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Martin Landau, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Geneviève Bujold, Corey Carrier, Teco Celio ... see more see more... , Kevin Dorsey , David F. Doyle , Jean-Claude Dreyfus , Jean-Claude Drouot , Dawn French , Griff Rhys Jones , Udo Kier , Bebe Neuwirth , Rob Schneider , John Sessions , Jan Slovák , Anita Zagaria , Jiri Kvasnicka , Zdenek Podhursky , Vaclav Vydra , Wilfred Benaiche , Richard Claxton , Marcello Magni , Thomas Orange , Daniela Tolkien , Erik Averlont , Oliver Barron , Petr Bednar , Dean Cook , Jake Court , Luke DeLeon , Paavel Koci , Vladimir Koval , Gorden Lovitt , Lilian Malkina , Jiri Patocka , Joe Swash , Lida Vlaskova , Stefan Weclawek , Sean Woodward , David Doyle

Unlike the more familiar animated Pinocchio by Disney, there are no song interludes here, and characters added to the story by Disney (such as Jiminy Cricket) are not included. Producer Francis Ford C... read more read more...oppola and director Steve Barron, (known for the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film) closely adhere to Carlo Collodi's 1883 novel and use the visually timeless setting of a Czechoslovakian village. Jim Henson's puppet studio skillfully brings this Pinocchio to life. Long ago, in his youth, Gepetto (Martin Landau) loved but did not court Leona (Genvieve Bujold), who married Gepetto's brother instead. In that earlier time, he carved her initials with his onto a tree. Now his brother is dead, and though he still feels for Leona, he is still too shy to woo her. Instead, the old puppet-maker goes into the forest and cuts down a tree in order to make a puppet just for himself. The tree is the same one he carved his initials into when he was younger, and it has the magic of his love in it. Soon after the puppet Pinocchio is made, he comes to life. Aside from being made of wood, he begins to live the life of a perfectly normal little boy. He even goes to school. Lorenzini, an evil magician who runs a children's puppet show, hears of Pinocchio and wants to use him in his show. Lorenzini lures children to his show, only to later turn them into donkeys. Donkeys are useful creatures, and Lorenzini makes a lot of money selling them. Through many trials and tribulations, the puppet-boy earns the right to become the human boy Pinocchio (Jonathan Taylor Thomas). ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Flixster Users

33% liked it

9,654 ratings

Critics

27% liked it

15 critics

G, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: Steve Barron

Release Date: July 26, 1996

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DVD Release Date: September 30, 1997

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Stats: 287 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (287)

  • skeletonking101
    January 8, 2011
    skeletonking101
    The puppetry is some of the best ive ever seen in a film, well it was made by the Jim Henson workshop
  • smith44
    March 15, 2010
    smith44
    This movie is a travesty. A piece of the original Pinocchio died with the creation of this film.
  • LoughnerWasLucid
    December 20, 2009
    LoughnerWasLucid
    ...........................thank you that is all.
  • ScoopOnline
    December 15, 2009
    ScoopOnline
    This is a beautiful Pinochio Movie. It makes you gasp, lol, and smile at the end.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    July 11, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    A quality live-action telling of the Pinocchio story with a real puppet as Pinocchio and Martin Landau as Gepetto. It's very imaginative with nice visuals. I think they did it really well for an enjoyable movie.
  • jorgeroman1
    August 18, 2010
    jorgeroman1
    It's beyond the Disney classic, & it's creepy-as hell. But it was a little entertaining for me when I was a kid.
  • SunilJawahir
    March 15, 2009
    SunilJawahir
    Really bad. Jonathan Taylor Thomas should have been aborted.
  • HeathreAllison
    December 30, 2007
    HeathreAllison
    Oh, I feel like I've seen this. OHMIGOSH Jonathan Taylor Thomas?! Using the Mufasa Principle, it must be good.
  • xandiXlizXmackix
    September 18, 2007
    xandiXlizXmackix
    I've seen a number of movies featuring Pinocchio, and as I could tell with the plot and story, this one's the best that I've ever seen. It's the live-action version featuring real actors. "The Adventures Of Pinocchio" tells the story of Geppetto (Martin Landau) carving, from a tr... read moreee, a puppet named Pinocchio. The puppet comes to life and looks for fun while traveling out in the world that was not familiar to him- all part of the quest to become a real human boy. It's nice to see Jonathan Taylor Thomas (remember "Home Improvement"?) playing the titular marionette character, and when I first saw the evil Lorenzini, I didn't knew that I first saw Rob Schneider years before recognizing him as a male gigolo, an animal, and a hot chick. Also, there's a cricket character who's his conscience, and his name's Pepe. This is the best adaptation of the popular children's story of "Pinocchio" just yet, and I give this movie four stars.
  • danigirl789
    August 5, 2007
    danigirl789
    I actually prefer this one over the animated one just because it was just better for me I dont know what it was but I just would pick this one over the other anyday.

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Critic Reviews

Andy Seiler
January 1, 2000
Andy Seiler, USA Today

It's the woodsy children's movie Walt Disney didn't want to make: chockablock with mischievous mayhem and light on the sap.

Felix Vasquez Jr.
November 29, 2007
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed

A bland reworking of the classic tale

Clint Morris
September 17, 2002
Clint Morris, Moviehole

Far from Disney, but still quite charming

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Borderline-creepy live-action adaptation.

Steve Rhodes
January 1, 2000
Steve Rhodes, Internet Reviews

If there is a single reason why this version works so well, it has to be the design of the visual effects (Angus Bickerton) for Pinocchio. Full Review

Joe Leydon
March 26, 2009
Joe Leydon, Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

January 1, 2000
Washington Post

Click to read the article Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Click to read the article Full Review

Lawrence Van Gelder
January 1, 2000
Lawrence Van Gelder, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Susan Stark
January 1, 2000
Susan Stark, Detroit News

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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  • In The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996) starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas what makes the naughty boys turn into donkeys?  Answer »
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