269. Pinocchio; movie review
Cert PG
124 mins
BBFC advice: Contains scary scenes and mild violence
"I've got no strings to hold me down, to make me fret or make me frown.."
I was humming the tune of the Disney classic, expecting a similarly light-hearted, albeit updated version of Pinocchio.
How wrong I was. Matteo Garrone's movie is much darker and even more surreal.
That is because it is much more closely aligned with the source material - the 1883 book The Adventures of Pinocchio by Italian author Carlo Collodi.
It stars Federico Ielapi as the boy who is moulded from wood by the poor carpenter, Geppetto (Roberto Benigni).
Upon coming alive, boy immediately gets up to mischief or should I say big trouble.
Indeed, when he sees a puppet show in the village where they live, he makes a beeline for it - despite being told not to, and is kidnapped.
Thereafter, the movie is reminiscent of the real-life Alice In Wonderland movies with quirky or even downright weird animal/human characters.
Yep, there is a cat (Rocco Papaleo) and fox (Massimo Ceccherini) who befriend Pinocchio but have mal intent and there is a fairy (Marine Vacth) and snail (Maria Pia Timo) who want the best for him.
As with the Disney cartoon, Pinocchio's nose grows when he tells lies but here the notion of becoming a real boy isn't the puppet's preoccupation.
This is a tale of temptation - whenever it is put in front of him, he cannot resist it, giving scant thought tow whose feelings he might hurt.
The effects and backdrop are impressive but the darkness of the storyline made me wonder how well the movie would go down with children.
Garrone says it will teach them life lessons but I wonder whether that would inspire them to insist on being taken to the cinema.
Certainly not in the same numbers who saw the Walt Disney classic.
Reasons to watch: A new take on a famous story
Reasons to avoid: Might be too scary for little children
Laughs: Two
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10
Did you know? Pinocchio was the hero of the children’s story Le avventure di Pinocchio: Storia di un burattino (“The Adventures of Pinocchio: The Story of a Puppet”) by C. Collodi. The story first appeared in serial form in 1881 in the Giornale dei bambini (“Children’s Magazine”) and was published in book form in 1883.
The final word. Matteo Garrone: "There are some parts of the story that are dark but these parts are necessary as a warning to kids as to how dangerous life can be. And how cruel it can be also. It is important to be careful and follow the warnings of the adults. This is something that is very important in the story." Curzon Blog
Reasons to avoid: Might be too scary for little children
Laughs: Two
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10
Did you know? Pinocchio was the hero of the children’s story Le avventure di Pinocchio: Storia di un burattino (“The Adventures of Pinocchio: The Story of a Puppet”) by C. Collodi. The story first appeared in serial form in 1881 in the Giornale dei bambini (“Children’s Magazine”) and was published in book form in 1883.
The final word. Matteo Garrone: "There are some parts of the story that are dark but these parts are necessary as a warning to kids as to how dangerous life can be. And how cruel it can be also. It is important to be careful and follow the warnings of the adults. This is something that is very important in the story." Curzon Blog
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