History Fridge / Pinocchio

* How Pinocchio was led astray so easily by Honest John and the Cat ''twice'' makes complete sense when you consider that Pinocchio was only "born" the day before. Just as he doesn't yet know right from wrong, he does not have enough social awareness to know when others are lying to him, and is thus led around ''like a puppet still on strings''.

** Well it would make sense, but it's a pretty far-fetched tale. "Officer. There is an island offshore where small boys are turned into donkeys and sold as slaves!" But then, when you consider that most people don't consider six-foot-tall talking foxes and blue fairies and talking wooden boys to be out of the ordinary, that story could possibly be feasible. Not to mention that it's implied by Honest John that Pleasure Island is an infamous, notorious and illegale place.

** Well it would make sense, but it's a pretty far-fetched tale. "Officer. There is an island offshore where small boys are turned into donkeys and sold as slaves!" But then, when you consider that most people don't consider six-foot-tall talking foxes and blue fairies and talking wooden boys to be out of the ordinary, that story could possibly be feasible.

* It might actually be the beer in particular that causes the children to transform into donkeys, given that [[spoiler:Lampwick]] was probably the last of his batch to fully transform, and Pinocchio stopped drinking when he saw his friend's donkey ears sprout. Pinocchio only partially transformed because he didn't drink enough.

** Further brilliance: the Coachman's accomplices would of course have laced everything they could with this cursed water, including the food and the liquor, but Pinocchio and Lampwick barely had more than a bite of their food before they ran off to join a big fight and then vandalize a model house. Only later, when they're shooting some pool, do they draw themselves some beer. Also, as noted on the IllTellYouWhenIveHadEnough page, unscrupulous bartenders tend to break out the ''watered-down'' stuff after their customers get too drunk to notice the difference. Given Lampwick's HiddenDepths (seems this is hardly the first time he's ever been in a pool hall or a bar), it's likely that he knew enough about getting drunk to tell Pinocchio to save the drinking for last if he wanted to get the full measure of fun out of the island. Hence, they started drinking last, imbibed the least cursed water out of any of the boys, and their transformations therefore took longer.
* When being introduced to the scene of Pinocchio and Lampwick playing pool Pinocchio asks Lampwick, "Where do you suppose all the kids went to, Lampwick?" after realizing that things have become unusually quiet on the island. Unconcerned about the odd silence outside Lampwick answers with an assuring but uncaring, "They're around here somewhere's, what do you care?" Why couldn't either or both Pinocchio and Lampwick pause from playing their game and step outside the pool hall to realize all the boys on the island are gone including the coachman and that the park attractions are in shambles thus hinting to them that something's not right? Lampwick is not interested in the well-being of others but his own and believes that the other kids are at a far off part of the island.

* [[spoiler:Looking at the coach taking the children to Pleasure Island, it appears to be pulled by donkeys. Thus, little boys are kidnapped and changed into donkeys, losing everything they ever loved in life and on top of that, some are forced to pull the coach of the man who changed them in the first place and carry other children so that they can share the same monstrous fate as themselves. (In the book, this is definitely stated.)]]

** FridgeLogic: It would seem that the film intended that [[spoiler:the Coachman, while evil by today's standards, look more like a 'force of nature' against the bad boys. Turning into a donkey is considered to be a just desserts for being 'bad boys'.]] Perhaps they meant it that way so [[spoiler:the Coachman turns into a KarmaHoudini.]]
*** Perhaps Disney went too over the top. In the book, Pleasure Island was the Land of Toys, a place of innocent games, not "bad" stuff -- it was just all play and no work or school. In the 1940s when ''Pinocchio'' was released, society had begun to fret about "juvenile delinquency", the idea that kids were lazy, spoiled, disrespectful and undisciplined.[[note]]The same as [[http://www.bartleby.com/73/195.html every generation]] before and after them, in other words.[[/note]] J. Edgar Hoover warned about "truants", who were routinely arrested and thrown in jail. Bad/naughty kids were considered a serious matter, so Disney decided to be as {{Anvilicious}} as possible in an attempt to ScareEmStraight.
*** Alternatively, [[spoiler:Pinocchio was supposed to represent the idea of "get a chance to learn from mistakes and find redemption" -- his experiences, including as a donkey, are this in the original book and serve as a kind of Purgatory. The rest were considered beyond repentance -- once God says you're not welcome in Heaven, your only place is Hell. No Purgatory for them! It just means Disney just chose to save Pinocchio... while ''[[http://the-artifice.com/pinocchio-darker/ damning the rest with no chance of redemption]]''. Again, I repeat... WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!?]]

*** In the book, there are girls at Pleasure Island too -- again, in the book it's a place of toys and innocent play -- and they meet the same fate.

** Well it would make sense, but it's a pretty far-fetched tale. "Officer. There is an island offshore where small boys are turned into donkeys and sold as slaves!" But then, when you consider that most people don't consider six foot tall talking foxes and blue fairies and talking wooden boys to be out of the ordinary, that story could possibly be feasible.
*** I have to think this about the donkey children. If proving yourself brave and caring and unselfish can make you a real boy, perhaps the donkeys are changed back when they do such things. Take a whipping for a comrade, for instance, or take the burden of one who's exhausted. Even Lampwick might do that. God knows the Blue Fairy doesn't do shit to help these kids, and in the book Pinocchio only changes back because he's thrown into the ocean to drown and is eaten by fish.

* When Pinocchio [[spoiler: returns as a real boy]], he asks his father why he's crying. Gepetto doesn't seem surprised to hear his voice, just tells him [[spoiler: he's dead]], actually ''insists on it'' when Pinocchio tries to convince him otherwise, and asks him to lie down. This implies that Gepetto's been hallucinating in his heartbreak and thinks he has heard Pinocchio speaking to him already. The broken way he asks Pinocchio to lie down suggests he just wants his mind to stop playing tricks on him and let him grieve.

* Maybe a bit of a Fridge TearJerker but if one remembers the scene where Pinocchio's revived as a real boy, when Jiminy steps out it's all ready night. By the time that Pinocchio had died it was around morning, maybe an early afternoon...that means that Gepetto was mourning his son for almost a whole day. No wonder he thought his son was dead even when he was speaking to him.

*** Pinocchio telling others about the Coachman's operation is, actually, very possible. When Honest John heard about Pleasure Island, he asked about the police. Pleasure Island and what happens there is what is called a preternatural: A phenomenon that might be of a supernatural cause OR a normal one that is unknown by people. Whether the island is cursed, has some substance in it, John's reaction implies that the police IS aware of its existence and what it does, but the Coachman knows a secret path to it and, after all, the victims cannot say anything. So if Pinocchio tells the authorities about the Coachman, they will listen.

** Or as pointed out above, it could also be because he didn't eat/drink very much from the island, especially after seeing Lampwick transform.

** It could just be that they wanted a really strong cautionary tale: Be careful where you go and who you hang out with, because ''you might screw yourself over beyond the point of recovery''. Which is definitely a FamilyUnfriendlyAesop, but one that certainly does have some truth to it.

** On top of that, there's the fact that [[spoiler: no one rescues the boys after they're ''robbed of their humanity and sold into slavery''. Nobody even bothers to mourn for them, but [[EsotericHappyEnding we're supposed to clap and cheer because the hero gets out OK]]. And the Coachman is never stopped, so he presumably goes on doing it to more boys.

** On top of that, there's the fact that [[spoiler: no one rescues the boys after they're ''robbed of their humanity and sold into slavery''. Nobody even bothers to mourn for them, but [[EsotericHappyEnding we're supposed to clap and cheer because the hero gets out OK]]. And the Coachman is never stopped, so he presumably goes on doing it to more boys. Honestly, it's pretty JustForFun/{{Egregious}} that the ending is even considered happy]].

** On top of that, there's the fact that [[spoiler: no one rescues the boys after they're ''robbed of their humanity and sold into slavery''. Nobody even bothers to mourn for them, but [[EsotericHappyEnding we're supposed to clap and cheer because TheHero gets out OK]]. And the Coachman is never stopped, so he presumably goes on doing it to more boys. Honestly, it's pretty JustForFun/{{Egregious}} that the ending is even considered happy]].

*** Originally there was supposed to be a brief scene at the end where the Fox and Cat were arrested and it was implied the whole scheme would be exposed. It was cut. WHY?
** FridgeLogic: It would seem that the film intended that [[spoiler:the Coachman, while evil by today's standards, look more like a 'force of nature' against the bad boys. Turning into a donkey is considered to be a just desserts for being 'bad boys'.]] Perhaps they meant it that way so [[spoiler:the Coachman turns into a KarmaHoudini. Still, if that's his job, Disney, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!?]]
*** Probably, but it's still DisproportionateRetribution. It would teach a much better lesson if [[spoiler: the boys actually got a chance to learn from their mistakes and find redemption. After all, that's all part of growing up--they're not evil people, they're just kids who don't know any better. And anyway, think of what it would do to the children's parents if they knew what the Coachman was doing. [[{{Tearjerker}} One boy even begs the Coachman to let him see his mother again]]]].
*** Perhaps Disney went too over the top. In the book, Pleasure Island was the Land of Toys, a place of innocent games, not "bad" stuff -- it was just all play and no work or school. In the 1940s when ''Pinocchio'' was released, society had begun to fret about "juvenile delinquency", the idea that kids were lazy, spoiled, disrespectful and undisciplined.[[note]]The same as [[http://www.bartleby.com/73/195.html every generation]] before and after them, in other words.[[/note]] J. Edgar Hoover warned about "truants", who were routinely arrested and thrown in jail. Bad/naughty kids were considered a serious matter, so Disney decided to be as {{Anvilicious}} as possible or opts the ScareEmStraight path as in [[spoiler:"If you keep being naughty kids, you will meet the GrimReaper (here being the Coachman), judged sinful and sent ''straight to Hell'' (turned into a donkey)". Remember that Hell is ''for eternity''. Unlike Purgatory, a place of temporary punishment and redemption (believed in by Catholics), sinners in Hell have no chance to escape or get to Heaven.]] Needless to say, Disney might've gone over the top...

* How Pinocchio was led astray so easily by Honest John and the Cat ''twice'' makes complete sense when you consider that Pinocchio was only "born" the day before. Just has he doesn't yet know right from wrong, he does not have enough social awareness to know when others are lying to him, and is thus led around ''like a puppet still on strings''.

*** This reinforces my belief that he really is a metaphor for Satan: after all, though TheBible does mention his ultimate fate being to be cast into Hell along with his followers, Satan is still indicated to be on the job for now... just like the Coachman.

* The scene of Pinocchio and Lampwick playing pool as Pleasure Island has now become deserted and in ruins strongly implies that the kids on the island began changing into donkeys around the time after Pinocchio and Lampwick went into the pool hall and both were completely oblivious to the horrifying chaos outside. But, then why didn't the Coachman realize there were two boys still at the park who haven't transformed yet? He might have been too busy rounding up the hundreds of newly transformed donkeys to go himself or send his henchmen to check other buildings throughout the park.

** On top of that, there's the fact that [[spoiler: no one rescues the boys after they're ''robbed of their humanity and sold into slavery''. Nobody even bothers to mourn for them, but [[EsotericHappyEnding we're supposed to clap and cheer because TheHero gets out OK]]. And the Coachman is never stopped, so he presumably goes on doing it to more boys. Honestly, it's pretty {{Egregious}} that the ending is even considered happy]].

* The scene of Pinocchio and Lampwick playing pool as Pleasure Island has now become deserted and in ruins strongly implies that the kids on the island began changing into donkeys around the time after Pinocchio and Lampwick went into the pool hall and both were completely oblivious to the horrifying chaos outside. But, then why didn't the Coachman realize there were two boys still at the park who haven't transformed yet? He might of been too busy rounding up the hundreds of newly transformed donkeys to go himself or send his henchmen to check other buildings throughout the park.

* When being introduce to the scene of Pinocchio and Lampwick playing pool Pinocchio asks Lampwick, "Where do you suppose all the kids went to, Lampwick?" after realizing that things have become unusually quiet on the island. Unconcerned about the odd silence outside Lampwick answers with an assuring but uncaring, "They're around here somewhere's, what do you care?" Why couldn't either or both Pinocchio and Lampwick pause from playing their game and step outside the pool hall to realize all the boys on the island are gone including the coachman and that the park attractions are in shambles thus hinting to them that something's not right? Lampwick is not interested in the well-being of others but his own and believes that the other kids are at a far off part of the island.

* The scene of Pinocchio and Lampwick playing pool as Pleasure Island has now become deserted and in ruins strongly implies that the kids on the island began changing into donkeys around the time after Pinocchio and Lampwick went into the pool hall and both were completely oblivious to the horrifying chaos outside. But, then why didn't the Coachman realize there were two boys still at the park who haven't transformed yet? He might of been too busy rounding up the hundreds of newly transformed donkeys to go himself or send his henchmen to check other buildings throughout the park.
[[AC:FridgeBrilliance]]
* It might actually be the beer in particular that causes the children to transform into donkeys, given that [[spoiler:Lampwick]] was probably the last of his batch to fully transform, and Pinocchio stopped drinking when he saw his friend's donkey ears sprout. Pinocchio only partially transformed because he didn't drink enough.
** According to the book, it was the water on the island that slowly turned the boys into donkeys. It is likely possible that the booze used the water that caused the process.
** Further brilliance: the Coachman's accomplices would of course have laced everything they could with this cursed water, including the food and the liquor, but Pinocchio and Lampwick barely had more than a bite of their food before they ran off to join a big fight and then vandalize a model house. Only later, when they're shooting some pool, do they draw themselves some beer. Also, as noted on the IllTellYouWhenIveHadEnough page, unscrupulous bartenders tend to break out the ''watered-down'' stuff after their customers get too drunk to notice the difference. Given Lampwick's HiddenDepths (seems this is hardly the first time he's ever been in a pool hall or a bar), it's likely that he knew enough about getting drunk to tell Pinocchio to save the drinking for last if he wanted to get the full measure of fun out of the island. Hence, they started drinking last, imbibed the least cursed water out of any of the boys, and their transformations therefore took longer.
* When being introduce to the scene of Pinocchio and Lampwick playing pool Pinocchio asks Lampwick, "Where do you suppose all the kids went to, Lampwick?" after realizing that things have become unusually quiet on the island. Unconcerned about the odd silence outside Lampwick answers with an assuring but uncaring, "They're around here somewhere's, what do you care?" Why couldn't either or both Pinocchio and Lampwick pause from playing their game and step outside the pool hall to realize all the boys on the island are gone including the coachman and that the park attractions are in shambles thus hinting to them that something's not right? Lampwick is not interested in the well-being of others but his own and believes that the other kids are at a far off part of the island.
* How Pinocchio was led astray so easily by Honest John and the Cat ''twice'' makes complete sense when you consider that Pinocchio was only "born" the day before. Just has he doesn't yet know right from wrong, he does not have enough social awareness to know when others are lying to him, and is thus led around ''like a puppet still on strings''.

* How Pinocchio was led astray so easily by Honest John and the Cat ''twice'' makes complete sense when you consider that Pinocchio was only "born" the day before. Just has he doesn't yet know right from wrong, he does not have enough social awareness to know when others are lying to him.

* When being introduce to the scene of Pinocchio and Lampwick playing pool Pinocchio asks Lampwick, "Where do you suppose all the kids went to, Lampwick?" after realizing that things have become unusually quiet on the island. Unconcerned about the odd silence outside Lampwick answers with an assuring but uncaring, "They're around here somewhere's, what do you care?" Why couldn't either or both Pinocchio and Lampwick pause from playing their game and step outside the pool hall to realize all the boys on the island are gone including the coachman and that the park attractions are in shambles thus hinting to them that something's not right? Lampwick is not interested in the well-being of others but his own and believes that the other kids are at a far off part of the island.

*** Perhaps Disney went too over the top. In the 1940s when ''Pinocchio'' was released, society had begun to fret about "juvenile delinquency", the idea that kids were lazy, spoiled, disrespectful and undisciplined.[[note]]The same as [[http://www.bartleby.com/73/195.html every generation]] before and after them, in other words.[[/note]] J. Edgar Hoover warned about "truants", who were routinely arrested and thrown in jail. Bad/naughty kids were considered a serious matter, so Disney decided to be as {{Anvilicious}} as possible or opts the ScareEmStraight path as in [[spoiler:"If you keep being naughty kids, you will meet the GrimReaper (here being the Coachman), judged sinful and sent ''straight to Hell'' (turned into a donkey)". Remember that Hell is ''for eternity''. Unlike Purgatory, a place of temporary punishment and redemption (believed in by Catholics), sinners in Hell have no chance to escape or get to Heaven.]] Needless to say, Disney might've gone over the top...

** On top of that, there's the fact that [[spoiler: no one rescues the boys after they're ''robbed of their humanity and sold into slavery''. Nobody even bothers to mourn for them, but we're supposed to clap and cheer because TheHero gets out OK. And the Coachman is never stopped, so he presumably goes on doing it to more boys. Honestly, it's pretty {{Egregious}} that the ending is even considered happy]].

*** Perhaps Disney went too over the top. Maybe back in the days where Pinocchio was aired, bad/naughty kids was considered a serious matter, so Disney decided to be as {{Anvilicious}} as possible or opts the ScareEmStraight path as in [[spoiler:"If you keep being naughty kids, you will meet the GrimReaper (here being the Coachman), judged sinful and sent ''straight to Hell'' (Pleasure Island/turning to Donkey)". Remember that Hell is ''for eternity''. Unlike Purgatory, a place of temporary punishment and redemption, sinners in Hell have no chance to escape or get to Heaven.]] Needless to say, Disney might've gone over the top...
*** Alternatively, [[spoiler:Pinocchio was supposed to represent that "Got a chance to learn from mistakes and find redemption", while the rest were considered those too late to repent (and again, once God says you're not welcome in Heaven, your only place is Hell. There's no Purgatory in this setup). It just means Disney just chose to save Pinocchio... while ''[[http://the-artifice.com/pinocchio-darker/ damning the rest with no chance of redemption]]''. Again, I repeat... WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!?]]

*** Perhaps Disney went too over the top. Maybe back in the days where Pinocchio was aired, bad/naughty kids was considered a serious matter, so Disney decided to be as {{Anvilicious}} as possible or opts the ScareEmStraight path as in [[spoiler:"If you keep being naughty kids, you will meet the GrimReaper (here being the Coachman), and you are to be considered sinful and then be sent ''straight to Hell'' (Pleasure Island/turning to Donkey)". Remember that once sinners goes to Hell, they have no chance to enter Heaven again.]] Needless to say, Disney might've gone over the top...
*** Alternatively, [[spoiler:Pinocchio was supposed to represent that "Got a chance to learn from mistakes and find redemption", while the rest were considered those too late to repent (and again, once God says you're not welcome in Heaven and your only place is Hell, beg all you like, but God won't let you repent, saying you got your chance in your whole life, but squandered them, it's just too late). It just means Disney just chose to save Pinocchio... while ''damning the rest with no chance of redemption''. Again, I repeat... WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!?]]

** And the Coachman is a KarmaHoudini. For all we know, he could still be turning kids into donkeys and selling them off to the circus, salt mines, etc.

* I don't know about you, but I always got this weird and creepy sense that the Coachman was an allusion to pedophilia and child trafficking. That's what always crept me out about this whole operation. I mean, ''Pleasure Island???'' *Shudder*

* When being introduce to the scene of Pinocchio and Lampwick playing pool Pinocchio asks Lampwick, "Where do you suppose all the kids went to, Lampwick?" after realizing that things have become unusually quiet on the island. Unconcern about the odd silence outside Lampwick answers with an assuring but uncaring," There around here some where's, what do you care?" Why couldn't either or both Pinocchio and Lampwick pause from playing their game and step outside the pool hall to realize all the boys on the island are gone including the coachman and that the park attractions are in shambles thus hinting to them that something's not right? Lampwick is not interested in the well-being of others but his own and believes that the other kids are at a far off part of the island.