Overview
Queen Involvement
Cast
Storyline
Directed by Steve Barron
Produced by Raju Patel and Jeffrey Sneller
Animations and puppets by Jim Henson's Creature Workshop
Screenplay by Sherry Mills, Steve Barron, Tom Benedek and Barry Berman, based on Carlo Collodi's novel.
First release 26 July 1996
Length 90 minutes
Filmed in and around Prague.
This film is based on the classic book of the same name, and combines human actors, puppets and computer animation.
Brian May recorded two tracks exclusively for the film.
'Il Colosso' is a lengthy, operatic piece, which is performed by the puppets at Lorenzini's puppet show, at 41:05 into the film, while a longer version appears on the soundtrack album. The vocals are credited to 'Just William', but are in fact sung by Brian, then speeded up. It also contains short excerpts of the second track, 'What Are We Made Of?'.
'What Are We Made Of?' only appears in the film as part of 'Il Colosso', but the full track was released on the soundtrack album. It is a strong ballad, sung by Brian and Norwegian singer Sissel. It is also available on Sissel's compilation album 'The Best 1986-2006'.
Geppetto (Martin Landau)
Leonna (Genevieve Bujold)
Pinocchio (Jonathan Taylor-Thomas)
Mr Lorenzini (Udo Kier)
Bakers Wife (Dawn French)
Tino (Griff Rhys Jones)
Felinet (Bebe Neuwirth)
Volpe (Rob Schneider)
Pepe (David Doyle)
- Geppetto as a much younger man carves a love heart for Leonna on a tree in a forest. A lightning strike hits the tree.
- Years later, Geppetto is out collecting wood to burn. At his home, Geppetto tries to burn the wood, but finds that it won't light. He decides to carve a puppet from it, and discovers his love heart carved years earlier. The new puppet Pinocchio magically comes to life, and goes wondering around Geppetto's home town.
- Two criminals, Felinet & Volpe, see Pinocchio, and tell Mr Lorenzini, who runs a puppet show. Lorenzini tries to get Geppetto to sell Pinocchio, but Geppetto refuses.
- Pinocchio follows a group of children on their way to school. At school, he lies to the teacher and his nose grows. He sneezes and is thrown out of the class.
- Pinocchio visits a bakery and eats lots of cakes. As a result, Geppetto is arrested and Pinocchio runs away. Pinocchio discovers Pepe, his conscience, and is arrested.
- At his trial, Geppetto is ordered to pay a fine of 30,000 lira, which he cannot pay. Mr Lorenzini intercepts, offering to pay the fine in return for Pinocchio. Geppetto reluctantly agrees.
- Pinocchio stars in Lorenzini's show, but ruins it when the show involves burning Geppetto's puppets. The theatre catches fire, Pinocchio runs away, and Geppetto and Leonna look for him in the forest.
- Felinet and Volpe find Pinocchio in the forest, and steal his money.
- Pinocchio meets his classmates who are on their way to an amusement park 'for real boys', so Pinocchio goes with them.
- Geppetto finds Pinocchio's hat by a lake, so sails off in a boat to look for him.
- At the park, the children drink from a fountain. Lorenzini instructs his workers to sell some donkeys for 20,000 lira each.
- Pinocchio and the children go on a roller-coaster ride and they all turn into donkeys, apart from Pinocchio.
- Pinocchio tells the other children about the ride, before a donkey kicks Lorenzini into the fountain. Lorenzini turns into a donkey and all of the children run away.
- Leonna finds Pinocchio, and she tells him that Geppetto went into the lake to look for him. Pinocchio goes out in a boat looking for Geppetto.
- Pinocchio is swallowed by a whale, where he finds Geppetto. Pinocchio's nose grows when he lies to Geppetto which allows them to escape.
- Geppetto and Pinocchio find Leonna on the beach, and Pinocchio turns into a real boy.
- Pinocchio finds Felinet and Volpe, and tells them that if they drink from the fountain then a rock will turn into gold
