At least three films based on the classic story about the wooden boy were released this year. The remake of Disney’s Pinocchio (1940) and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio on Netflix both received popular streaming releases, the latter of which receiving acclaim from critics. Of course, audiences mustn’t forget the animated Pinocchio: A True Story also released this year.
But with the 140th anniversary of the talking puppet approaching next year, these are far from the only adaptations. Like most characters of such an age, there will be some that are a must-watch and others that don’t necessarily warrant compulsory viewing. Let’s explore the last 140 years of Pinocchio and see where IMDb ranks the Disney film as well as the other more unique versions.
‘Pinocchio’ (2015) – 4.8
One of the first versions of the story that mixes live-action and CGI animation, the Czech Pinocchio stars Igor Ondricek as Geppetto and Samuel Sadovnik as the voice of Pinocchio. It is also notable for having a gender-swapped version of the cricket, named Coco.
‘The Adventures of Pinocchio’ (1996) – 5.2
Most adaptations of the story before The Adventures of Pinocchio either used makeup or animation to bring the character to the screen. This film is notable for being one of the few that used puppetry albeit with varying results as it does look a tad creepy. There’s a reason why Child’s Play and Annabelle make such popular horror films. CGI was used in certain aspects of the movie as well.
‘Pinocchio’ (2008) – 5.4
The closest thing to a TV series that managed to impress some IMDb users, Pinocchio is a two-part television film starring Bob Hoskins as Geppetto and Robbie Kay as the titular character. The tone of the film and the character of Pinocchio are both reminiscent of the Disney version, so it definitely feels magical.
