Live-action re-readings of animated films produced by Disney studios have so far given rise to the best (The jungle Book by Jon Favreau) as if from the worst (Dumbo by Tim Burton).
The many adaptations of the very dark tale The adventure said Pinocchioby Carlo Collodi (1881), also gave rise to the best (in 2019, Pinocchio by Matteo Garrone, with Roberto Benigni in Geppetto) as if from the worst (in 2002, Pinocchioby Roberto Benigni, who had given himself the title role).
Robert Zemeckis’ version (Forrest Gump, Back to the Future), where computer-generated characters rub shoulders with actors and evolve in a “real” world (with an uneven result), unfortunately tips the balance in favor of failures. Should we be surprised that Disney chose to drop it directly on its Disney + platform without going through the cinemas, despite the presence in the credits of Tom Hanks (here unfortunately stammering and annoying)? To ask the question, is to answer it.
The cartoon was already taking great liberties with the original story in order to make it a more… welcoming children’s story, let’s say. What the story, very hard, of Collodi is not. For example, from the first pages, Pinocchio crushes the cricket who wants to give him advice with a mallet. (Forget Jiminy Cricket.) A little further on, the puppet gets hanged from a tree after getting the soles of his feet fried. And it goes on like this, on a rhythm less joyful than Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee and less rocking than When You Wish Upon a Star.
The animated film had therefore softened the poor and rural Italy of the tale, while allowing for misconduct such as the consumption of beer and cigars by Pinocchio and his friends on the Ile aux Plaisirs. They were paying the price, but had a blast before. Yes, recovery there was to do here. But there is a difference between updating a statement and diverting it until it loses its essence.
Thus, from the outset, the screenplay by Chris Weitz (About a Boy, Twilight: Temptation) tramples on and eliminates all magic by wanting to explain why Geppetto wants so much to have a “son”. Then, the hard initiatory quest for the puppet now takes place in one day (what?!). Then, the puppet doesn’t lie anymore… except once, but for a very, very good reason (nice boy, okay!). Quite in the personality of the kid of wood become cantor of the positive thought (it is him who says it). Even the whale, an endangered species about which we are rightly worried today, which can no longer be one, and Pinocchio corrects Geppetto on this subject: “It’s not a whale, it’s a sea monster . ” Ok daddy ?
In short, faced with this lukewarm offering, expectations have just risen several notches regarding the Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro. See you on November 25.