".
Robert Lee Zemeckis is an American filmmaker known for directing and producing a range of successful and influential movies, often blending cutting-edge visual effects with storytelling. He has received several accolades including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for five British Academy Film Awards and a Daytime Emmy Award.
The Fairy with Turquoise Hair, often simply referred to as the Blue Fairy, 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.
The Fox and the Cat are a pair of fictional characters and antagonists of Italian writer Carlo Collodi's 1883 book Le avventure di Pinocchio. They are depicted as poor con artists who hoodwink Pinocchio and attempt to murder him. They pretend to be disabled: the Fox lame and the Cat blind. The Fox appears to be more intelligent than the Cat, who usually limits himself to repeating the Fox's words.
Pinocchio's Daring Journey is a dark ride at Disneyland in California, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Park in Paris. Located in the Fantasyland section of each park, this ride is based on Disney's 1940 animated film version of the classic story, which was the studio's second animated feature film. The attraction tells an abbreviated version of the film, with Pinocchio escaping from Stromboli's puppet show and visiting Pleasure Island, ignoring Jiminy Cricket's advice. Monstro the whale makes an appearance, and Pinocchio is finally reunited with Geppetto and turned into a real boy.
Mangiafuoco is a fictional character who appears in Carlo Collodi's 1883 Italian book The Adventures of Pinocchio, serving as a secondary antagonist turning good.
The Coachman, also known as The Little Man, is a fictional character and a major antagonist from Carlo Collodi's 1883 book The Adventures of Pinocchio, in which he appears in chapters XXXI and XXXIII.
The Terrible Dogfish is a dogfish-like sea-monster, which appears in Carlo Collodi's 1883 book The Adventures of Pinocchio as the final antagonist. It is described as being larger than a five-story building, a kilometer long and sporting three rows of teeth in a mouth that can easily accommodate a train. So fearsome is its reputation, that in Chapter XXXIV, it is revealed that the Dogfish is nicknamed "The Attila of fish and fishermen".
Geppetto is a 2000 American made-for-television musical film based on the popular 1883 Italian children's book The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi starring Drew Carey and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. While not a direct adaptation of the 1940 animated film, it features a few elements such as the character of Figaro, the "I've Got No Strings" song as well as Pleasure Island. It features original songs written by Stephen Schwartz. Schwartz had developed the songs as a reunion for stars Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, but Andrews was undergoing throat surgery so the idea was dropped.
The Land of Toys is a fictional location in the Italian novel The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883) that is disguised as a haven of freedom and anarchy for children, but is eventually discovered to be far more sinister.
"Give a Little Whistle" is a song written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for Walt Disney's 1940 adaptation of Pinocchio. The original version was sung by Cliff Edwards in the character of Jiminy Cricket and Dickie Jones in the character of Pinocchio, and is teaching how to whistle in the film. It is one of two original songs to not appear in Disney's 2022 live-action remake of the film, along with "Little Wooden Head".
Geppetto is a fictional character in the 1883 Italian novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Geppetto is an elderly, impoverished woodcarver and the creator of Pinocchio. He wears a yellow wig resembling cornmeal mush, and consequently his neighbors call him "Polendina" to annoy him. The name Geppetto is a Tuscan diminutive of the name Giuseppe.
Pinocchio is a fictional character and the protagonist of the children's novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883) by Italian writer Carlo Collodi of Florence, Tuscany. Pinocchio was carved by a woodcarver named Geppetto in a Tuscan village. He is created as a wooden puppet, but he dreams of becoming a real boy. He is known for his long nose, which grows when he lies.
The Talking Cricket is a fictional character that appears in the 1883 Italian book The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi.
Candlewick or Lampwick is a fictional character who appears in Carlo Collodi's 1883 book The Adventures of Pinocchio.
Oakes Tonne Fegley is an American actor. He has starred in Pete's Dragon (2016), Wonderstruck (2017), The Goldfinch (2019), The War with Grandpa (2020), The Fabelmans (2022), and Adam the First (2024).
Pinocchio is a play by Dennis Kelly, based on the classic children's story by Carlo Collodi and the 1940 Walt Disney film with the original songs and score by Leigh Harline, Ned Washington and Paul J. Smith, adapted by Martin Lowe. The play was presented by the Royal National Theatre, London in December 2017, by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions.
Pinocchio (Original Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2022 Disney film Pinocchio, a live-action remake of Walt Disney's 1940 animated film of the same name, which is itself based on the 1883 Italian book The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, the film is directed by Robert Zemeckis, and starred Tom Hanks, Cynthia Erivo and Luke Evans with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (as the title character), Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key and Lorraine Bracco in voice roles. The musical score was composed by Alan Silvestri, who regularly collaborated in all of Zemeckis' films, and was recorded at the Abbey Road Studios, London. Besides producing the score, Silvestri also wrote new songs for the film, with songwriter-producer Glen Ballard, while the songs from the original counterpart were also featured in the album. Walt Disney Records released the soundtrack album on September 8, 2022.
After an unusually long and bumpy road to the screen, production is finally underway on Disney's live-action remake of the animated classic Pinocchio.