I almost can’t believe this exists. Guillermo del Toro is rather notorious for working on projects that ultimately don’t come to fruition (it literally has its own Wikipedia page, that’s how often this happens). So, it does come as a bit of a surprise that he was able to make his “anti-fascist Pinocchio” film, especially considering Robert Zemeckis released his remake of the 1940 Disney classic. Though, in del Toro’s favor, the Disney remake does not have many fans, to put it mildly. This new take on the old story was made in collaboration with co-writer, Patrick McHale, and co-director, Mark Gustafson.
As narrated by Sebastian J. Cricket (Ewan McGregor), the film begins with Geppetto (David Bradley), a woodcarver who only has his young son, Carlo, for company. They live in a quaint Italian town, but the town is soon ravaged by bombs. The bombings take the life of Carlo, leaving Geppetto heartbroken and alone. However, a spirit (voiced by Tilda Swinton) decides to help, by giving life to a puppet that he made while drunk and frustrated. The puppet, who goes by Pinocchio (Gregory Mann), comes to life, totally catching Gepetto, and Sebastian (who had been living in the tree that Pinocchio is made out of) completely off guard.
Like the classic story goes, Pinocchio must come to learn what it is like to be alive, to live like a real boy, to behave like everyone else. That tension goes double this time around as he is being watched carefully by the Podestà (Ron Perlman), a local official who proudly works for the fascist government, trying his best to mold his own boy, Candlewick (Finn Wolfhard), to be a brave and obedient boy. But Pinocchio is too jovial and curious, which gets himself into numerous troubles and adventures where he has to learn lessons about the meaning of life, and many times, having to learn it the hard way.
It must be said that the film on a technical level is a sheer marvel to behold. The production design by Guy Davis and Curt Enderle is spectacular, creating an environment that feels lived in and in that space that fits between reality and fantasy. Gustafson’s experience with films like Fantastic Mr. Fox pays off well thanks to the talents of his guidance and his crew, the animation is spectacular, and thoughtfully crafted. The designs of every character are made with so much care and imagination, I’m sure to find plenty of small details that I missed the first go around.
The shifting of time periods from Carlo Collodi’s original novel to Italy’s Fascist period is an ingenious move. An era where a generation of young men are having their own strings pulled by the government so they can become servers of the fatherland is a clever way to incorporate the ideas explored in the story, using old fashioned storytelling sensibilities, but with a fresh and relevant context. It certainly gives the film a bit of an edge that you definitely wouldn’t find in a Disney film, but it also doesn’t forget that the story is ultimately aimed at children.
The film has several musical numbers. The lyrics – all of which were written by Roeban Katz & Guillermo del Toro – are simple but catchy, and Alexandre Desplat’s score is also very lively and wondrous in its light harmonies. I can’t say I would be eager to listen to the soundtrack as I go on my work commute, but they serve the film well. The film is a fun – and often quite funny – watch, despite how dark some of the themes are, and it strikes a good balance without falling too hard into one tone or another. Every piece just falls smoothly into place.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is exactly the kind of children’s entertainment I wish we got more of in the West, or rather, the US in particular. It’s the kind of film that isn’t afraid to approach sensitive, heavy, complicated, and downright sad subject matter. It is able to process big ideas like fascism and the ideals that hold those systems up in a way that speaks to young children without talking down to them. It manages to be a delightful experience that utilizes the capabilities of stop motion animation to do amazing things that keep you wondering how they were achieved. And the voice work is strong across the board, I was especially enamored with Bradley’s somber approach to Geppetto, and Christoph Waltz as Count Count Volpe was a joy as well. I also humorously didn’t realize until after the fact that Cate Blanchett voiced Spazzatura, Count Volpe’s monkey, that’s just really funny. Obviously, the film is fantastic compared to the other Pinocchio film we got earlier this year, but even if that hadn’t been the case, this version is one that I think would still resonate strongly with just about anyone.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is now out on Netflix.