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What to expect from a stop-motion reimagining of a classic fairy tale

PINOCCHIO FRIDAY 9 DECEMBER, NETFLIX FANTASY DRAMA

The tale of a wooden puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy is a story that never grows old. Written by Italian author Carlo Collodi in 1883, the fairy tale was turned into a classic animation by Walt Disney in 1940, and earlier this year, a live-action version, starring Tom Hanks, was released on Disney+. Now, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro has reimagined the fable as a new animated musical fantasy adventure on Netflix, complete with fresh songs.

Stop-motion animation veteran Mark Gustafson directs alongside Guillermo and the movie is made in association with The Jim Henson Company. But its sombre tone echoes Guillermo’s dark fantasy films Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) and The Shape of Water (2018), as well as reflecting some of the darker elements of Carlo Collodi’s book.

The setting is a depressing and scary place – 1930s Italy under the rule of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

‘To me, it was important to show a world in which everybody behaves like a puppet and obeys, and the puppet is the only disobedient one,’ says Guillermo, 58.

The Mexican film-maker also made a major change to the original story.

‘What was clear in my mind was that Pinocchio should never turn into a real boy, nor should that be a goal to which he aspires and fails to achieve,’ he says. ‘When I was a kid, I said, “So, it means to be loved, you have to change?’’ I couldn’t accept that.’

Here, TV Times finds out more about the adaptation…