Themes: Toys Come to Life, Curses and Spells, Fathers and Sons
Main Cast: Roberto Benigni, Breckin Meyer, Nicoletta Braschi, Glenn Close, Topher Grace, Kim Rossi Stuart, Carlo Giuffré, David Suchet
Release Year: 2002
Country: IT
Run Time: 108 minutes
MPAA Rating: G
Plot
Academy Award-winner Roberto Benigni adapts the classic children's tale by Carlo Collodi for the big-budget family-oriented comedy Pinocchio. In his usual fashion, Benigni directs and stars, this time as the little puppet boy made out of wood. The familiar story begins as a log of pinewood falls out of a cart and lands in front of woodcarver, Geppetto (Carlo Giuffré), who carves the puppet out of longing for a son. When the puppet begins to come alive and cause trouble, Geppetto is arrested and Pinocchio is left to his own naïve worldview. After getting a stern warning from the Blue Fairy (Benigni's wife and producer Nicoletta Braschi), Pinocchio sets out to reunite with his father, become a real boy, and succumb to some desire for adventure. Along the way, he meets a number of characters played by mostly Italian stage actors, including Franco Javarone, Peppe Barra, and Kim Rossi Stuart. The popular Italian comedy team Fichi d'India plays the roles of the Cat and Fox. Released by Miramax in the U.S., the film received an English-dubbed soundtrack with the voice talents of Glenn Close, David Suchet, and Breckin Meyer as Pinocchio. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Breckin Meyer - Pinocchio [U.S. Version]; Glenn Close - The Blue Fairy [U.S. Version]; Topher Grace - Lucignolo [U.S. Version]; David Suchet - Geppetto [U.S. Version]; Lando Buzzanca - Mangiafuoco; Eddie Griffin - The Cat [U.S. Version]; Kevin James - The Fire Eater [U.S. Version]; Queen Latifah - The Dove [U.S. Version]; Cheech Marin - The Fox [U.S. Version]; Mino Bellei - Medoro; Luis Molteni
Credit
Maurizio Sabatini - Art Director, Roberto Benigni - Director, Roberto Benigni - Screenwriter, Vincenzo Cerami - Screenwriter, Howard A. Anderson Company - Title Design
A magical log falls off a wagon and rolls through a medieval Italian town causing considerable damage and some injuries. It comes to rest in front of the house of Geppetto, a poor wood carver, who carves a puppet, Pinocchio, from it. To Geppetto’s surprise the puppet comes to life and to his dismay, it becomes very mischievous. Geppetto sells his only coat to provide schoolbooks for Pinocchio; however, the rambunctious puppet goes on several adventures, dreading school. He joins a puppet theater and is almost eaten by the gigantic puppet master. Pinocchio lies to get out of the situation, claiming misery and poverty in his family, and the puppet master gives him five gold coins. He then meets Fox and Cat who trick him out of his money. The watchful Blue Fairy, who encourages him to give up his obnoxious ways, saves him from hanging. In jail, he meets Lusiniolo, another truant thief. Out of jail, he joins Leonardo in a trip to FunForeverLand where all is play and no work or school. There, boys turn into donkeys who are sold for hard labor. Pinocchio escapes and later finds Leonardo dying. Trying to find his father, he’s swallowed by a whale and together they escape. Pinocchio suddenly reforms and becomes a real boy.
Release
In the United States Miramax released the film on Christmas Day with no advance screening. Miramax said that this is because they needed to do post-production looping to insert the English dub. Edward Guthmann, a film reviewer for the San Francisco Chronicle, believes that this is because Miramax knew the film would be not well-received, and sought to have it released before critics placed their opinions in the media.[1]
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes ranks the English language version of the film 3rd of the 100 worst reviewed films of the 2000s, receiving a 0% by the critics.[2] The English-dubbed version was nominated for six Razzie Awards (the first and only time a foreign-language film received that "honor") including Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, Worst Remake or Sequel and Worst Screen Couple (Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi) with Benigni "winning" the Razzie as Worst Actor.[citation needed] The original Italian version, however, was not so poorly greeted and received six nominations at the David di Donatello Awards, winning two, as well as winning one of the two awards it was nominated for at the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists.[3].
Berlinguer: I Love You (1977) (with Giuseppe Bertolucci) ·Seeking Asylum (1979) (with Gérard Brach and Marco Ferreri) ·Tutto Benigni (1983) (with Giuseppe Bertolucci)
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