Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio: A Childhood Dream Realized
For many cinematic maestros, an early encounter with the magic of film plants a seed of destiny. Guillermo del Toro, the acclaimed Mexican director often hailed as a “maverick,” is no exception. His unique vision and penchant for the fantastical stem from a lifelong fascination with the stories and images that captivated him as a child.
Del Toro regards childhood not merely as an origin point but as a wellspring of enduring inspiration. The fairy tales and myths he devoured in his youth were transmuted into the bizarre creatures and fantastical realms of Pan’s Labyrinth. The poignant ending of the horror classic Creature from the Black Lagoon, witnessed at the tender age of six, lingered in his imagination for over four decades, ultimately shaping the romantic conclusion of The Shape of Water, where the amphibious creature discovers love instead of a watery demise.
When the opportunity arose for del Toro to helm his inaugural animated feature, he chose to bring Pinocchio to life, a story that had enchanted him since his formative years, reimagining it as Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. This stop-motion animated film isn’t just an adaptation; it’s a deeply personal interpretation.
A Story Set Against a Backdrop of War and Loss
Set in 1930s Italy, a tumultuous era nestled between the two World Wars, the film’s narrative unfolds in a serene town where the skilled carpenter Geppetto resides with his beloved son, Carlo. Their existence is marked by relative tranquility, seemingly impervious to the looming specter of war. Carlo embodies the quintessential dutiful son, frequently accompanying his father to the local church, where he assists in mending the crucifix adorning the altar.
However, their idyllic world is irrevocably shattered on one fateful, tragic night. A warplane, soaring through the night sky, unleashes a devastating bomb that obliterates the church, claiming Carlo’s life in the process. Overwhelmed and consumed by profound grief, Geppetto descends into a spiral of despair, seeking solace in alcohol.
Years pass, and Geppetto remains haunted by the memory of his lost son. In a drunken stupor, he fells the pine tree flourishing upon Carlo’s grave. Driven by a potent mixture of sorrow and longing, he carves a wooden puppet, giving it the form of a young boy. Touched by his profound grief, a benevolent wood sprite imbues the puppet with life, bestowing upon him the name Pinocchio. Furthermore, she designates a cricket residing within the pine wood as Pinocchio’s guide, entrusting him with the crucial task of steering the puppet toward a path of righteousness.
A Rebellious Spirit Emerges
In stark contrast to the obedient and earnest Carlo, Pinocchio, fueled by an insatiable curiosity, possesses a mischievous and often wayward spirit. Much to the exasperation of Geppetto and the ever-watchful cricket, Pinocchio displays a penchant for trouble, frequently resorting to fibs and tall tales in an attempt to extricate himself from sticky situations.
He vehemently resists the notion of attending school, preferring to explore the world on his own terms. Soon, he falls prey to the deceptive allure of a cunning circus master, who tricks him into signing an unfair contract, effectively turning him into a member of the circus troupe. Thus begins Pinocchio’s eventful journey, an odyssey replete with deceit, betrayal, and the ever-present shadow of war.
Subverting Expectations: A Twist on a Classic Tale
The conflict between innocent children and the harsh realities of the world is a recurring motif in del Toro’s filmography. Yet, when juxtaposed with the original narrative, del Toro’s adaptation, even with the added layer of a war-torn setting, softens Pinocchio’s inherent darkness.
Dating back to 1880, when Carlo Collodi, an Italian author, first conceived the story of Pinocchio, Italy was profoundly influenced by the unification movement. The burgeoning nation placed a premium on cultivating national pride and instilling social discipline, and Pinocchio’s character was designed to serve as an instrument in achieving these objectives.
In Collodi’s original rendering, Pinocchio is depicted as a largely unfavorable character. He commits the reprehensible act of killing the cricket who attempts to guide him toward virtuous behavior, indulges in hedonistic pleasures, neglects his educational pursuits, and consistently exhibits irresponsible conduct. Consequently, his misdeeds lead to a series of severe punishments, including imprisonment, a near-hanging experience, and even a transformation into a donkey, where he faces the grim prospect of being skinned alive.
When del Toro first encountered Disney’s 1940 animated rendition of the story, he was taken aback by its crueler aspects. However, he was most unsettled about Pinocchio ultimately succumbing to societal pressures and transforming into a “good boy” who molds to external expectations.
Del Toro, always wary of social conditioning, resolved to subvert the fairy tale, allowing Pinocchio to retain his “disobedient” nature. He sees the traits Collodi deems deplorable as the freedom and courage unique to children, unblemished by dogma, standing in stark contrast to the assimilation and oppression represented by Fascism.
In the film, whether Pinocchio is forced into conforming for being “unmannered” at school or sent to a training camp for the ability to “die and resurrected” the essence boils down to erasing his innate desire to think independently and forming Pinocchio into a “model citizen” who follows orders.
The director uses the physical, tangible nature of stop-motion animation to question the binary opposition of “human vs. puppet” in the original story. In this medium, everything is a crafted object. In del Toro’s film narrative, even the flesh-and-blood human characters fall into the trap of forced conformity.
Among the synchronized Nazi salutes, there is a striking divergence is shown by the wooden puppet, who resists control and dares to defy Mussolini, declaring himself a one-of-a-kind.
Flesh and blood do not prevent humans from acting like wooden puppets in their thought, no wooden body can prevent a puppet from becoming a person with “humanity”. “It” is naturally “he,” who possessed a soul once it was created.
The Heart of the Story: A Father’s Journey
However, del Toro decides against for Pinocchio to completely transform into a human, which prevents the film from having an element of miraculous change."It’s really the changes and evolution of Pinocchio’s father, so Geppetto’s humanity is the highlight of the movie.
In Geppetto heart, the obedient Carlo who is attentive would be his best “son.”, so if Pinocchio wants to become this man’ persona, he must follow the established rules and reform.
He now has Pinocchio’s heart, together with the companionship for which he greatly longs. But because of the ideal’s fixation, Pinocchio mistakenly considered how he never was love by hid his father, thus decided to leave with the malicious circus master.
Other than the strained connection between Geppetto and Pinocchio, there are a group of authoritarian fathers who longs for recognition from their child: government personnel evaluates his son based on Fascists doctrine; he does this as if he’s examining the breed/ condition of the son. The vicious circus master subjects his partner, the monkey, to physically and mentally abusive conduct, constantly belittling and degrading other’s value so the monkey always has to obey his wish.
Because Pinocchio represents the children growing up and waking; his conduct inspires government official’s son to resist against his father and reasonable needs. Pinocchio persuades the monkey to come to terms with the circus’s manipulation; he even does comical acts which mocks" Father of Nations" and Mussolini.
Similar to Pan’s Labyrinth, del Toro’s adaptation gives caution through authoritarian- style family connections. But luck is always on their side; Pinocchio did no longer need to change to achieve expectations. From Pinocchio deciding to leave, these decisions cause Geppetto to realize that not fully perform being a son, but he also has failed being a dad.
He embarks to find his son, and he is going and find he is in the end. Meeting under inside a whale, Geppetto accepts Pinocchio. The growing nose and lies now became the tree that leads to success in life.
In Del Toro’s world, it is not the monsters that require change. It always needs to be the adult and human.
Therefore, His Pinocchio movie shows the story regarding Geppetto has to learn how to act on as a real dad instead of transforming to as a real human being.
The action to take achieve isn’t using fairies’ like way. Just as children learn to walk, or get thing correct- all it costs is effort once again. Parents needs too acknowledge the past’ mistakes and have they have been wrong. One must be acknowledge and wise on mistakes. It is a normal process that every one does face our daily success and achievements is made by failure.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio may not be considered dark or heavy, with a quirky form factor and heart. Despite this, this is devoted fairy-tail-song of us whose grown ups.