The Adventures Of Pinocchio (1996)
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27% of critics liked it
(15 reviews) -
32% of users liked it
(9,986 ratings)
Unlike the more familiar animated Pinocchio by Disney, there are no song interludes here, and characters added to the story by Disney (such as Jiminy Cricket) are not included. Producer Francis Ford Coppola and director Steve Barron, (known for the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film) closely… More Unlike the more familiar animated Pinocchio by Disney, there are no song interludes here, and characters added to the story by Disney (such as Jiminy Cricket) are not included. Producer Francis Ford Coppola and director Steve Barron, (known for the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film) closely adhere to Carlo Collodi's 1883 novel and use the visually timeless setting of a Czechoslovakian village. Jim Henson's puppet studio skillfully brings this Pinocchio to life. Long ago, in his youth, Gepetto (Martin Landau) loved but did not court Leona (Genvieve Bujold), who married Gepetto's brother instead. In that earlier time, he carved her initials with his onto a tree. Now his brother is dead, and though he still feels for Leona, he is still too shy to woo her. Instead, the old puppet-maker goes into the forest and cuts down a tree in order to make a puppet just for himself. The tree is the same one he carved his initials into when he was younger, and it has the magic of his love in it. Soon after the puppet Pinocchio is made, he comes to life. Aside from being made of wood, he begins to live the life of a perfectly normal little boy. He even goes to school. Lorenzini, an evil magician who runs a children's puppet show, hears of Pinocchio and wants to use him in his show. Lorenzini lures children to his show, only to later turn them into donkeys. Donkeys are useful creatures, and Lorenzini makes a lot of money selling them. Through many trials and tribulations, the puppet-boy earns the right to become the human boy Pinocchio (Jonathan Taylor Thomas). ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Directed By
- Steve Barron
- Written By
- Sherry Mills, Steve Barron, Tom Benedek, Barry Berman
- Genres
- Science Fiction & Fantasy, Kids & Family
- In Theaters
- Jul 26, 1996 Wide
- Studio
- New Line Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Andy Seiler, USA Today
It's the woodsy children's movie Walt Disney didn't want to make: chockablock with mischievous mayhem and light on the sap.
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Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
A bland reworking of the classic tale
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Clint Morris, Moviehole
Far from Disney, but still quite charming
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Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Borderline-creepy live-action adaptation.
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Steve Rhodes, Internet Reviews
If there is a single reason why this version works so well, it has to be the design of the visual effects (Angus Bickerton) for Pinocchio.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Martin Landau
as Geppetto
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Jonathan Taylor Thomas
as Pinocchio
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Genevičve Bujold
as Leona
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Corey Carrier
as Lampwick
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Teco Celio
as Henchman
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Kevin Dorsey
as Boy
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David F. Doyle
as Pepe
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Jean-Claude Dreyfus
as Foreman
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Jean-Claude Drouot
as Magistrate
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Dawn French
as Baker's wife
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Griff Rhys Jones
as Tino
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Udo Kier
as Lorenzini
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Bebe Neuwirth
as Felinet
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Rob Schneider
as Volpe
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John Sessions
as Schoolmaster
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Jan Slovák
as Butler
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Anita Zagaria
as Luigi's Wife
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Jiri Kvasnicka
as Cabineer
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Zdenek Podhursky
as Cabineer
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Vaclav Vydra
as Infantino Father
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Wilfred Benaiche
as Henchman
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Richard Claxton
as Saleo
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Marcello Magni
as Baker
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Thomas Orange
as Boy
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Daniela Tolkien
as Lampwick's Mother
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Erik Averlont
as Zito
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Oliver Barron
as Boy
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Petr Bednar
as Growling Father
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Dean Cook
as Boy With Red Ball
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Jake Court
as Boy
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Luke DeLeon
as Boy
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Paavel Koci
as Puppeteer
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Vladimir Koval
as Luigi
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Gorden Lovitt
as Big One Attendant
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Lilian Malkina
as Woman In Laundry
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Jiri Patocka
as Man With Donkey
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Joe Swash
as Fighting Boy
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Lida Vlaskova
as Woman In Bakery
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Stefan Weclawek
as Infantino
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Sean Woodward
as Boy
- David Doyle

