THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 5.5 Alternative Scale: ** out of ****
United States, 1996 Release date: 7/26/96 (wide) Running Length: 1:36 MPAA Classification: G Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Martin Landau, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Genevieve Bujold, Udo Kier, Bebe Neuwirth, Rob Schneider Director: Steve Barron Producers: Raju Patel and Jeffrey Sneller Screenplay: Sherry Mills, Steve Barron, Tom Benedek, and Barry Berman Cinematography: Juan Ruiz Anchia Music: Pachel Portman U.S. Distributor: New Line Cinema
There's an old adage that states: "Just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be done." Director Steve Barron (THE CONEHEADS) might have been advised to pay attention to this saying. There's no reason why movie audiences need a live action retelling of the story immortalized in 1940 by the animators at Disney. Not only is the original PINOCCHIO (based on the satirical work by C. Collodi) a motion picture classic, but it makes this dull, feeble re-telling look like the product of second-rate hacks.
As in the Disney version, we're introduced to the kindly puppetmaker, Gepetto (Martin Landau), who lives alone with his creations. One day, he carves a little boy out of a magical log, and Pinocchio (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas) comes to life -- literally. At first, Gepetto is understandably surprised by this turn of events, but his shock turns to delight when the wooden boy calls him "papa". Like all children, Pinocchio is imbued with curiosity, and it soon gets him into trouble. Before long, he is being pursued by the two evil lackeys (Bebe Neuwirth and Rob Schneider) of a nasty puppeteer (Udo Kier). This leads to scenes on an island where bad boys become donkeys, and in the belly of a whale.
When I was young, PINOCCHIO was my favorite Disney animated film. It was, I thought, a perfect blend of adventure, fantasy, and excitement. Even now, amidst quantum advances in animation, the scenes with the whale never fail to impress. And then there's Jimney Cricket, one of Disney's best-ever sidekicks. His rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star" (obviously absent from this new version) is a highlight. PINOCCHIO is no less magical today than it was in 1940. And magic is precisely the quality missing from New Line Cinema's THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO.
When everything is animated, it's easy to accept all that transpires during this tale. However, put live actors on screen with an animatronic puppet, and, suddenly, there's an issue of credibility. No matter how cute and imaginative this Pinocchio is, it never seems real. It's a walking visual effect, and the slight imperfections visible in the manner by which it is brought to life are painfully apparent. In large part because of this, it's difficult to be drawn into the film's reality.
The only actor who isn't completely wasted is Martin Landau, whose performance as Gepetto is one of the film's few high points. Jonathan Taylor Thomas is Pinocchio, but, mercifully, the young star's on-screen time is limited to a few scenes near the end. Genevieve Bujold is completely wasted as Leona, Gepetto's long-time love. In place of the unforgettable Jimney Cricket, this version gives us Pepe the grasshopper, a philosophizing insect whose voice is provided by David Doyle.
THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO offers parents an obvious source of midsummer entertainment for their offspring. Alas, this is a pale imitation of what has come before, and yet another example of Hollywood's unwillingness to strike out in new directions. This PINOCCHIO is representative of the mentality that has studios finding a comfortable, well-worn niche and hunkering down in its relative safety. So, although this particular stringless puppet might be transformed into a real live boy, he's stuck in a movie that's more pointless than lively.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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