2022 can be said to be a nostalgic year for Pinocchio fans. Because there are at least three reboot films released this year. Namely the Russian animated film Pinocchio: A True Story, a live action version from Disney, as well as the animated film Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro. And what we will discuss this time is the upcoming film from del Toro which so far has received a lot of praise from critics. Ahead of the release of Pinocchio which will premiere in a few days, let’s discuss 7 interesting facts that we can also use as an excuse to watch the film later.
Developed Over 15 Years
Did you know that this animated film has been in development for about 15 years? It all started with del Toro’s announcement in 2008 that his version of Pinocchio would present elements that were different from the other versions. Even so, del Toro also promised that in outline the premise would still be discussing the same issue, namely about how precious and fragile we are as human beings who need one another. After receiving funding in 2017, the production of the film itself could only be realized in early 2020.
Different Viewpoints of Stories
Even though the premise is the same, del Toro’s Pinocchio film will show a slightly different perspective from the Disney fairy tale version. While other stories discuss Pinocchio’s obedience to his father Geppetto and his surroundings, del Toro wants to highlight his character’s disobedience. Because according to him this is the main reason why Pinocchio can become human. This difference in point of view will later show Pinocchio’s changes caused by his experience, compassion, and understanding of the world.
Adapted from Pinocchio Latest Version
As we know, this timeless fairy tale about Pinocchio all stems from the Italian novel entitled The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, which was released in 1883. To this day the story has been adapted into other forms, including picture books, animations, films, plays, and etc. While most of the adaptations depict Pinocchio as a wooden doll that looks like a boy, del Toro’s version will instead feature a design from the 2002 picture book by Gris Grimly. Where Pinocchio is more like a log that has a human-like physiology.
Stylized Stop Motion Animation
In this del Toro film, the design of the Pinocchio picture book by Grimly will be presented in a stop motion animation style. Where every movement of the animation and its world is generated from the character dolls and the artificial environment. The expression of each character is realized through the doll’s head which is mostly made of silicone and play-doh wax. This is of course intended to make it easier for animators to manipulate the movements and expressions of the characters frame by frame, to produce stop motion animation that looks real.
Many New Characters
Apart from Pinocchio, Geppetto, and Jiminy the Cricket, this film will also present characters that are more in line with Carlo Collodi’s original story. For example the evil puppeteer Count Volpe, who is a hybrid character between the Fox and Stromboli characters usually seen in the Disney version. Then there is Spazzatura, the monkey who serves Volpe. Even the real character of Benito Mussolini, prime minister of Italy. The blue fairy is also certain to appear in the film Pinocchio del Toro, where this time he will be told to ‘compete’ with a character that did not exist before in the Disney version, namely Death.
Del Toro’s Many Easter Eggs
As del Toro’s newest film, Pinocchio will present a number of Easter eggs and interesting details related to some of del Toro’s previous best works. If we pay close attention to the trailer, you can see a little movement that refers to the film Devil’s Backbone (2001). Then there is also the Faun monster from the movie Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) in one of the windows. Another window in Gepetto’s woodworking workshop is also similar to the one seen in the Oscar-winning film, The Shape of Water (2017). When the film is released, there may be more easter eggs that we can find.
Star-studded Actor Line-up
Finally, the fact that makes del Toro’s animated film Pinocchio so interesting is its star-studded cast of actors. Child actor Gregory Mann will voice Pinnochio and Geppetto’s deceased son. Geppetto himself will be voiced by David Bradley (Game of Thrones), with Ewan McGregor as Jiminy, Christoph Waltz as Volpe, Tilda Swinton as the Blue Fairy as well as Death, Ron Perlman as Podesta, Finn Wolfhard as Candlewick, Cate Blanchett as Spazzatura, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, and many more.
Those are interesting facts from Guillermo del Toro’s film Pinocchio. In this upcoming film, Del Toro acts directly as writer and director, accompanied by his colleagues, namely director Mark Gustafson, and screenwriters Patrick McHale and Matthew Robbins. Critics themselves have praised almost every aspect of the film, including del Toro and Gustafson’s direction, writing, animation, and voice acting. Where we can prove all of this for ourselves when the film airs on December 9 tomorrow on the Netflix streaming channel.
