Walt Disney's
second full-length animated feature is a timeless, breath takingly
beautiful classic. Based on an 1800s story by Carlo Collodi, it stars Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Cliff Edwards)as a vagabond insect who spends a rainy night at the shop
of toymaker Geppetto. The Blue
Fairy brings a marionette to life after Geppetto
wishes on a star for a son, and Jiminy Cricket is appointed the new boy's
conscience. He has a devil of a time keeping up as Pinocchio is willingly lured
through various forms of temptation, the most frightening of which leads him to
Pleasure Island, where he drinks, smokes, and is almost turned into a jackass.
This sequence, as well as Pinocchio's brave rescue of Geppetto from the belly of a whale, ranks among the
most memorable in the history of animation. With such songs as "When You
Wish Upon a Star," this
is about as magical as cinema can get, a sublimely beautiful coming-of-age
story for all to treasure.
88
Minutes, NTSC, HiFi Stereo
Sound, Color, VHS