Walt Disney’s second full length animated feature film is full of surprises. Firstly, it is surprising to see a story of Italian origin depict Italians in a rather harsh way. Perhaps this is because of tensions of Italian allegiance to Germany during the time period. Whatever the reason, if you look closely, you’ll find that the good guys in Pinocchio (Geppetto, Pinocchio and the blue fairy) are all fair skinned, more closely resembling Western European and American whites. In contrast, Stromboli, the villainous puppet maker looks and acts stereotypically, with darker skin and sharp gestures. It’s almost as if Disney was playing to “whiter” audiences’ prejudices.
Another unique aspect of Pinocchio is how dark it is. Essentially a morality tale of how to be a good and proper child, there is no romance and plenty of bleakness through most of the film. The beginning and the end are the joyful high points, while hope seems barely a glimmer through the middle. It creates a very down-trodden feel, but not quite to the point of hopelessness.
Despite not being as cheery overall as Snow White, Pinocchio is still a marvel for the eyes. Rich backgrounds and fabulous colors are everywhere, showcasing Disney’s complete and utter mastery for the art form. It’s truly mind-boggling how much detail Disney puts into the background elements. Later animation styles would try and skim these out, creating a more bare-bones feel, but the lushness of the stories Disney chose to animate early on really need all the little details in the background.
Oddly discomforting, yet spellbinding just the same, Pinocchio is another must-see classic from Disney.
Walt Disney’s second full length animated feature film is full of surprises. Firstly, it is surprising to see a story of Italian origin depict Italians in a rather harsh way. Perhaps this is because of tensions of Italian allegiance to Germany during the time period. Whatever the reason, if you look closely, you’ll find that the good guys in Pinocchio (Geppetto, Pinocchio and the blue fairy) are all fair skinned, more closely resembling Western European and American whites. In contrast, Stromboli, the villainous puppet maker looks and acts stereotypically, with darker skin and sharp gestures. It’s almost as if Disney was playing to “whiter” audiences’ prejudices.
No comments:
Post a Comment