The DVD Dissection: Pinocchio - 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition (Blu-Ray)
Posted by Chad Webb on 03.17.2009
Pinocchio never looked so good. Walt would be proud.
Featuring the Voices of:
Dickie Jones: Pinocchio/Alexander
Mel Blanc: Figaro/Cleo/Gideo
Cliff Edwards: Jiminy Crickett
Christian Rub: Geppetto
Walter Catlett: J. Worthington "Honest John" Foulfellow
Evelyn Venable: The Blue Fairy
Charles Judels: Stromboli, The Coachman
Frankie Darro: Lampwick
Directed By: Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske
Written By: Ted Sears/Otto Englander/Webb Smith/William Cottrell/Joseph Sabo/Erdman Penner/Aurelius Battaglia
Theatrical Release Date: February 9, 1940
DVD Release Date: March 10, 2009
Running Time: 88 minutes
Rated G
The Film
What Walt Disney and his studio achieved from 1937-1942 is unparalleled. The first five animated releases would go down in history as classics that are still revered to this day. Not until Pixar dominated every year from 1999 to now has such a feat been accomplished. But Walt has decades on his side to prove the lasting effects of those efforts. Pixar must wait awhile to claim the same. Each of those five offerings stands out for its own distinct reason (Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi). I have had the privilege to review another Walt Disney film, Sleeping Beauty, which I described as perfect. The studio's second full length animated feature, Pinocchio is perfect as well. It remains to this day, my all-time favorite in animation.
Though many companies would attempt Pinocchio adaptations in the future, not one would ever come close to challenging Disney's 1940 work of mastery. Like Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio has the merit of at least remaining untouched and unspoiled by the studio that created it. No Direct-to-DVD sequels or spin-offs would arise related to this little wooden boy, and thank goodness for that. Disney gave the 1883 novel by Carlo Collodi the treatment it justly deserved, and it was flawless, making it impossible for anyone else, including Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Roberto Benigni, to equal or surpass.
Pinocchio begins as many Disney stories have, with an old fashioned storybook unfolding. The tale follows a woodcarver named Geppetto, who lives with his cat Figaro, and his goldfish Cleo. He is putting the finishing touches on a marionette he builds, and he names him Pinocchio, which is a name only he likes. It means "pine eye" in Italian. Geppetto longs for his creation to be a real boy, and when he spots a blinking star in the night sky, he makes his wish for just that. While the house is asleep, the Blue Fairy glides down through the window, while Jiminy Crickett, a bug looking for a comfortable rest, looks in amazement. She grants Geppetto's wish based on how much joy he brings to children. Jiminy Crickett is appointed as his conscience, to help decide between right and wrong.
He awakens to discover that he now has a son, and celebration is in order. Pinocchio's first day being alive is not all sunshine and roses however. Geppetto gives him an apple, his schoolbooks, and sends him off to learn. He encounters many unique characters, the first of which is Honest John and Gideon, a fox and cat duo, who persuade the boy to follow them for a career in theater. He is then sold to Stromboli, a puppeteer desperate to gain fame and fortune. Pinocchio is locked in a cage, until the Blue Fairy arrives and questions him on what occurred. He lies, and his knows grows with every fabrication. She helps him one last time, but Pinocchio's frightening journey continues.
What transpires next is one of the most disturbing and scary animated sequences in any children's film. It is this segment of Pinocchio that prompts the majority of the debate on how the movie has aged, and how appropriate it is for kids nowadays. It is my belief, that the Pleasure Island sequence is what separates Pinocchio from every other animated film of that era or the present. It is precisely that bravery from Disney to display smoking, drinking, vandalism, and other forms of horsing around that makes Pinocchio the undeniable masterpiece it is. Pleasure Island is supposed to be frightening for kids, and that is exactly why they should watch it. First of all, some scares never hurt anyone. I've seen the movie numerous times since I was little, and I turned out fine. The message Pinocchio boils down to is teaching children what is right and what is wrong.
There is nothing wrong with explaining to kids why these scenes are in the film, in fact I would encourage it, but stating that people should "think twice" before showing Pinocchio is absolutely ridiculous. While it is true than some Disney material of that period contained images and references that are today inappropriate, the green face Pinocchio has after taking a big drag of a cigarette was intended to scare children into not smoking. The fact is our society is way too protective over what we show to our children, and placing too many restrictions will certainly come back to haunt them later in life. Pinocchio had the guts to express all the temptations young boys face, it should be just as acceptable now, as it was then.
Pinocchio is a vivid film saturated with heart and imagination. The moral is the opposite of ham-fisted, and the characters are anything but artificial. Every minor facet is embraced with the utmost concentration. From the inventive clocks on Geppetto's wall to each bizarre corner of Pleasure Island, this world has something for everyone to admire and marvel. The story ignites the basic kindness in all people, and reminds those living on how special the gift of life really is. The darker mood Disney integrated into Pinocchio's demanding experience makes it more accessible, influential, and astonishing than almost every other animated venture.
A matching texture so lush and bold cannot be found in any other hand-drawn feature. Despite the eye-catching intricacies of our modern computer generated world, Pinocchio remains more beautiful to look at overall as it resembles a refined painting with a gorgeously meticulous canvas. It is astounding to gaze at Geppetto's charming village from afar as the lights illuminate it when Pinocchio and Jiminy race to return home. The bricks in the wall and stone road are elaborate, and each crevasse in the wooden doorways is fine and ornate. Pinocchio might not be as visually dazzling as other films, but it easily the king of the hill in terms of sophistication and delicacy. Anyone wishing to examine the difference between science and art need look no further than here.
Jiminy Cricket is the anchor of the movie. His presence at the beginning draws the viewer into this quaint little European village. He is not just a sidekick. He is the narrator, the mentor, and the figure that keeps the tone lighthearted. The fact that he looks nothing like a real cricket is of no consequence. He is a cricket because Walt Disney says he is one. Cliff Edwards instilled the voice of a jovial and polite guide into Jiminy. It is quite honestly a magnificent vocal performance. Jiminy will take the most serious situation in Pinocchio and deflate it with some humor, that handled by a different actor, or a different studio, would have felt out of left field or forced. It is Edwards who is responsible for singing “When You Wish Upon a Star”, one of the greatest movie songs of all-time, one that would become Disney’s anthem for many decades, and who could blame them? The song represents everything the studio and the theme parks stood for: to reach ones dream.
I am uptight about voice casts in animated films today because of what Walt Disney aimed for with his casts’ way back in his prime. Pinocchio assembles one of the best and most fitting group of performers for an animated story ever. If Walt were alive today, he would go crazy at the laziness with which some casts are gathered. Dickie Jones makes the world fall in love with Pinocchio. His gentle and innocent vocals are perfect for this wooden youth. Christian Rub is just marvelous as Geppetto, and in real life, he looked exactly like this character. His understated work here is terrific. Charles Judels brings an unmatched zest to Stromboli and the Coachman. His booming powerful tone is mesmerizing. Mel Blanc was originally slated for Gideon, but he was changed into a mute character, hence Blanc has a total of 1 sound, which is a hiccup. Last but not least is Walter Catlett, who is lively and versatile as Honest John. And although they make no noise, Figaro the cat and Cleo the goldfish are a pleasure to watch.
The success of Snow White taught Walt and his animators a great deal about the animation process. In addition, it brought in piles of cash, which were extremely beneficial for Pinocchio because they were then able to use more expensive machines and tools to achieve the more difficult sequences. Any minute detail that the crew was unpleased with in Snow White, was perfected in Pinocchio. They were ambitious, smart, and faultless. Unfortunately however, the film was not a box office hit, despite ecstatic reviews. It has been theatrically re-released in 1945, 1954, 1962, 1971, 1978, 1984, and 1992, which obviously has boosted the gross considerably.
Pinocchio has the honor of being the first Disney film to receive Oscars for both the best original score and the best song categories. With many Disney offerings, not all the songs are memorable. One of two might end up slipping out of your mind. This is not the case with Pinocchio. Every song is fabulous, from the aforementioned classic, to “I’ve Got Not Strings”, “Give a Little Whistle”, and Geppetto’s underrated “Little Wooden Head.” The score is in my opinion, the greatest in the studio’s history but it rarely receives the recognition it deserves, mostly because of “When You Wish Upon a Star” overshadowing it. Leigh Harline, Paul Smith, and Ned Washington concocted a glorious conglomeration of elegant melodies, playful sounds, and rousing orchestral work. It is unbelievable.
Every once in a blue moon, all the elements click into place, and a masterpiece is born. The Gods shine down upon these special projects, and they are revered and cherished for ages. Numerous talented folks are responsible for Pinocchio, but it is because of Walt Disney that generations received the final version we all love today. His perfectionism and tough decision making was spot on. He knew what was needed to make a scene, a drawing, a song, or a frame better and better until it reached its limit. His arrangement really permits one to appreciate the scope of Pinocchio, and the various episodic set pieces that are so impeccable. It is a magical film in every sense of the word, and no matter how overused that line is, it still applies.
The Video
Never in all my years of living did I imagine that Pinocchio would one day look like this. The VHS copy I had was faded, grainy, and dark, but I adored it regardless. Now, Pinocchio has been intensively corrected, polished, and highlighted to the point that the picture transfer could positively not get any better. Seeing this on Blu-Ray is like experiencing the film in a whole new way. It accentuates the brilliant job that this team of legendary animators did on the characters, backgrounds, and especially the water, which was exhilarating to watch. The colors are bright, vivacious, and unsullied. Pinocchio’s outfit looks brand spanking new. Each scene has new depth, vibrancy, and dimension. It is given the 1080p/AVC-encoded treatment. What was accomplished with this transfer is nothing short of miraculous. The original full screen aspect ratio of 1.33:1 never feels phony. Print damage, edge enhancement, grain, softness, and any other defects one can think of are nowhere to be found. The images are clean, the black levels are rich, and the contrast is unblemished.
The Audio
The sound department is a bit harder to judge since Pinocchio was meant to be heard in mono, but here, Disney has included a new DTS HD 7.1 Master Audio track, which is nice, don’t get me wrong, but unnecessary. Still, the balance was precise and seamless. This updated audio was executed with cautiousness and care, and it is evident that the studio wanted to give the very best to the buyer. The music sounds spectacular, each and every noise is clear and without problems, and the dialogue is lucid and understandable. The restored theatrical soundtrack in 1.0 mono is available, as well as 2.0 tracks in English, Spanish, and French. This also contains subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.
The Packaging
Pinocchio the 70th Anniversary Blu-Ray Edition is distributed in a double-wide clear blue case that houses 3 discs. The first double-sided holder actually clicks into place with the third holder to avoid breaks and cracks. Inside are plenty of booklets. One is the Disney Movie Rewards, which provides a code in a booklet that advertises a Pinocchio-themed sweepstakes. The other book is a 6 page guide that contains the chapter listing, contents map, and ads for other Disney titles. The menus have been put together wonderfully. They are easy to navigate, although to the best of my knowledge, do not pop up at the bottom of the screen while the feature is playing as some Blu-Ray titles do.
The Extras
On October 26, 1999, Pinocchio became the first Disney classic to land on DVD. It was one of nine others that were overpriced and limited on features, if they had any at all. It was not long afterwards that the studio announced plans for Gold and Platinum Editions. In March of 2000, they would re-release the title under new packaging. That would be in stores until 2002 or so, and then it went into the Disney vault. Since then, fans like yours truly have been waiting patiently for the DVD we deserved.
DISC 1
Audio Commentary - This track includes everyone’s favorite historian Leonard Maltin, animator Eric Goldberg, and historian J.B. Kaufman. The discussion is amply supplemented by archival clips from those who worked on the film, including animators Ward Kimball, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, and Eric Larson. Maltin affords the most trivia, but Goldberg contributes some terrific tidbits about animation as well. Kaufman happens to be writing a book on the film, and says the least out of the trio, but this is an earnest discussion from people who love the movie, and the side tracks from crew members provide neat diversions.
Previews - When the disc finishes loading after an hour or two (just kidding), the previews begin. The FastPlay promotes Disney, and then has a quit smoking commercial (Thanks Pleasure Island!) It goes on to advertise Disney Blu-ray, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (The upcoming Platinum DVD), Up, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, and Disney Movie Rewards. Additional menu previews showcase Bolt, Schoolhouse Rock! Earth, Tigger & Pooh and a Musical Too, and Disney Parks.
--Music & More—
This is pretty straightforward. You can select any of the songs featured in the film, and be instantly whisked away to that scene. You can view the lyrics if you wish as well.
--Games & Activities—
Pinocchio’s Matter of Facts - This is a feature that supplies pop-up trivia while the film is playing. You can select this along with the commentary if you so desire. It means double the fun!
Disney Smart Games: Pinocchio Knows Trivia Challenge - Test you knowledge on everything related to Pinocchio in this game.
DISC 2
--Backstage Disney--
No Strings Attached: The Making of Pinocchio (56:04) – Well, this was the bonus I was looking forward to. This is not just another “Making of” featurette that wraps up after 15 minutes. This contains interviews with original animators and cast members that are still alive, in addition to historians and Disney employees working now who love the film. The passion everyone in this featurette has for the flick is evident, which makes watching this a treat indeed. Just about every area of the process is touched upon from the animation and animators, the cast, the story origins, and so on and so forth. I almost feel like I shouldn't spoil too much of this because it was the first thing I watched after revisiting the movie. I especially liked how they all defended the darker aspects of the story and provided history on how it came to be. This was just great.
Deleted Scenes (10:35) – I was amazed at how organized this was. You can view the three scenes separately, or using the “play all” selection, but I would urge everyone to just hit “play all.” An introduction is provided, followed by explanations of what condition the scenes or sketches are in. The titles of them are “The Story of the Grandfather Tree”, “In the Belly of the Whale” and “Alternate Ending.” Ultimately it was Walt who axed these, but one can see why he decided so. Nevertheless, they are still neat to look at.
The Sweatbox (6:25) – A little creativity goes a long way on a DVD. The sweatbox was a room that the crew gathered in regularly when Walt was ready to look at various scenes and judge them. He even had a note taker, and some of the transcripts were acted out in this extra.
Live Action Reference Footage (9:57) – In the past, Disney has included these bonuses, but they are just those live-action scenes and nothing else. Finally, this leads into those sequences with a mini-documentary on how the sets were built, shots of the plans, and so on. Then we see the actors doing what they need to in order to aid the animators.
Pinocchio’s Art Galleries - The Platinum Edition DVDs stack this section, and I appreciate them, but I will no got into too much detail on what is integrated with each sub-section. This contains 8 galleries in all. I will just list them and the number of stills for you: Visual Development (143 stills), Gustaf Tenggren Art (10 stills), Character Design (63), Maquettes & Models (63 stills, but 15 allow for 360 zooms), Backgrounds & Layouts (45), Storyboard Art (144), Production Photos (112), and Live Action Reference (22).
Publicity - We only get 3 of the trailers from Pinocchio’s re-releases, but luckily, the original theatrical trailer is included. The Original Theatrical Trailer is 2:00 long, 1984 is 1:25, and 1992 is 1:32. The 1992 one is matted and re-voiced, which sounds terrible.
Deleted Song (2:37) – This is a song that plays with a still image of the sheet music cover. It is catchy and very good, but probably would not have meshed well in the film.
Geppetto’s Then and Now (10:57) – This is an unusual, but welcomed extra that focuses on toy makers around the world, and why they entered this profession. Cyril Hobbins in an Englishman they interview, and many kids tell him he resembles Geppetto sans mustache. It goes on to talk about various individual toys, such as the Ultimate WALL-E. I enjoyed this, and did not expect anything like it on the DVD, but it suits the film, and shows once more that Disney does care about the fans.
--Games & Activities—
Pinocchio’s Puzzles - Basically the player assembles a six-sided puzzle toy for Geppetto while he sleeps. Apparently there are 18 puzzles in all, but I didn’t play that long. Completing the puzzle means a short clip of that moment plays.
Pleasure Island Carnival Games - This is a series of interactive arcade games, but this is not as fun, and at times frustrating because the controls are a pain to use.
DISC 3
As a nice bonus, a standard version of the DVD is inserted as well. You get the entire film with the new digital restoration, a 5.1 Disney enhanced audio mix, and a music video cover of “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Camp Rock's Meaghan Jette Martin (3:11). These covers can be found on every Platinum release, and they are all bad, but the extra DVD is excellent in case the Blu-Ray breaks down.
The Film: 10.0/10.0
The Video: 10.0/10.0
The Audio: 10.0/10.0
The Packaging: 10.0/10.0
The Extras: 10.0/10.0
The 411: Pinocchio is one of the movies I could watch again and again at any time and never get tired of it. It takes a special sort of film to do that. Disney went on to make many more classic animated features, but in my mind, not one compares to this masterpiece. It was a courageous, bold, intelligent, sophisticated, and delightful effort that will go down among the best in cinematic history. For some of the members of the cast and crew, they would not contribute to much of anything else that aged as well, but at least they can say they took part in this treasure. This new DVD transfer is amazing, with restored and upgraded technical specifications that will blow your mind and pop your eyes out of their sockets. An exaggerated statement maybe, but you have to see it. The extras will provide hours of enjoyment for the whole family. This is only March, and already we have a top contender for best DVD release of the year. All others be warned: Disney has landed the first blow!
