Review of Pinocchio (1940) by Jj P — 29 Aug 2009

Watching it for the first time in 15-or-so years almost made it a different movie. I never realized just how dark and heavy it was. Stromboli still creeps me out, but now it's because he manages to be menacing and hilarious at the same time. And the coachman is probably the most evil character in any Disney movie.

But the thing that makes Pinocchio so dark and so terrifying isn't just the villains or their actions. Selling Pinocchio off to a traveling puppet show or turning kids into donkeys would be run-of-the-mill Disney conflict. What really makes Pinocchio disturbing is that the bad guys get away with everything, and all the kids begging for their mothers before turning into donkeys actually get sold off to the circus or the salt mines. Disney could easily have put in a 10-second scene where Pinocchio pulls some lever that frees all the donkeys, but they didn't. They're doomed to a life of slavery and abuse, and nobody's coming for them. Rated G.