Just because you’re the largest movie studio in the world, that doesn’t mean you’ll always beat the competition to the punch. Disney may have plans to adapt all of its popular animated films into live-action movies, but that also means that any of its films based on works that are in the public domain are fair game for other studios to adapt.
One of Disney’s biggest upcoming adaptation is that of Pinocchio, in a film that is set to star Tom Hanks as Gepetto, the father of Pinocchio. Before we get to see Disney’s Hollywood take on the story, we’re getting the original story brought to life by Italian filmmaker Matteo Garrone, which remains much more faithful to Italian author Carlo Collodi’s classic tale of a wooden puppet hungering to be transformed into flesh and blood.
This Italian adaptation stars Italian acting legend Roberto Benigni as Geppetto and newcomer Federico lelapi as Pinocchio. A newly released trailer for the film shows that you don’t need a big Disney budget to bring this magical story to life:
Shot in stunning Italian locations, Matteo Garrone’s rich world of mystery and wonder stars Academy Award winning actor Roberto Benigni as Geppetto, the old woodcarver whose puppet creation, Pinocchio, magically comes to life with dreams of becoming a real boy. Easily led astray, Pinocchio (nine-year-old Federico Ielapi) tumbles from one misadventure to another as he is tricked, kidnapped and chased by bandits through a wonderful world full of imaginative creatures – from the belly of a giant fish, to the Land Of Toys and the Field Of Miracles.
That really does look stunning. Not only do the production values and visual effects look fantastic, but the film really appears to capture the essence of the original story. With Italian actors in the primary roles, this version of Pinocchio also feels a whole lot more authentic. The film has been getting stellar reviews from some of those that have seen it and is scheduled to release on Christmas Day in theatres, though I’m guessing most of us will be waiting for this to make its way to On Demand or streaming services first.
Last Updated: December 15, 2020
