Pinocchio

Rating:
Summary: Missed its potential, but not as bad as critics say...
Review: This movie's notoriety as the "worst film of 2002" peaked my curiosity. I was actually disappointed to hear how bad it was because I grew up loving the original Italian Collodi story of the live wooden puppet. Having seen the SUBTITLED version of the DVD, I must say the film is not nearly as horrific as some critics would have people believe. While I agree that it is very hard to buy Roberto Benigni in the title role as a young boy/puppet, much of the film is presented as 'theater' and thus asks the audience to suspend belief. The characters of the Fox and Cat, and many others rely not on actual animal makeup but features which create an illusion of their characteristics. In this sense, the film is quite ingenius and imaginative. The sets and costumes are beautiful and the script and story line are very faithful to the original book. That said, this film is a hard one to market to any audience because it is an adult (or 'art')version of a children's story, produced in another language. Sadly, in spite of its strengths, the film was doomed to fail in America because most children know only the animated Disney version of the story, and most parents do not wish to see a 50-year old playing the lead in a children's fairy tale. A shame, because while far from perfect, the film is not the disaster that many have proclaimed it to be.

Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece!
Review: This summer a great film was released in America. That film is called Pinocchio. I didn't expect this movie to be any good after the negative press and critcally shutdown. I saw it because I wanted to try out a foriegn movie, and I heard there were alot of celebrity dubbed voices. Eric Idle,Glenn Close,Breckin Myer,Kevin James,Regis Philbin,and Jim Bulisi. It was fun trying to figure out which characters has those voices.

This movie was made in Italy by Roberto Bennigni who was the star in Life is Beautiful. He also wrote,directed,and starred in this epic film event. The movie is nothing like the oringal Disney version which I thought is great. It gives the film it's own spotlight. The movie is a remake but if has it's own style of pacing and special effects.

Bennigni has so much energy and power in bringing a beloved character to the silver screen. His acting is wonderful as is the prose of the words. My only complaint is that they should have had a seprate version with English subtitles. They couldn't do that with one version because it's a kids movie. How many kids know Italian? Two would have been good. One for kids and one for the people who want subtitles.

Everyone probally knows what the plot of this movie is about but I'll explain. One night the Blue Fairy and a king are riding in a carriage. Without knowing it the Blue Fairy's power's turn a block of wood alive. The block travels all over the town and ends up in front of a house. The house belongs to Gepettio. He makes a wooden puppet but the puppet comes alive. In a white outfit and a hat made of bread Pinocchio goes to school but unfortuatly trouble ensures. After losing all of his money from a cat and a fox Pinchocio tries to make everything right. But Pinchocio has a nack for causing trouble...which is just what happens.

With beautiful senerny and Oscar winning acting this version of Pinocchio is great for people of all ages. It's a big shame that this movie didn't make alot of money in the box office. Hopefully it will do good on video.

ENJOY!

Rating:
Summary: Not Bad For A Foreign Film
Review: This version of the classic sotry wasn't too bad, but I did not like the fact that Pinocchio started out as a real livng thing than a transfer from puppet to boy. I guess in Italy, where the director is from, it has a different way of the story or history of Pinocchio.

Rating:
Summary: Storybook Comes to Life
Review: Watching Pinocchio truly was like having the story read to you and the pictures coming to life. It was more of a theatrical presentation than one would expect in a movie. The English dubbing was a bit distracting as it did not match very well. Overall, this was the most enjoyable version of Pinochio I have ever seen. As an adult I laughed the most, my twelve year old enjoyed it, my seven year old said it was "weird" but he liked watching it (especially the shark scene), and it kept our one year old's attention watching the very flexible Pinocchio jump around the screen (he was an excellent Pinocchio).

Rating:
Summary: Under-rated Benigni fairy tale...
Review: When this film came out, U.S. audiences were 'treated' to the horribly dubbed version. Despite celebrity voices (Glenn Close, John Cleese, Cheech Marin, others), Benigni's film was doomed from the start. Also, Benigni's 'Pinocchio' was nothing like the Disney animated classic. Benigni's version is closer to the actual book, which can get very dark. When Pinocchio was hanging by the neck from a tree branch in this film, this came as quite a shock to family audiences. While Disney's classic remains the best version, it is only loosely based on the book (as most of Disney's animated story-telling is). Benigni's imaginative tale cost $45 million (the most expensive Italian film ever made). The money went into the marvelous sets, the costume designs, and the creation of the giant whale. The supporting cast is good. The main theme is never lost. Benigni does a good job at handling the complicated series of Pinocchio's adventures. In Benigni's film, characters are key. The Blue Fairy, the Cricket. You like these characters. Benigni's script has something to say, no matter how subtle. It is clear a lot went into the planning of this film. But the major drawback in the film was the casting of Roberto Benigni as Pinocchio. He simply looks too old for the role. Another problem is Benigni's tendency to get rather long-winded. Without coming up for air, his dialogue can get tedious. I found myself exhausted watching him, and hoping the Blue Fairy would slap some sense into him. This 'style' of performance exhausts the audience, and steals away some of the magic. Furthermore, Pinocchio should have resembled a puppet more. Benigni wears a clown-like costume and a pointed hat. This is OK, but considering the money thrown into this fairy tale, maybe a little more should have been paid to make him look less human. Still, Benigni's 'Pinocchio' is not the failure that critics will have you believe. I give Benigni high marks for imagination. The film may drag at times, but Benigni doesn't try to be too showy, and the film is superior to today's mindless summer fare. But be warned: Stay away from the dubbed version. Stick to the original Italian. Be sure to keep an open mind and you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting!
Review: Without regurgitating what seemingly every reviewer of this film felt HAD to be said, I will say that this is certainly the most interesting of ALL Pincchio movies/adaptations in history!

For one, and this MUST be said again, to watch a 50 year old man play the part of a little wooden puppet is a exercise in sheer open-mindedness and tolerance!

In fact, watching the entitre film (ORIGINAL VERSION ONLY PLEASE) one get's the impression that Benigni favors adults over children, even in a childrens' story, as ALL characters are played by grossly overaged/sized adult actors.

The movies is funny though...in a strange way.
The biggest drawback aside from his age, is Benigni's un-naturally high pitched voice and penchant for rambling dialogue.
As a student of the Italian language, it can be hard to follow his incessant jumble of non-sensical jibberish.
At the same token, it is Benigni's annoying acting style that makes this film fun to watch.

What makes this film even quirkier is the relationship between a very grown Pinocchio and a rather attractive Blue Haired Fairy. There were times when I thought Pinocchio would just grab his beloved fairy and use his long nose to work his own brand of magic on HER. Sounds bad I know, but if you've seen this film you'll have no choice but to agree that there is waaayyy more physical chemistry between Pinocchio and the Fairy than ANY childrens story ought to have.

I can see why the critics AND the vast majority of viewers hated this one. It really isn't a GOOD film in a traditional sense.
Where this film shines is with those of us who have an appreciation for the off-beat and downright different.
This movie is both, which is why I bought it in the first place.

Will I recommend this to all you dear morally upright, purist partents out there for your kids to watch? Certainly not!
This is a non-sexual, but yet very adult oriented movie. Especially for dumbed down Disney raised US viewers.

Is this really a 45 million dollar flop? Absolutely!
Do I enjoy this film whenever I watch it? I most certainly do.



Rating:
Summary: PINOCCHIO ES MUY ESTUPIDO !!!!!
Review: Wow !!! I really wanted to give this turkey a chance, but I am afraid that I can write no positive review about it. I had only five bucks, and I chose to rent this over "Blood Feast 2!" What a mistake ! Next time you want to watch something totally senseless and inane, turn on MSNBC.

Rating:
Summary: If Somebody Else Played Pinocchio ....
Review: [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.