A Puppet in Walt Disney’s Hands
An analysis of Pinocchio (1940).
Walt Disney dreamed of escaping the confines of the cartoon and bursting into the world of cinema.
He once said:
“This is not the cartoon medium. It should not be limited to cartoons. We have worlds to conquer here.”
A recent rewatch of Pinocchio, one of my all-time favorites, reminded me he not only succeeded, he excelled.
He created one of the best films of all time.
After Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt could have his pick of what project to focus on. His contemporaries encouraged him to repeat the formula and trot out the Dwarves for another film. But Walt wanted to do something bigger.
While Bambi was supposed to be the studio’s follow-up to Snow White, Walt felt that the story of Pinocchio, a serialized children’s story from Italy, offered more opportunity for a unique expression.
According to his staff, he was heavily involved in every aspect of production. Everything from story decisions to the music that best fit the underwater scene had Walt’s touch. He would ensure that risks were being taken. The envelope constantly pushed.
With the profits from Snow White, he built a studio to facilitate experimentation. He…
