PINOCCHIO

US, 1940, 77 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ben Sharpsteen, Hamilton Luske.

Pinocchio was Walt Disney's second full-length feature animation film. It was released in early 1940. It was based on the popular story by Collodi (Carlo Lorenzini). The studios spent many years animating the film, even scrapping months of material, to meet Disney's perfection standards.

The film is delightful, full of fun as well as with serious themes. The characters are vivid - not only Pinocchio and his father Geppetto, but also the villains, J. Worthington Foulfellow and his associate, Gideon, as well as Stromboli. and Monstro the Whale. But there is also Jiminy Cricket with the voice of Cliff Edwards and the Blue Fairy.

There is an excellent musical score with the Oscar-winning Jiminy Cricket song 'When You Wish Upon a Star' which became Disney's standard.

1. The impact of the film in the early '40s? Animation? Its becoming a Disney classic? A popular story? Establishing the Disney style?

2. The quality and style of the animation: characters, backgrounds, the blend of the serious and the comic, editing and pace?

3. The popular tale, the familiar story of the puppet who becomes human, his telling lies and his nose growing? Audiences identifying with the characters? Appreciating the moral of the fable?

4. The introduction of the songs, their illustration of characters, of situations throughout the plot: 'When You Wish Upon a Star', 'Little Woodenhead', 'Hi Diddle De Dee, An Actor's Life For Me', 'I've Got No Strings', 'Give a Little Whistle'?

5. The opening with Jiminy Cricket, his song? His introducing the film? His presence throughout the film, friend to Pinocchio, Pinocchio's conscience, helping him in difficult situations? The calling of the Blue Fairy? Her bringing Pinocchio to life? Watching over him? The final rescue of Pinocchio?

6. Geppetto and his work, the star, the fairy, celebrating Pinocchio's coming to life? Figaro and Cleo in the household? Geppetto and his putting to sea to search for Pinocchio? His grief? Being swallowed by Monstro? The reunion with Pinocchio in the whale? The plan for the escape, the fire, Monstro's sneeze? Being helped by Pinocchio? Seeing him come to life again?

7. Pinocchio as a character: the little boy puppet, coming alive, joy, going to school, the encounter with J. Worthington Foulfellow and Gideon, the singing of the 'Actor's Life' song, his being caught up, going to Stromboli's? Jiminy Cricket? The performance, 'I've Got No Strings'? The escape? His being caught, the question of the lies and his nose growing? The Blue Fairy and the escape? The pool room, meeting the boys and their going to Pleasure Island? His playing pool, the encounter with Lampwick, Lampwick turning into a donkey, Pinocchio changing? Jiminy and the escape? Going to sea, trying to find Monstro and the fear of the fish? The reunion inside the whale? His helping his father? Dying, washed ashore, being brought to life again?

8. Foulfellow and Gideon, the supreme conmen, their speaking style, the singing of 'An Actor's Life for Me', the theatre? Taking in Pinocchio?

9. Stromboli and the boys? Their becoming jackasses? Being trapped on the island? The impact of this transformation for a young audience?

10. Monstro the whale, the fish in fear of him, his thrashing about the ocean, Geppetto and the boat, swallowing them? Pinocchio being engulfed? The lighting of the fire and his sneezing?

11. The world of fairies and magic and wishes coming true?

12. The strength of the characters? The detail of the characters? In their environment? The film as an animation classic?