It must be an extremely difficult task to make a successful children's movie. Such a film must not only cater to the short attention spans of the kids who comprise its main audience, but also reach the more sophisticated tastes of the parents who pay admission.
Only a handful of movies can be called a success in this department: "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Indian in the Cupboard" spring to mind. Both films had a kind of magic that kids could enjoy, but held onto a thoughful storyline for the tots' escorts.
"The Adventures of Pinocchio" tried very hard to fit into this category. So hard, however, that it failed on both accounts.
The original "Pinocchio" (not Disney's cheerful version) has a very rich story that could not have been told fully in three hours, let alone the hour and a half of a children's movie. The film tried to share so much of the story that it essentially told none of it.
Sure, the age-old themes - the growing nose, Geppetto's love for a wooden puppet - are there, but it seems that the tales themselves were not told, just referred to.
If someone presented Act One of "Othello," Act Two of "Macbeth," and Act Three of "romeo and Juliet," it would not be referred to as the complete works of William Shakespeare. The same can be said of the "The Adventures of Pinocchio."
That's not to say that "Pinocchio" didn't have its strong points. Martin Landau was spectacular in his portrayal of Geppetto. A complex and multifaceted role, Landau made it look easy, the mark of any truly great actor.
And despite some off-screen inconsistencies as the voice of a pupper, Jonathan Taylor Thomas was excellent in the title role. While he was only physically on screen for a very short time, he made every second count.
Bebe Neuwirth and Rob Schneider, however, were obnoxious as a greedy couple trying the steal the puppet Pinocchio. Years ago, Schneider might have been funny, but his slapstick stupidity has long worn out its welcome. And Neuwirth, unfortunately, suffered the consequences of trying to out-slapstick her co-star.
The main problem with "Pinocchio" is that it never really captures the "magic" necessary for a film like this to succeed. Sometimes "Pinocchio" was interesting to watch, but it never allowed itself to be experienced.
If you are a big fan of Martin Landau or Jonathan Taylor Thomas, "Pinocchio" is probably worth watching. But if not, I'd more highly recommend a second (or third) viewing of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."
Grade: C-