Anyone else think Pinocchio is one of the most disturbing Disney films?

[TripeAtFourPence]

Just watching it with my son now and omg I'd forgotten how disturbing it is!! I remember being frightened of monstro the whale as a child but omg I'd completely forgotten about 'pleasure island' all those little boys being tricked into a life of abuse and slavery (as donkeys) and no hope of escape!! The scene where Pinocchio is playing pool with his friend (didn't catch his name) and the friend begins to transform. Fighting desperately against it, begging hopelessly for help! The scene where his hands clawing at Pinocchio turn into hoofs and then you see his shadow as he is finally forced onto all four hooves while he screams for his mum. His last words before losing his fight and kicking out in complete utter panic.
My god, it's fucked me up 😱.

[fruityb]

It’s Alexander who wants his Mum and Dad that gets me. It’s absolutely horrible that part!!

I love it otherwise!

[TreesoftheField]

Yes! I had a book with pictures from the film as a kid and it's etched onto my brain... Beware of fun kids!!;;

[VioletCharlotte]

Yes! I was terrified by Pinocchio as a child. The wolf and the fox! And that awful circus!

[TripeAtFourPence]

That whole pleasure island part is so upsetting (I know it's not real but) all those boys have no hope of rescue!

[livefornaps]

Yep it is completely fucked...was really terrified and upset by the donkey transformations as a child.

[TripeAtFourPence]

As a child all that went completely over my head! I used to have recurring nightmares about the old lady in Snow White. But this is terrifying I don't know how I wasn't scarred from this 😅

[wasabiaddiction]

Jordan Peterson has an YouTube on this story.

Have not watched it yet. But looks interesting.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=EN2lyN7rM4E

[Newsername]

It was a good story with a good moral to it. Jiminy Cricket was cute. I think it’s good for kids; don’t skip school and be led astray.

[Willow1992]

Not sure about the message, the boys are truanting and smoking aren't they? When I was old enough to be interested in Pinocchio I would have been in early primary and those things weren't on my radar anyway, so they went over my head too!

[TripeAtFourPence]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticising the entire story. Don't skip school, think for yourself and don't be led astray are both solid lessons and there are some real gems in there, 'Let your conscience be your guide'
The blue fairy's lesson about how a lie grows till it's as plain as the nose on your face etc

..but the donkeys are really messed up and disturbing.

[halfwitpicker]

Very noir

[IHeartKingThistle]

That exact bit is why I won't watch it. Even reading your description of it has made me all shivery!

[Triglesoffy]

There used to be a crap fun fair called Pleasure Island near Cleethorpes. I always thought of the little boy donkeys when we went there’s

[TripeAtFourPence]

Sorry @IHeartKingThistle (ps I love the user name ha) it's chilling isn't it.

[ILoveMaxiBondi]

I used to love Pinocchio when I was a child and watched it countless times. But I’ve just now realised that until this thread I had never actually processed what the message was other than “if you lie you’re nose gets big” I knew he was a puppet and eventually got to become a real boy but I genuinely have never given it any thought beyond that! what the hell did I think it was about as a child? the whale and the donkey thing is terrifying. Why did i love that film??

[starzig]

I guess if some adults like horrors and some don't then kids can probably be the same. Some kids would enjoy it, some not so much.

[TripeAtFourPence]

@ILoveMaxiBondi it all went over my head as a child too! It wasn't till tonight that I fully understood the message..and that scene has flipping chilled me to the bone. I think it all went over my sons head too so hopefully I'll be the only ones having nightmares tonight 😱

[ILoveMaxiBondi]

Talking about scary kids movies. The Return to Oz gave me nightmares for years. Those creepy wheelers?!

[cropcirclesinthefields]

I hate Pinocchio, it's probably the one Disney film I will not watch, the pleasure Island scene still gets me just as much as when I watched it as a child. I really don't know what the animators were thinking or smoking at the time.

[MattMagnolia]

Agree Pinocchio is seriously weird and so is The Wizard of Oz. Maybe both are just very dated.

[JellycatElfie]

Yep, it is pretty scary. I hate when the boy is screaming for his mother. I was also TERRIFIED of the wheelers in return to oz!

[Lweji]

It's basically the message that if you skip school you become dumb or a dunce (asino in italian). The author is Italian.

[TripeAtFourPence]

That makes sense @Lweji and has reminded me of the song 'swinging on a star' still an upsetting visualisation though!

And yes to the wheelers, so creepy!

[DorothyZbornak]

I don't think I saw Pinocchio as a child, but I remember the first time I ever went to the cinema. My aunt took me to see "101 Dalmatians". I was about 5 and Cruella De Ville scared the shit out of me.

Transfer in "Around the world with Willy Fog" had the same effect.

[MoonriseKingdom]

I think sometimes the things that seem disturbing as an adult are not so big in children’s minds. I remember watching the film version of Roald Dahl’s The Witches as a child and being scared by the grand high witches face. However as an adult the bit that I don’t like is where she pushes a baby in a princess towards the edge of the cliff with the mother running after it. I barely noticed that as a child.