The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996)

"Miracles are made in the heart, papa."

It's time for our double bill of peculiar Pinocchio movies - first up is this lavish live action international co-production with memorably uncanny puppet practical effects provided by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

We also dive deep into our relationship with Carlo Collodi's story and its legacy including the Disney adaptation(s), Guillermo del Toro's stunning stopmotion passion project, the Spielberg-Kubrick collaboration AI: Artificial Intelligence and the excellent, book-faithful 2019 film from Matteo Garrone.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas, a nightmarish donkey transformation on a rollercoaster, opera pastiche, the fairytale charm of Prague, Bebe Neuwirth serving puss, a sea monster with human eyes and teeth, Sacro Bosco, a truly hideous CGI cricket and Dawn French's cream cakes await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

Which rock star provides Pinocchio's singing voice? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:

• Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
• Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
• Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.