Walk with your kids to school to make sure they don't run off or get kidnapped by strangers.
Even from Pinocchio's perspective rather than Geppetto's, it comes across less as a conventional morality play about virtuous living than as an Unbuilt Trope version of Too Smart for Strangers, since his only real fault is being too gullible and falling for the tricks of those who want to exploit him.
Adaptation Displacement: In English-speaking countries (and Japan) at least, the movie is much more well-known than the book, though this does not apply in its native Italy.
Adorkable: In contrast to his meaner and brattier counterpart in the book, this Pinocchio is so endearing because of how cheerful, naive and innocent he is. His excitement about the world around him is comparable to a teenager on his first day of high school.
The Coachman is a rather ambiguous character. While he could just be an unscrupulous man who seeks to profit from bizarre phenomena that could only occur in the world of a morality play, he's also been interpreted as a supernatural Karmic Trickster, a red wearing Evil Counterpart to the Blue Fairy — while she has children learn from their misdeeds and sends them towards redemption, he punishes them for their stupidity and misbehaviour by transforming them into donkeys and giving them no possibility of redemption. A less common variant of this theory interprets him not merely as a malevolent fairy, but as being literally Satan. The fact that his Nightmare Face involves contortions that a normal human face simply can't do is often taken to be evidence of this, although it could just as well be ordinary cartoon exaggeration that was turned up to eleven for the sake of Rule of Scary, without really implying anything about the nature of the character.
The terrified reaction of Honest John upon hearing of Pleasure Island's business. Some question if that was a genuine case of Even Evil Has Standards, or perhaps Pragmatic Villainy as he actually feared the law's punishment if he got caught?
Angst? What Angst?: Considering all the horrifying and unsavory things Pinocchio sees and endures in his quest to reunite with his father, the kid is remarkably collected and chipper when his long personal hell comes to an end.
The fairy gives Pinocchio a lecture about lying, obviously meant as An Aesop for the audience.
The game makes the message that sometimes you must learn to take caution for yourself very evident by having absurdly evil people kidnap children with abandon and force them into slavery without any comeuppance.
The bit "If you don't go to school, you'll become a donkey" is justified in that Italy's compulsory formal school system had just gotten started with the beginnings of Resorgimento (unification of all the Italian nation-states into one cohesive country) about 20 years before the book was first written and published (in 1883). In rural, southern and poverty-stricken areas, kids still mostly did not go to school, or only for a short time. It was more important to help out at home or work in the family business, if any, or apprentice in a trade. Basic reading and writing were often taught by priests, but for many children that's as far as it went.
Audience-Coloring Adaptation: This film has shaped the way Pinocchio is seen in popular culture outside of the book's native Italy, especially his Bavarian/Tyrolian-like outfit (he looked more Italian in the Enrico Mazzanti illustrations◊ of the first editions of the original novel). Many adaptations of the book The Adventures of Pinocchio have incorporated concepts from the Disney film, even if they are otherwise faithful to the book.
Awesome Art: The film's animation was absolutely groundbreaking in 1940, and is still considered to be one of the most, if not the most, beautifully animated films/film ever made.
Awesome Music: “When You Wish Upon A Star”, to the point it becomes Disney’s trademark theme.
Base-Breaking Character: The Coachman. Fans are split on whether or not he's one of the best or worst Disney villains, especially compared to the more popular Honest John and Stromboli. Some fans find him to be a character, despite having practically no interaction with the protagonist/s, love him for how evil he is and how he subverts the Disney Villain Death trope. Other fans, on the other hand, hate him for being a Jerkass and how, despite turning innocent little boys into donkeys and making them suffer a Fate Worse than Death, he doesn't receive any form of comeuppance for his actions, just like in the original Collodi's novel. It doesn't help that his "They never come back... as BOYS!" quote and face has gained Memetic Mutation.
Catharsis Factor: In the video game, you get to kill the Coachman for turning countless children into donkeys and causing many more sleepless nights. Bonus points go to the SNES version where he actually cries out in pain every time he gets hit.
Common Knowledge: The film is sometimes criticized for giving the message that all your problems will be solved simply "when you wish upon a star," when in fact the entire point is that Geppetto's wish for Pinocchio to be human isn't granted right away, and the newly alive puppet has to earn it by proving he's a good person. What's more is that Geppetto's wish is granted in the first place because he's already brought such happiness to others that he deserves for it to come true, according to the Blue Fairy. The Blue Fairy, however, gives Pinocchio the possibility and the means to make sure Geppetto's and and also Pinocchio's wish to come true, because, as also Walt Disney believed, you have to do your big part to have your wish granted, with work and struggle and being a good person in doing so.
Complete Monster: The Coachman runs Pleasure Island, a too-good-to-be-true amusement park for troublesome children. Presenting a guise as a kindly old man, he laces the cigars and beer of the children with a substance that transforms the children into donkeys whenever they act like jerks. The Coachman then sells them as normal animals into harsh working environments and keeps the boys who can still talk within a pen with no indication of their fates afterwards. Even Honest John and Gideon, a pair of con artists, are visibly terrified by him and his actions.
Crosses the Line Twice: Lampwick turning into a donkey is terrifying, but there are some comical moments before the drama really settles in. The sight of Lampwick growing ears and a tail makes Pinocchio toss aside his beer and cigar, respectively. Before he notices, Lampwick and Pinocchio have this exchange about Jiminy.
Lampwick: What's he think I look like, a jackass? Pinocchio:You sure do!
Crossover Ship: The following ships are popular with many Disney fans.
Jiminy and Tinker Bell. Just the right size for each other and both associated with the color green.
Pinocchio and Alice. Two kids who are both well-meaning but trouble-prone and get themselves into crazy adventures.
Designated Villain: Lampwick. He's a bit of a brat, and hardly a good role model, but he's still a kid. Plus, he isn't exactly heartless as it's shown he cares for Pinocchio, and judging by his heartbreaking screams, his mother too. He's much less malicious than the other Karma Houdini villains (Honest John, Stromboli, The Coachman), yet he's the only one who is punished for his actions and the punishment was a horrible Disproportionate Retribution.
Draco in Leather Pants: Honest John and Gideon. Some fan works depict them as being remorseful in escorting Pinocchio to Pleasure Island because they were intimidated by the Coachman. A few go as far as standing up to him when they see his treatment of the other boys. It helps that they're the first anthropomorphic characters in the Disney canon.
Stromboli, mainly due to the over-the-tophamminess of the voice actor. Even contemporary critics at the time lauded him for being able to be hilarious ("Constantiople!") and just as terrifying ("Firewood!").
Stromboli: I WILL POOSH YOU IN DE POOBLIC'S EYE!
Figaro proved to be so popular that he starred in a series of theatrical shorts in the 1940s, mainly against Pluto.
Lampwick has gotten this, judging by the amount of focus he's gotten in fan art online.
Judging from the amount of fanart they get and how many fanfictions are focused on them, Honest John and Gideon seem to be pretty popular as well.
Everyone Is Jesus in Purgatory: The original books were already fairly blatant religious parables, and while Disney did—and still does— prefer to avoid religion in its movies, it's common to see this one interpreted in a Christian light. In particular the Pleasure Island scene can be seen as representing the temptation of sin. And "Wish Upon a Star" has a hymn-like choir quality, especially in the ending bars.
Franchise Original Sin: One criticism of the live-action remake is that Pinocchio is an Adaptational Nice Guy who has all his flaws removed, and thus doesn't need to learn any lessons. He initially refuses to become an actor and only joins Honest John after being kicked out of school for being a puppet (thus being punished for doing the right thing), and only goes to Pleasure Island after being forced to, while still refusing to take part in the troublemaking there. Pinocchio is actually an Adaptational Nice Guy in this film too, lacking the bratty and mean-spirited traits he had in The Adventures of Pinocchio in favor of being a more innocent Cheerful Child. Despite this, he was still portrayed as naïve and prone to temptation in this film, thus making him flawed enough that he's still able to undergo character development and earn his reward, unlike the remake which makes him completely perfect and flawless, and thus less compelling in comparison.
Genius Bonus: One of the possible translations of the name Gideon means "feller of trees", Pinocchio is made of wood after all.
Harsher in Hindsight: The scene of Pinocchio and Lampwick smoking becomes harder to watch when you remember that Walt Disney died in 1966 from lung cancer due to his excessive smoking.
Geppetto says to Cleo in one scene "Go to sleep my Little Mermaid". 49 years before Disney's animated film with that title.
One of Geppetto's clocks depicts a drunk man emerging from a bar to hiccup the hour. The Simpsons also had a real cuckoo clock showing Homer do the exact same thing. Eventually, Disney acquired the rights to 20th Century Fox, and hence, The Simpsons.
The movie features the Wishing Star be depicted as a Blue Fairy. Eventually, Disney made a movie about a Wishing Star that literally resembled an anthropomorphic star which vaguely resembles a Luma... which technically makes the Blue Fairy Rosalina.
Pinocchio and Lampwick are quite close during their time in Pleasure Island. Due to Pinocchio's naivete, he's very susceptible to Lampwick's influence and happily takes part in making mischief with him. Lampwick, for his part, is also very friendly to Pinocchio for someone who's introduced as a delinquent who would most likely rather pick a fight with other kids but by the end of the whole thing, they already have nicknames for each other, which he no doubt came up with for both of them. It doesn't help that Lampwick's original name in the novel was said to be 'Romeo'. In the book he even dies in Pinocchio's arms as a donkey.
Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket is another example. This scene in particular when he gets angry at Lampwick, acting almost like Pinocchio's scorned lover.
Pinocchio: Don't hurt him, Jiminy. He's my best friend. Jiminy: Your best friend!? And what am I? Just your conscience!
Honest John and Gideon are awfully close friends with flamboyant and occasionally effeminate mannerisms, and John calls Gideon by the Affectionate Nickname "Giddy."
Informed Wrongness: When Jiminy goes to tell Geppetto about Pinocchio running off to join the theatre, he stops himself with the comment that that would be "snitching", giving the apparent message that warning parents about their children going with strangers or running away to somewhere they are not supposed to go is a bad thing.
Jerkass Woobie: It's really hard not to feel sorry for Lampwick after he becomes one of the Coachman's many victims.
Memetic Molester: The Coachman. Many viewers took note of his "They never come back...AS BOYS!" and how he wants to take "stupid little boys" to a place called PleasureIsland.
Moe: Pinocchio, being crafted to resemble a young boy and being very innocent and naïve, is probably the most adorable marionette ever.
Despite the film's age, this is far from the first animated film adaptation of Collodi's novel; while the Pinocchio franchise page mentions one pre-existing adaptation from the Soviet Union the previous year in 1939,The Golden Key which did utilize stop-motion and claymation, there was also an attempt in 1936 to create an animated adaptation in Pinocchio's home country of Italy, though according to one of the men involved, the project was doomed to failure from the start; with a budget of 1'000'000 lira, they ended up running out of money after having made 150'000 drawings and obtaining 2'500 feet of film, but lacked the needed equipment to convert the drawings into animation cels with the film itself potentially having a runtime of close to 2 hours. It was never completed and only the film's script and a few drawings are known to have survived. Had it been fully completed, it would have been the first cel-animated film ever made, beating Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by a year.
Even if the animated film mentioned above had been completed and released, it would still have been far for the first Pinocchio film, at least in terms of time; the very first film adaptation, or at least the oldest one known to exist, is an Italian Silent Film from 1911, titled The Adventures of Pinocchio. Being one of the first feature-length movies, it is very different from adaptations that came after, largely in part because filmmaking was still a very new concept at the time and the way films were wrote, edited, shot, and even acted are very different than today as these aspects of filmmaking weren't set in stone. Certain events of the novel are changed, omitted entirely, or occur off-screen. The film itself is very unsettling due to the surreal events of the novel being shown in a format that hadn't been perfected and was still in its infancy, given the film an unnerving dreamlike quality.
Padding: The movie uses every single opportunity to delay our characters getting out of Geppetto's workshop and any action on their part will be prolonged to a ridiculous degree, such as Jiminy not being able to sleep due to the ticking clocks and Geppetto snoring, Figaro opening the window, Geppetto looking around the room with a gun in his hand, or Pinocchio's finger catching on a candle's fire.
Paranoia Fuel: The entire Pleasure Island sequence certainly made many kids wary of giving in to things like drinking and smoking, among other things, which was likely intentional.
Realism-Induced Horror: Magical donkey transformations aside, Pleasure Island is unsettlingly similar to many real-world child-trafficking rings, which lure children in with promises of treats only to lock them up and sell them into slavery. And much like in the film, many of these kidnapped children are sadly never reunited with their families in real life.
Tear Dryer: Pinocchio is thought to have drowned and Geppetto, Jiminy, Figaro and Cleo are all grieving over him. Then the Blue Fairy makes him a real boy.
Toy Ship: Pinocchio/Lampwick, a.k.a Pinocchwick, is the most popular ship (see Ho Yay above), despite it being the only ship that exists for the movie.
Unintentional Uncanny Valley: It's very clear that the Blue Fairy was rotoscoped and looked more humanoid than the other characters, a somewhat down step from Snow White. It does have the (possibly intended) effect of making her appear strange and otherworldly, but said effect is still rather creepy.
The story overall holds a rather dim view of how misbehaving children should be treated. The Blue Fairy tells Pinocchio "boys who won't be good might as well be wood" (particularly horrifying given what Pinocchio had just been told what happens to old marionettes), and other misbehaving children are transformed into donkeys and sold into slavery, without any hope of being rescued or redeemed. The message seems to be: behave, or horrible things will happen to you.
Playing pool, due to its association with gambling, is treated as a vice on par with drinking and smoking. Nowadays, it's considered a respectable game of skill that people of any age can take part in and have fun, as long as there is no betting involved of course.
While on Pleasure Island, the boys are handed their cigars by an animatronic of a very stereotypical depiction of a Native American, predating Peter Pan as Disney's first out-of-date theatrical depiction of Native Americans.
Honest John at one point refers to Stromboli as a gypsy, which in current times is now viewed as a slur against Romani people.
Values Resonance: At the time, Pinocchio and Lampwick smoking cigars was only viewed as bad because of their age, and was considered perfectly fine for adults, to the point that doctors actually advertised their favorite brands. Now that it's known just how harmful smoking is, it looks even worse.
What Do You Mean, It's for Kids?: Even when taking into consideration the Values Dissonance discussed prior, and the fact that the MPAA used to be much more lenient about its film ratings in the 1960s and 70s, the fact remains that a movie which depicts Pinocchio's conscience as a Covert Pervert, underage drinking and smoking, gratuitous violence and swearing, an on-screen character death, a child being horrifically transformed into a donkey (a scene that was known to have been quite terrifying to watch for countless children in the 1940s, and to this very day), several other boys-turned-donkeys being brutally enslaved (and not being rescued by the end), and multiple villains getting away with their crimes, somehow received a G rating. Not only that, it still has that G rating, despite the fact that movies will receive a PG for even the slightest insinuation of kid-unfriendly themes nowadays.
Geppetto. He first desperately looks for his kid, then he get swallowed along Figaro and Cleo in the belly of a whale where he risks to die starving. Then Pinocchio dies saving his life leading Geppetto to mourn his son's loss until the Blue Fairy revives him as a real boy.
Pinocchio. The poor kid's naïveté leads him to some really awful situations.
All those poor kids who got turned into donkeys. Especially the one named Alexander.
Woolseyism: In the Italian dub, Stromboli is renamed Mangiafuoco (Fire-eater), which is the name he had in the original book. But since there is a scene where a poster can be seen with "STROMBOLI" written on it, the dub writes around it by having Honest John stating that "Stromboli" is his real name while "Mangiafuoco" is just his stage name.
◊ of the first editions of the original novel). Many adaptations of the book The Adventures of Pinocchio have incorporated concepts from the Disney film, even if they are otherwise faithful to the book.
