Pinocchio (Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection) | 
| Directors: Hamilton Luske, Ben Sharpsteen
Actors: Marion Darlington, Cliff Edwards, Walter Catlett, Don Brodie, Charles Judels
Studio: Walt Disney Home Video
List Price: $22.99
Buy Used: $2.42
You Save: $20.57 (89%)
New (18) Used (28) Collectible (15) from $2.42
Rating:  137 reviews
Sales Rank: 5
Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Original Recording Reissued, Original Recording Remastered, Special Edition, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: G (General Audience)
Media: VHS Tape
Edition: Disney will discontinue this title on 1/31/2002
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 88 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0788819550
UPC: 786936116281
EAN: 9780788819551
ASIN: B00001QGIQ
Theatrical Release Date: February 9, 1940
Release Date: October 26, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com essential video
This Disney masterpiece from 1940 will hold up forever precisely because it doesn't restrain or temper the most elemental emotions and themes germane to its story. Based on the Collodi tale about a wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy, Pinocchio is among the most magical, mythical, and frightening films to come from the studio in its long history. A number of scenes make permanent impressions on young minds (just ask Steven Spielberg, who quoted the film more than once in Close Encounters of the Third Kind), and the songs ("When You Wish upon a Star") can't be beat. --Tom Keogh
Description
Count the number of truly classic animated films and the list would begin with Walt Disney's PINOCCHIO. C. Collodi's brilliant story of a little puppet who dreams of being a real boy unfolds as a shining example of vivid, rich, detailed Disney animation at its finest! An unforgettable cast of characters includes the spry Jiminy Cricket; kindly old Geppetto; the sneaky J. Worthington Foulfellow; a terrifying whale named Monstro; and, of course, the little puppet made of wood, Pinocchio. Coupled with the haunting theme song "When You Wish Upon A Star," you have a timeless, unparalleled film adventure for anyone who has a dream in their heart.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 132 more reviews...
 A sad sick society and a GREAT MASTERPIECE December 12, 2003
David J. Simecek (Cleveland, OH United States)
260 out of 308 found this review helpful
I am 70 yrs. old, and saw all of the great Disney movies on their original release as a child. Lest my qualifications are questioned, I have TWO PhD's, and am a retired professor who at the moment am building computers and reading at least 2 books a week. I've travelled all of the "lower" 48, and visited over 20 (again) in the last 3 years.
We have become a nation so frightened and split into groups that teach children fear and hatred. I'm afraid of what the children will become. I have a dozen grand children (at the moment) and have bought them all copies of the my fovorite Disney movies, with Snow White, Pinnocchio and (original) Fantasia at the top. Neither I, nor any of my friends my age, thought of those early movies as anything but what they were--wonderful stories. An example of the worst of our society is Eisner--a monster who takes movies off the market for years, and has stated he won't release the great folk tale "The Song of the South" because it MIGHT be "politically incorrect," an ugly concept that divides our country into "clans" walking on eggs in fear of "offending" some other group. I have watched most of the movies with each of my grand children, and SURPRISE, they loved them and are growing up to be intellegent and open minded, without fear or hate or whining. They learn their values from parents,grand parents and friends, not from movies and not from the twisted ideas of people they are pushed to associate with.
Timeless Musical Fantasy July 21, 2001
Rebecca Johnson (Washington State)
74 out of 81 found this review helpful
Disney has restored this all-time classic to its original brilliance. The universal themes of love, family, friendship and good vs. evil make this educational and enjoyable. Yes, there are some quite scary scenes and evil is shown for what it is. However, just as in most fairy tales, good triumphs over evil in the end.
The story is told by Jiminy Cricket and the start of the movie is peaceful. He arrives at Geppetto's home where there are music boxes, toys, amazing clocks and a puppet who is just "all strings and joints." Geppetto is just painting on the finishing touches before he heads off to bed. The "cutest" black and white cat named Figaro adds warmth and amusement to the story. The sassy fish Cleo is a visual delight.
As the woodcarver drifts off to sleep, he says: "Wouldn't it be nice if he was a real boy?" He then sends Figaro to open the window and sees a wishing star. He makes a wish and while he sleeps, the Blue Fairy brings the Marionette Pinocchio to life. He then must learn to have a conscience, so it is decided that Jiminy Cricket will be his guide so he will know what is good and what is evil.
Pinocchio begins his journey to become a "real boy," but first he has to learn to be brave, loyal and honest. He is kidnapped after he joins a traveling show so he can become a famous actor, but escapes with the help of the Blue Fairy. She is the most beautiful animated fairy I have ever seen. Pinocchio then must learn to survive on his own. He takes a trip to Pleasure Island. This is a place where children go and they are allowed to play and never work, but the sinister truth is that they are all changed into donkeys and end up being shipped off to the salt mines. While he seems to keep making the wrong choices, once he realizes he will be turned into a donkey (his ears and tail already have grown), he goes back home. (Not unlike the prodigal son in a way, yet he is so young.)
When he arrives home, he finds cobwebs and the house has been empty for some time. A note arrives that tells him where he can find his father, so he jumps into the ocean to find Monstro the whale, where his father, Geppetto is trapped. Once under the sea, things get a bit scary and the whale is quite evil, not unlike other creatures from the sea in Disney's movies. Will he find his father? I won't give the ending away.
This is about the magical power of believing in your dreams and also will teach children to be moral and choose the good in life. I have to wonder if some politicians forgot to watch this movie as children. It teaches that lying is wrong and that a lie keeps growing and growing once it is told.
There are messages that reading is good and education is something you should strive for. The illiterate Red Fox is hilarious as he tries to read the ABC book upside down! The fox tries to tell Pinocchio that education is not good for him. I also noticed that because Pinocchio could not read (because he didn't go to school!), he could not read the note about his father and therefore, Jiminy Cricket had to read it for him. See a similar scene in "Mulan" where the lucky cricket in that movie types out the letter like a typewritter, which is also a beautifully animated movie with snow scenes similar to the wave scenes in this classic. I could see many details in this animation which have carried over into other movies.
There are many messages for adults in this movie....I doubt children will pick up on (Note the song that talks about "There are no strings on me!." This seems to be talking about our responsibility to others.)
As an adult, you will find them amusing and thought provoking. I had to laugh when I heard the Cricket say: "What does an actor want with a conscience anyway." That hit the mark! I would like to see more actors develop a conscience.
One of my favorite quotes by Jiminy Cricket is: "A cricket can't be too careful you know." It is laugh out loud funny when he says it.
The first part of the movie is hilarious, the middle is a big adventure and the ending is a wonderful surprise for children. There are a few politically incorrect items, but they are almost tongue-in-cheek and you have to think about when this movie was made!
If you have ever wished upon a star, or a falling star, this is for you! I agree, this is a masterpiece of animation....unlike anything you will find today. It is so detailed and moves at a pace where it is comfortable to watch. This is a thoughtful movie, unlike some of the more fast paced extravaganzas you see today.
~The Rebecca Review
A disappointing DVD can't bring down this great movie June 7, 2000
Lawrence A. Zieminski (Fort Bragg, NC USA)
20 out of 21 found this review helpful
First the movie: Wonderful musical that is something I'll always love. The story isn't very deep (do good things, and good things happen to you), but it comes off as fresh even 60 years after it was made. This is one of the better Disney movies, putting many of their movies from the 1990s to shame (such as Pocohantas and Hercules).The DVD: Image quality is the best I've seen it. At first viewing, it seems too washed out, but this is a movie from 1940, that is the way it originally looked. And yes, it is supposed to fill the screen. Just like the Wizard of Oz, it was not a widescreen movie. Audio wise, the soundtrack has been remixed to 4 channel audio. It sounds okay, but won't blow you away. Supplements on the DVD are very lacking. Specifically you get a trailer for the movie. The VHS edition got a documentary about the making of this film, but that wasn't included on the DVD. That is disappointing. Hopefully more extras could be discovered and a new edition released sometime in the next few years. Bottom Line: One of the best movies available on DVD, not one of the best DVDs available.
 Not a good video for younger viewers September 22, 2003
19 out of 120 found this review helpful
While Pinocchio may be considered one of Disney's classics, some of the scenes/content in this older animation would not be shown or considered appropriate in today's children's movies. Gepetto is shown smoking in bed. Many of the characters smoke. Young boys are brought -- as a treat -- to a place where they can smoke, "drink" (something frothy like beer or root beer), and act very destructively as much as they want. The boys are tricked into thinking this is a fun place to go but are turned into donkeys and sold to work in mines -- never again to see their families. In the end, old Gepetto does get his wish. Pinocchio is a real boy. And old Gepetto gets to share his bed with the young boy. While all such scenes could be used for discussing appropriate behavior, I wouldn't recommend showing this movie to children. I made the mistake of showing this to my 4 and 2 yr olds. This is one those films I won't show over and over.
Platinum edition due. Wait!!! May 7, 2005
SpiritChild (Amherst, MA United States)
19 out of 20 found this review helpful
Pinocchio is planned to be re-released on a platinum/special edition (the time has not been announced yet).
The first limited issue release of this DVD was weak. Disney then re-released Pinocchio on "Gold Collection", but many of the disk inside were still limited issue disk. The limited edition DVD contains no bonus features and has a modest transfer (The sound is excellent, but the picture is sometimes grainy and color is in need of restoration).
Basically, Disney gave this film and viewers the shaft (on the first DVD release). It's now rumored that Pinnochio platinum won't appear till 2008, but I doubt we will see it till at least 2009. It's obvious that they are trying to avoid releasing it at all. I wish they would just put Pinnochio and Songs of the South on Disney treasures, and Leonard Maltin could apologize for them before we watch it. That would be better then possibly censoring it, as they have with other titles such as melody time.
(NOTE: the little mermaid is scheduled for platinum in 2006). Dont miss Cinderella platinum in fall 2005
*UPDATE*
It's now rumored that Pinnochio platinum won't appear till 2008, but I doubt we will see it till at least 2009
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