Kid's Got a Point
February 4, 2022 7:18 PM Subscribe
Three (four?) Pinocchio movies are coming out this year. Let's look to Russia for some alternatives, hm? All live-action unless otherwise noted:
The Golden Key (1939) (English subtitles; click the CC button)
The Adventures of Buratino (1959) (as Pinocchio and the Golden Key, the 1995 English dub of the Soyuzmultfilm animation, starring Bill Murray) (original undubbed version)
The Adventures of Buratino, first half, second half (1975) (English subtitles)
Buratino, first half, second half (2009) (untranslated)
I've also found multiple full stage performances of the story (all untranslated). The first one features a special guest appearance from Russia's Santa, Ded Moroz/Morozko/Father Frost, as seen in MST3K's Jack Frost, recently re-riffed by Rifftrax.
Buratino even got a computer game in 1993 - here's a full playthrough. (Here's the song featured, and here's a cover of it.)
The Golden Key (1939) (English subtitles; click the CC button)
The Adventures of Buratino (1959) (as Pinocchio and the Golden Key, the 1995 English dub of the Soyuzmultfilm animation, starring Bill Murray) (original undubbed version)
The Adventures of Buratino, first half, second half (1975) (English subtitles)
Buratino, first half, second half (2009) (untranslated)
I've also found multiple full stage performances of the story (all untranslated). The first one features a special guest appearance from Russia's Santa, Ded Moroz/Morozko/Father Frost, as seen in MST3K's Jack Frost, recently re-riffed by Rifftrax.
Buratino even got a computer game in 1993 - here's a full playthrough. (Here's the song featured, and here's a cover of it.)
Also, Tom Kenny (Spongebob) is in half of the ones happening this year, as Pinocchio in one and Geppetto in the other.
posted by BiggerJ at 11:34 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by BiggerJ at 11:34 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Matteo Garrone’s 2019 Pinocchio was a more sincere, originalist take than I expected.
posted by progosk at 11:37 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by progosk at 11:37 PM on February 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Producers will seemingly do anything to avoid paying a writer to create an original screenplay.
posted by fairmettle at 12:49 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by fairmettle at 12:49 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
And a new grim'n'gritty Pinocchio game following the template of (of all things) Bloodborne.
Heck of a zeitgeist, innit?
posted by Lorc at 12:49 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Heck of a zeitgeist, innit?
posted by Lorc at 12:49 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Pinocchio is having a moment, but why?
posted by BlunderingArtist at 8:59 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by BlunderingArtist at 8:59 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Young mediocre white guy puppet who's a liar and an ass is redeemed and loved as a real boy?
I mean that's the version we're likely to get again, the original might be more to some tastes.
Pinocchio's bad behavior, rather than being charming or endearing, is meant to serve as a warning. Collodi originally intended the story, which was first published in 1881, to be a tragedy. It concluded with the puppet's execution. Pinocchio's enemies, the Fox and the Cat, bind his arms, pass a noose around his throat, and hang him from the branch of an oak tree.[7]
A tempestuous northerly wind began to blow and roar angrily, and it beat the poor puppet from side to side, making him swing violently, like the clatter of a bell ringing for a wedding. And the swinging gave him atrocious spasms...His breath failed him and he could say no more. He shut his eyes, opened his mouth, stretched his legs, gave a long shudder, and hung stiff and insensible.
posted by gusottertrout at 9:10 AM on February 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
I mean that's the version we're likely to get again, the original might be more to some tastes.
Pinocchio's bad behavior, rather than being charming or endearing, is meant to serve as a warning. Collodi originally intended the story, which was first published in 1881, to be a tragedy. It concluded with the puppet's execution. Pinocchio's enemies, the Fox and the Cat, bind his arms, pass a noose around his throat, and hang him from the branch of an oak tree.[7]
A tempestuous northerly wind began to blow and roar angrily, and it beat the poor puppet from side to side, making him swing violently, like the clatter of a bell ringing for a wedding. And the swinging gave him atrocious spasms...His breath failed him and he could say no more. He shut his eyes, opened his mouth, stretched his legs, gave a long shudder, and hung stiff and insensible.
posted by gusottertrout at 9:10 AM on February 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
The original book is amazing, but very, very weird. I have to give Disney credit for building it into a coherent movie-length story. However, the original Blue Fairy was more interesting; she's a bit of an Anarchist. What I like about the original Pinocchio is that he is unabashedly bad and takes a long time to get better. Collodi doesn't see an easy fix.
Why now, indeed, for a revival of interest in "Pinocchio"? Pinocchio is timeless, since every child ever has to grapple with instant vs. delayed gratification.
Perhaps climate change? We will turn into something worse than donkeys if we don't stop procrastinating in the Land of Toys. Perhaps the plethora of fox-and-cat charlatans? We've traded our gold coins for Bitcoins, drunk bleach and traded our schoolbooks for streaming subscriptions.
posted by acrasis at 11:18 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Why now, indeed, for a revival of interest in "Pinocchio"? Pinocchio is timeless, since every child ever has to grapple with instant vs. delayed gratification.
Perhaps climate change? We will turn into something worse than donkeys if we don't stop procrastinating in the Land of Toys. Perhaps the plethora of fox-and-cat charlatans? We've traded our gold coins for Bitcoins, drunk bleach and traded our schoolbooks for streaming subscriptions.
posted by acrasis at 11:18 AM on February 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
And a new grim'n'gritty Pinocchio game following the template of (of all things) Bloodborne.
That gave me terrible flashbacks to American McGee's Alice.
posted by jedicus at 4:20 PM on February 5, 2022
That gave me terrible flashbacks to American McGee's Alice.
posted by jedicus at 4:20 PM on February 5, 2022
Perhaps climate change? We will turn into something worse than donkeys if we don't stop procrastinating in the Land of Toys. Perhaps the plethora of fox-and-cat charlatans? We've traded our gold coins for Bitcoins, drunk bleach and traded our schoolbooks for streaming subscriptions.
Very much appreciate the poetic answer. I had an idea too, that it could be there's appetite for a story about a liar whose lies are obvious and indisputable? Modern day Pinoch could have it whittled down professionally, I guess, or spin the truth and direct his listener to do their own research.
posted by BlunderingArtist at 2:16 AM on February 6, 2022
Very much appreciate the poetic answer. I had an idea too, that it could be there's appetite for a story about a liar whose lies are obvious and indisputable? Modern day Pinoch could have it whittled down professionally, I guess, or spin the truth and direct his listener to do their own research.
posted by BlunderingArtist at 2:16 AM on February 6, 2022
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posted by Nanukthedog at 11:02 PM on February 4, 2022 [2 favorites]