Everything Kids

Writing recently on human conscience, Catholic commentaor Thomas Williams defined our “still, small voice” as a coach shaping and guiding us toward better decisions and higher ideals. “Conscience urges us to climb higher,” he writes, “according to the gifts received and the real possibility of doing good.”

Generations met this gift through Carlo Collodi’s beloved “Pinocchio,” a marionette granted the gifts of life by his creator’s wish upon a star and conscience through a witty, resilient cricket Walt Disney later named Jiminy. Collodi’s serialized story of a toy becoming a boy through following his conscience to unselfishness and bravery, is arguably Disney’s (and by extension, film animation’s) greatest achievement. It’s justifiably celebrated in this new 70th anniversary 2DVD set, with vivid, detailed print and soundtrack and a series of enlightening extras.

	Pinocchio (Two-Disc 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition) Pinocchio (Two-Disc 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition + Standard DVD) [Blu-ray]

“Pinocchio”’s characters and songs have defined Disney’s mission (and not just from “When You Wish Upon A Star” being the company unofficial theme or Jiminy among its many goodwill ambassadors.) When elderly woodcarver Geppetto wishes his wooden toy to become a real boy, a blue fairy grants Pinocchio life and knights Jiminy as his conscience (”Give A Little Whistle”) and companion. Overjoyed, Geppetto sends Pinocchio to school where he’s sidetracked by fox and feline villains “Honest” John and Gideon. They tempt him first with fame (singing, “Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee,” as they walk him to evil, funny showman Stromboli) then, when he’s rescued, by pleasure and destruction to the Coachman’s Pleasure Island. There Pinocchio, his Bowery Boy-ish friend Lampwick, and other waywards trash the island and their own lives by “behaving like jackasses,” in some of Disney’s most frightening, moving animation. Throughout, Geppetto (with beloved fish Clio and cat Figaro) searches for his kidnapped son until they battle an angry sea and its most fearsome creature to survive.

“Pinocchio’s” legend includes Walt Disney’s painstaking commitment to its quality. The results testify it doesn’t stem from infamous company salesmanship. Documentaries (including one on the “sweatbox” where Walt critiqued his animators’ daily work) describe how Collodi’s often irascible puppet became Disney’s lovable child struggling with temptation. Jiminy transforms from the story’s moralistic critic into the story’s center, friend and coach looking much like his voice (then well-known recording artist Cliff Edwards). Legendary actor Mel Blanc, a 40s superstar for his work on “Looney Tunes” and Jack Benny’s radio show, finds his speaking role reduced to yelps as “Honest” John’s evil sidekick Gideon becomes a Harpo Marx-like comic mute.

Purists may argue for the 1940 original’s muted tones, but this new DVD presents a deeper, more vivid experience than any in Disney’s classics library. Disney used the then-new multi-plane camera to provide near 3-D depth to scenes in the village and in Geppetto’s shop (especially in its first scenes). Its color palette seamlessly eases from muted yellows at the sunset cliff scene to brackish seawater as Pinocchio and Jiminy dive to save Geppetto, reaching dangerous, even more detailed scenes seeking mighty whale Monstro. The film and its remastering reward repeated viewings.

Pinocchio’s extras run from illuminating (”making of” documentaries, theatrical trailers, missing songs and deleted scenes) to interesting (a charming feature on modern puppetmasters and toymakers, “real-life Geppettos” ) to disposable (a cute children’s puzzle game, Meghan Jette Martin’s needless teenpop rendition of “When You Wish..”) But it’s Disney’s storytelling skill and umatched visual gift which turn Carlo Collodi’s moralistic tale of forming conscience into an endearing story of maturity and friendship. Simply one of the most essential films, animated or otherwise, ever made and this being the best means yet to own it.