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The story of PINOCCHIO, which Walt Disney first released in 1940 to dazzle audiences and critics alike, stands immune to age as a magical morality tale of goodness challenged by temptation and the value of following one's conscience. In the puppet's case, this isn't only a coming of age story but a coming to life story, turning upon Geppetto's starry night wish and his yearning for a son. Can this wooden marionette, freed from his controlling strings and loosed on a journey to discover his own responsibility, earn his right to become a real boy? The story that follows enchants viewers as much today as it ever has. Perhaps more than most other Disney classics, PINOCCHIO owes its brilliance to a rare alignment of stars combining vocal and animated talents. As Pinocchio, young Dickie Jones delivers a warm exuberance of personality tempered by a genuine naivete and vulnerability which make this fantastic puppet utterly identifiable and sympathetic. Christian Rub not only voiced the white-haired woodworker Geppetto, he provided a live-action character model as well, and both efforts pay off solidly in comic and dramatic performance. Veteran character actor Cliff Edwards made an indelible mark in animation history giving voice and song to Pinocchio's diminutive caretaker, Jiminy Cricket, who practically steals the film with his wise-cracking charm. Charles Judels worked double duty speaking for puppet master Stromboli and the conniving Coachman, while Walter Catlett and Mel Blanc went uncredited for enacting con men Honest John and Gideon, all of whom introduce Pinocchio to the dangers of irresponsible liberty. Frankie Darro voices Lampwick, the tough rowdy who ends up paying the wages of sin for his truant excesses on Pleasure Island. True creative partners, brilliant Disney Studio animators brought these vocal performances to celluloid life on the screen, blending the power and nuance of each performance with line-drawn wizardry truly never seen before PINOCCHIO's release. No matter how fantasy-oriented these characters appear, expert artistry converting sound to form, motion and visual attitude strike permanent impressions which far outlast the film's 88-minute run time. I cannot encourage strongly enough that viewers watch the Bonus Features to learn more about these animation giants like Art Babbitt, Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas, Ward Kimball, Milt Kahl, Fred Moore and Bill Tytla just to name a few. It's also the masterpieces of background art and special effects animation which deepened the film both visually and emotionally, all of which are eye-popping in detail, clarity and color range thanks to this meticulous restoration. Of no less importance are the songs written for the film by Ned Washington and composed by Leigh Harline, which draw audiences into PINOCCHIO from the opening strains of the immortal anthem When You Wish Upon a Star, to lively tunes like Give a Little Whistle and Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. The score by Paul J. Smith is equally impressive in support of the wide range of moods and emotions evoked by this masterwork of animation. Younger viewers might be slightly disconcerted as Pinocchio gets into increasing trouble and some thematically dark situations, but it's all part of the boy-puppet's moral adventure which continually raise the stakes of his actions. Jiminy Cricket keeps things from getting too dark and gloomy, but Disney and his story men, under the direction of Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske, modulate Carlo Collodi's original tale into a true family classic. One viewing will turn moments like the arrival of the Blue Fairy, the oceanic fury of Monstro the Whale, and the film's stirring, sentimental finale into lifelong movie memories, just as enjoyable on tenth viewing as the hundredth. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment pays handsome and loving tribute to this enduring animated treasure in this 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition not only as a Disney masterpiece, but securing its reputation as an American work of art for the ages. PINOCCHIO belongs in every family's collection, guaranteed to entertain all ages for years to come.
Exclusive to this Blu-ray release is the Cine-Explore feature, a picture-in-picture commentary track with Disney animator Eric Goldberg, Disney historian Leonard Maltin and film historian J.B. Kaufman who discuss the production of PINOCCHIO while they're watching it, along with introducing film clips of the original animators. This feature co-exists as an audio commentary option on the Blu-ray and solely as an audio track on the standard DVD, but watching the film with this video feature enabled offers great supplementary insights into this classic from those who made it. More exclusive features are available through the BD-Live function, which allows internet-connected users to interact with the film and with other viewers: Movie Chat enables synchronized viewing parties with remote viewers communicating through text messages on-screen in real time as PINOCCHIO plays; Movie Mail allows Blu-ray viewers to record personalized video messages superimposed over their choice of selected scenes from the film, and send their message to other Blu-equipped friends; also disc owners can connect to the BD-LIve Network to to participate in the Disney Movie Rewards Live program, redeeming points on their movie purchase to gain exclusive content access, downloadable extras and more. This new generation of interactivity is only expanding in content, and makes a great premium for Blu-ray machine owners, adding yet another layer of entertainment to the PINOCCHIO experience. Film lovers will also enjoy playing the Pinocchio Knows Trivia Challenge, a disc-interactive game for up to four players (either local or remote via the BD-Live Network) offering easy and expert level quizzes about PINOCCHIO while scenes play from the film. Players choose how long they want to test their trivia knowledge in multiple choice form, either taking turns or in single player mode. Correct answers shrink Pinocchio's nose and wrong answers make it grow — be the first to return Pinocchio's nose to normal size and you win. The scenes playing during the game don't necessarily provide the answers to questions, so the game plays best if you've already enjoyed the film on its own. Pleasure Island Carnival Games provide more interactive entertainment for younger players, utilizing your Blu-ray remote to engage in carny games of skill like a target practice gallery. Players best score levels in four games to earn their freedom from the Coachman and escape Pleasure Island — another extension of the PINOCCHIO experience which will appeal to younger viewers though the game designs and art mirror the classic animation well which parents will appreciate while playing along with the kids. Pinocchio's Puzzles help young viewers finish painting Geppetto's toys with still images from the movie — though this game is also offered on the standard DVD edition of the film, it is bundled here with the exclusive Blu-ray game in the BD release. Disney's special offer Combo Pack of PINOCCHIO also included the DVD edition of the film, enticing DVD player owners to collect all editions of this limited time release at once and "future proofing" their collection for an eventual upgrade to a Blu-ray player while enjoying the movie and its bonus features with their family today. Sure it's a clever marketing strategy, but it also offers audiences a great value as a 'best of both worlds' offer to ensure your family will enjoy PINOCCHIO for years to come across both home entertainment platforms without the need to replace or re-buy the title again later. ADDITIONAL BONUS FEATURES SHARED ON DVD AND BLU-RAY All the following bonus material appears on both the standard DVD and high-definition BD releases, listed as they appear in the Blu-ray two-disc release: Disc One adds to the fun with the Music & More section offers: CAMP ROCK star Meaghan Jette Martin's all-new music video rendition of When You Wish Upon a Star plus the Disney Song Selection, which plays five musical numbers from PINOCCHIO with on-screen lyrics for sing-along enjoyment. Games & Activities hosts Pinocchio's Matter of Facts, a synched trivia and educational track which pops up windows on the history of the original children's story and the production of Disney's adaptation. Also, the audio commentary track by Goldberg, Maltin and Kaufman's real-time discussion is available as a bonus feature rather than an audio setup. Disc Two is home to a wealth of behind-the-scenes treats, starting with the excellent 56-minute documentary No Strings Attached: The Making of Pinocchio, a highly entertaining and informative history of Disney's laborious, challenging effort to follow their first animated feature by adapting Collodi's serialized story. A pantheon of Disney animators, collaborators and historians weave a factual tapestry on the difficulties and triumphs the filmmakers encountered in PINOCCHIO's production. Deleted Scenes include two sequences storyboarded but never animated for the film, including Geppetto's Story of the Grandfather Tree explaining Pinocchio's grand ancestry in the forest, plus an expanded sequence In the Belly of the Whale, elaborating on Geppetto, Figaro and Cleo's predicament inside Monstro. Also included is a storyboard assembly of an alternate ending for the film which offers another valuable glimpse into the story development process and underscores how the final film ended on a perfect note. Speaking of story development, The Sweatbox is a great, short tutorial on this creative, collaborative process which generated such classic Disney films. While the screening room may not have been air conditioned back in the late 1930s, it was Walt's unerring eye for detail and character development which had his lead animators sweating when they screened their test reels for the Boss. Though air conditioning makes the process more comfortable today, Disney's storytellers use this same process today creating the studio's new animated features. Nearly ten minutes of Live Action Reference Footage remains from PINOCCHIO's production, illustrating both how the supervising directors worked with the animator staff and how they sometimes filmed actors as live reference models to further develop character movement and behavior before putting pencil to paper. Pinocchio Art Gallery displays the invaluable contributions of Visual Development, Gustaf Tenggren's Art, Character Design, Maquettes & Models, Backgrounds & Layouts, Storyboard Art and Live Action Reference photos, along with Production Pictures documenting the entire process. The Publicity section offers theatrical trailers for the film from 1940, 1984 and 1992, followed by the Deleted Song 'Honest John', a 1947 promotional recording of a tune created for but not used in the film. Geppettos Then and Now appeals to the toy-lovers in the audience, showing how the creation of such delights has evolved from simple wood-carved toys into the high-tech 21st century.
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