Disney Animated Musical Film Reviews

Picture from Disney Movies official website

Released in 1940, as Walt Disney’s second full-length animated musical film, Pinocchio was a blessing to Disney because it serves many accomplishments. It won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song (“When You Wish Upon a Star”), solidifying its place as one of the greatest animated musicals in Disney’s history (Dresden, 2023).  Although it initially struggled at the box office due to World War II’s impact on international markets, Pinocchio later became one of Disney’s most celebrated classics, with its music and themes standing the test of time (Yesterday’s Joe, 2019). Pinocchio uses several music elements with different purposes. First, instrumental music is used to serve as background music, to emphasise the atmosphere of particular scenes, and to follow the characters’ movements. Second and last, Pinocchio uses songs to drive the storylines and to replace spoken dialogues between Jiminy with Pinocchio.

Pinocchio tells the story of a wooden puppet named Pinocchio, created by the kind woodcarver, Geppetto. Brought to life by the Blue Fairy, Pinocchio is given a chance to become a real boy if he proves himself brave, truthful, and unselfish. With the guidance of his conscience, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio embarks on a journey filled with temptations and dangers, including encounters with dishonest characters like Honest John and Stromboli, as well as the dark experience on Pleasure Island. Through his struggles and acts of courage—most notably rescuing Geppetto from the belly of a giant whale, Monstro—Pinocchio ultimately learns the value of honesty and selflessness, and is rewarded by becoming a real boy.

One of the musical elements, instrumental music, is essential in the film by acting as background music and an emphasis for scenes’ atmosphere. For example, similar to Snow White, instrumental music in Pinocchio also acts as background music that almost never stops playing from the beginning until the end of the film. The music stops playing in the sequence of Pleasure Island. Pleasure Island is a magical, lawless place where boys can do whatever they want. But, it has a dark secret—it transforms those who misbehave into donkeys. The absence of music in this sequence is an example of instrumental music used to emphasise the atmosphere of a scene. Here, the once lively atmosphere accompanied by the music fades into eerie silence as the true horror of Pleasure Island unfolds. This shift makes Lampwick’s, Pinocchio’s not so best friend, horrifying transformation into a donkey even more terrifying.

Instrumental music is also used to follow some characters’ movements in the film. For example, there are sound effects that follow the movement of a character. For example, in the beginning of the film, there are tuts of notes sound that follows Jiminy Cricket’s hops. The notes only show up when Jiminy jumps, and stops when he lands. The different sound effects show up when Jiminy is walking, stomping his feet playfully with his hands twirling an umbrella. Another example of the use of instrumental music as a company for character’s movement occurs in the entrance of Blue Fairy, the fairy who grants Geppetto’s wish. When she makes an entrance through the windows, there is a magical, sparkling sound. Furthermore, the wand held by Blue Fairy twinkles when it touches Pinocchio, showing its magic. All of these examples are also functioned as an emphasis on the movement of each character.

Besides instrumental music, a song is also used in this film to drive the storylines. For example, the song “When You Wish Upon a Star” serves as the iconic theme song for Pinocchio. In the beginning, before jumping into the storytelling, Jiminy sings, “When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you.” These lyrics suggest that no matter who a person is, his wishes can come true if the wishes truly come from the heart. The continuation of lyrics “If your heart is in your dreams, no request is too extreme. When you wish upon a star, as dreamers do” encourages the idea that nobody is forbidden to make a wish, even though the wish may sound unrealistic, because there is no such request that is too extreme. As long as there is honesty and effort put in making the wish come true, everybody is allowed to wish, like dreamers do. Later in the end of the film, the same song reprises. Jiminy repeats the lyrics, “When your heart is in your dreams, no request is too extreme.” The same lyrics, being sung in different times, show a different representation of the meaning. In the beginning, the lyrics function as encouragement and introduction to wishing upon a star. But, in the end, they function as a summary of what have happened in the film. The lyrics are meant to tell the audience that even an unrealistic wish Geppetto’s wishes—wanting his wooden puppet, Pinocchio, to become a real boy—can come true.

Another use of song in this film is to replace spoken dialogues between Jiminy and Pinocchio. One example of this is “Give a Little Whistle,” a song that introduces Jiminy Cricket’s role as Pinocchio’s conscience. In this song, Jiminy always uses the pronoun “you” to directly sings to Pinocchio.  He sings, “When you get in trouble and you don’t know right from wrong, give a little whistle / And always let your conscience be your guide.” These lyrics show an example of Jiminy’s dialogue with Pinocchio being replaced by singing. Basically, the whole song is about Jiminy explaining to Pinocchio about who he is and telling the boy the instructions on how and when to call him out.

However, this film has some noticeable weaknesses. The first weakness is the uneven pacing. The story moves quickly from one episode to another. For example, the way the storyline moves from Stromboli’s cage to Pleasure Island then to Monstro is presented without fully developing the transitions or emotional changes. This can make the narrative feel disjointed and rushed. Additionally, the tone of the film is surprisingly dark for a family-oriented theme. For example, scenes like the transformation of boys into donkeys and the chaotic escape from Monstro are visually intense and emotionally disturbing, which may overwhelm younger viewers. Lastly, the character development feels limited, particularly with Pinocchio, the main character, and Honest John and Stromboli, the villains. For Pinocchio, his transitions from naïve to heroic is shown onscreen without enough internal reflection or growth. Moreover, Honest John and Stromboli are introduced with strong impacts but receive little back stories and developments, leaving their arcs feel incomplete. These aspects present clear areas where Pinocchio shows weaknesses, including the pace of the story and limited characters development. This film may also appear too scary in some of the scenes for little children.

Pinocchio (1940) stands out as a masterpiece in Disney’s musical film history, not only for its rich storytelling but also for its use of music. The film successfully blends instrumental music and songs to enhance the atmosphere, support character development, and drive the narrative forward. From background music that reflect the mood of scenes to iconic songs like “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “Give a Little Whistle,” the musical elements in Pinocchio plays a crucial role in shaping the audience’s emotional journey and delivering the film’s moral lessons. Its musical elements contribute significantly to its status as a timeless classic.

In conclusion, despite being over 80 years old, the film remains visually charming and emotionally powerful, with timeless messages about honesty, courage, and selflessness. Its beautiful songs, including the iconic “When You Wish Upon a Star,” adds emotional depth that continues to resonate with audiences of all ages. Whether for those who are a longtime Disney fan or new to classic animated films, Pinocchio is a must-watch that deserves a place on everyone’s watchlist.

Rating

References
Dresden, H. (2023). Hollywood flashback: ‘Pinocchio’ music carved a place in Oscar musical history. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/pinocchio-music-oscar-musical-history-1235331331/
Yesterday’s Joe. (2019). Disney’s Pinocchio (1940) – Golden age of animation. https://yesterdaysjoe.com/pinocchio-1940/