`PINOCCHIO'S' GOT A NOSE FOR WHAT KIDS WANT IN A FILM.Byline: Jay Boyar boyar Any male member of the upper class of medieval Russian society and state administration. In Kievan Rus (10th–12th centuries) the boyars belonged to the prince's retinue, holding posts in the army and civil administration and advising the prince in matters of Orlando Sentinel The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876 and is currently in its 131st year of publication. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. If the dark and towering ``Hunchback hunchback, abnormal outward curvature of the spine in the thoracic region. It is also known as kyphosis and humpback, and in its severe form a noticeable hump is evident on the back. of Notre Dame'' isn't for little kids and if the dumb and junky ``Kazaam'' isn't for anyone, where should you take a child who wants to see a movie? At the moment, one of the best available options is ``The Adventures of Pinocchio,'' a surprisingly satisfying live-action retelling re·tell·ing n. A new account or an adaptation of a story: a retelling of a Roman myth. of the beloved fairy tale fairy tale Simple narrative typically of folk origin dealing with supernatural beings. Fairy tales may be written or told for the amusement of children or may have a more sophisticated narrative containing supernatural or obviously improbable events, scenes, and personages . Contrary to popular belief, Walt Disney didn't invent ``Pinocchio''; he reinvented him. The famous puppet was dreamed up in the 1880s by Carlo Collodi, an Italian former journalist who evidently knew a thing or two about puppets and little people. In the new film, director and co-writer Steve Barron (``Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'') has recaptured a certain Old World essence that got lost in Disney's 1940 cartoon masterpiece. The Disney version is still my favorite film adaptation of the ``Pinocchio'' story. (In fact, it's my favorite of all the ``golden age'' Disney features, with the possible exception of ``Dumbo Dumbo little elephant’s huge ears take him up and away. [Am. Cinema: Dumbo in Disney Films, 49–53] See : Flying .'') But Barron's ``Adventures of Pinocchio'' has small-scale charms that just aren't available from Disney. I'm thinking of scenes like the one in which Pinocchio's nose stretches across a schoolroom: When the nose stops just short of the teacher's face, the puppet sneezes in it! There is also the larger charm of watching the wooden boy walking down a street in a live-action world, surrounded by real people. (Amusingly, he imitates the various walking styles of the people he sees.) Thanks mainly to the animatronic wizards at Jim Henson's Creature Shop Jim Henson's Creature Shop is a company founded in 1979 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. It was originally created as a result of the observation that the team that had been put together for The Dark Crystal was extremely hard to recreate for Labyrinth, since , the illusion is complete and quietly captivating cap·ti·vate tr.v. cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing, cap·ti·vates 1. To attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence. See Synonyms at charm. 2. Archaic To capture. . Although the plots of the 1940 film and the new one are somewhat different, the premise is the same. An old, childless woodcarver named Geppetto makes a little puppet who magically comes to life. After a series of harrowing adventures, Pinocchio earns the right to change from a wooden child to a real, live one. I was looking forward to Martin Laundau's performance as Geppetto, but it turns out to be nothing special. He's fine, but, somehow, I expected something deeper or, at least, funnier. More entertaining are Bebe Neuwirth and Rob Schneider, as a catlike-and-foxlike pair of scoundrels, and Udo Kier n. 1. (Bleaching) A large tub or vat in which goods are subjected to the action of hot lye or bleaching liquor; - also called keeve ltname>. as the evil showman Lorenzini. Jonathan Taylor Thomas Jonathan Taylor Thomas (born September 8, 1981) is an American child actor and former teen idol, perhaps best remembered for his roles of middle child Randy Taylor on the sitcom Home Improvement and the voice of the young Simba in Disney's The Lion King. , who lent his voice to Simba in ``The Lion King,'' does the same for the new film's puppet protagonist. Never ``too cute,'' this Pinocchio has an innocence (even of the consequences of his own misdeeds) that is genuinely touching. And, yes, this Pinocchio also has a cricket for a conscience. Called Pepe, he's a wonderful-looking computer-animated insect whose folksy folk·sy adj. folk·si·er, folk·si·est Informal 1. Simple and unpretentious in behavior. 2. Characterized by informality and affability: a friendly, folksy town. 3. voice is provided by David Doyle. Even without a great song like ``When You Wish Upon a Star'' to sing, Pepe gives old Jiminy a run for his money. ``The Adventures of Pinocchio'' sets its own pace, allowing the characters to emerge gradually and, by the way, giving the younger children time to figure out what's happening. That can be important, especially since the movie's biggest flaw is that the action isn't always clearly staged: Pinocchio's escape from the belly of a whale, which happens near the end of the film, is, for example, awkwardly handled. But there are also magical moments, like that scene in the classroom. There's also a gorgeous sequence - with luminous lighting and the look of a pageant - in which Pinocchio performs on Lorenzini's stage. A few scenes - such as the one in which Pinocchio and other boys are turned into donkeys - may be troubling for very young children. But the filmmakers work hard to establish a rich, protective fantasy context for these events. Yes, parents in search of a movie for their kids certainly could do a lot worse than ``The Adventures of Pinocchio.'' It arrives in theaters like a belated birthday gift from a distant relative who somehow knew just exactly what would make a child smile. THE FACTS The film: ``The Adventures of Pinocchio'' (G). The stars: Martin Landau, Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Behind the scenes: Directed by Steve Barron. Screenwriters: Sherry Mills, Steve Barron, Tom Benedek, Barry Berman. Based on Carlo Collodi's novel. Released by New Line. Running time: One hour, 36 minutes. Playing: Citywide. Our rating: Three Stars. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: The magic of animatronics an·i·ma·tron·ics n. (used with a sing. verb) The technology employing electronics to animate motorized puppets. [anima(tion) + (elec)tronics. makes a wooden puppet seem truly alive in ``The Adventures of Pinocchio.'' |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion