blackcauldron85 wrote:He hasn’t had different life-stages; he didn’t go through being an infant and bonding with his father, he didn’t go through the Terrible Twos stage, and he didn’t even go to preschool or kindergarten. I don’t really know what age Pinocchio is supposed to be, in boy years (probably somewhere between 6 & 8 years old?), but he just hasn’t had the life experience a normal boy of his age has had, and the only lessons he really was exposed to were to follow his conscience, don’t lie, and go to school. That should be reason enough for his naivety, right? I mean, the majority of people (and animals) he encounters are out to exploit him, to hurt him, to just be mean to him. He hasn’t had the life experience to deal with this. Sure, one could argue that he was told not to do certain things, but he did them anyway. Sure, he was told to follow his conscience, and he didn’t always listen to Jiminy; kids don’t always do what they’re supposed to do…this is realistic.
I know the reasons for his naivety, but it doesn't mean I have to like him. Where is stands out the most is in his second encounter with Honest John. He's spent the past few minutes wailing about how he got himself into his mess with Stromboli, how he should have listened to his conscience, and then he does exactly the same thing again, with barely a question or second thought. That's not naivety, that's just stupidity.
You say he doesn't know what kidnapping is, and that's fair enough, but after feeling so sorry for himself, he's too easily diverted from going home.
And that's why I say the script has little for older viewers. It is a juvenile telling of the story. Almost everything Pinocchio faces is a black or white decision. Pinocchio doesn't really question anything. What do you see now as an adult Amy, that you never saw as an infant in Pinocchio? I would hazard a guess either very little or nothing. It's not like The Little Mermaid or later Disney films. It doesn't have the multiple levels these films have.
But that's not really fair, it's a film of its time. But that's why I think the script is poor.
If Pinocchio was being made, brand new and without any past baggage, today I can see a number of changes being made. For example when Honest John tempts Pinocchio to a life on stage, instead of appealing only to Pinocchio's vanity, I could see him promising money and riches so Pinocchio could provide and look after his family. It's only a little change, but done right it not only gives us more sympathy for Pinocchio - he's ignoring his conscience but we can see he clearly thinks he is doing right, but it also adds a level of doubt for the viewer. Could Pinocchio be right to ignore Jiminy Cricket?
I'd change bits in the Amusement park too - when Lampwick is destroying the various property, I'd give Pinocchio some doubt. I dunno, he could just observe something like (off the top of my head) "People like my father spend so long making such beautiful things, and yet you destroy them without thought." Not only would this again make Pinocchio more sympathetic and show he can more or less come to the correct conclusions without Jiminy Cricket and based on only what he has seen himself in his short life - even if Lampwick later talks him around them, but it highlights the difference between what are the two main influences on him - Gepetto and Lampwick.
There's other things I'd change too - I'd give a reason Gepetto couldn't take Pinocchio to school himself. I mean, it's his first day at school, and his "father" didn't take him? It's a rather simplistic storytelling device, and not to be too blunt, it doesn't result in much sympathy for Gepetto's plight. Gepetto doesn't know about Jiminy Cricket. At the very least Gepetto could have sent Figaro to keep an eye on his "son". (Only for Figaro to fall foul of Honest John in some way later).
Also Pinocchio's escape from Stromboli is a little too convenient too. There's no real consequence to his imprisonment, like other choices, it happens because the story demands it happens.
Or another. Gepetto et al is swallowed by a whale. It's fantastical, but so is the whole story, so it sort of works. What doesn't work is why on Earth did Gepetto bundle everyone up, and look for Pinocchio on an Ocean? All it needs is one scene of Gepetto talking to someone and being told Pinocchio went overseas for that to make sense. He could even have been talking to Honest John, who lies to cover his tracks. Or seen a poster for Stromboli's show with Pinocchio on it and reading the next engagement would be overseas. As it is, we're just asked to accept the fact Gepetto decides to look for Pinocchio by sailing across an ocean.
That's what I mean by Juvenile. I mean really examine Gepetto in the film and it just falls to pieces.
Gepetto wants a child so badly, yet when he gets one doesn't parent him right just because the story demands it in order to work. Put Gepetto in a situation where he cannot be the parent he should be/wants to be and you'll not change the story, but make it stronger. Motivation and reactions would be stronger. Gepetto would be able to exhibit guilt as well as sadness. Pinocchio's experiences could be as much of a lesson for Gepetto as Pinocchio.
None of any of my suggested changes is changing the story - the story is fundamentally the same, but its adding layers. As I say, I don't hate the film, but I find it hard to connect to Pinocchio at all, or even some of his supporting characters. It's something when you feel a non-speaking cat has more sympathy than the title character or the title character's father.
Most modern family movies are judged on how much "heart" they have (something I've never really understood the definition of) but in my book, Pinocchio has no heart - and I say that because motivations are poor and often overlooked. How can you have emotional attachment to two-dimensional characters?
). Regardless to say, watching Pinocchio again was a real treat. Lovely story, lovely animation, lovely everything. It's always been a favourite, and it's nice to see it in such a good presentation. I have the 2003 UK Special Edition, and the restoration on that looked rather sterile; not an overall distraction, but quite a shame none the less. However, this one looked actually quite nice; despite what some people say, there was enough warmth and glow in this presentation.
Yeah, the kids' parents surely brought them to school their first time, or at least had showed them how to get there prior to them starting school.
