Pinocchio in Outer Space

"Pinocchio in Outer Space" may not be in the same "all time classic" league as the Disney "Pinocchio", but what it lacks in budget and grandeur it makes up for in imagination and well-crafted ambience. Rather than being a lame attempt to cash in on the audience's good memories of the Disney version, this film is actually an exercise in the classic science-fiction "what-if" scenario. And it works. It has some of the most evocative outer-space scenes ever animated, with some truly haunting extra-terrestrial landscapes and a host of alien monsters sure to thrill the still young-at-heart. It's not for everyone, but for those who can find themselves enthralled by its peculiar charms, this film is a gold mine of Sunday morning kraft dinner bliss.

I'm transferring my VHS copy of this film to DVD right now and I'm re-appreciating the hard work to make this above average animated sci-fi fantasy. Great character design reminiscent of the Fleisher era Popeyes. Lots of imaginative monsters. The animation is never lazy, lots of full character shots of walks and runs and good "acting" to go with the voice track. I mistakenly thought this was an example of the early Japanese animation like Astro Boy. It's actually French-Belguim. I saw this when it came out in the sixties when I was about 12 or 13. At the Knob Hill theater in Oklahoma City. Probably co billed with something like Hercules vs The Vampires.

You know, this wasn't half bad. It can't compare to arguably the greatest animated film of all time, but "Pinocchio In Outer Space" has its own merits. The animation is good. (It's much better than most modern animated TV shows.) The story is interesting. Even the three songs are lively and pleasant. It's also clear that the film strove to be a bit educational, as a number of space facts are brought up. Pinocchio and his friend Twertle, voiced by the inimitable Arnold Stang, have good chemistry and a pretty exciting adventure. If you have a small tot, there are many, many worse kid's movies you could rent for them.

I have seen "Pinocchio in Outer Space".

Two or three times, in fact.

And it is the only full-length feature up to that time that tried to make a sequel to Disney's long-time classic.

What do you mean, you've never heard of it?!

Well, it features Gepetto and the Blue Fairy from the original, but that's about as nostalgic as it gets. This time, they hybrid Pinocchio with James Bond and he must save earth from a "space whale" (I know, that's what I said, too) because he has been destroying our planet's satellites and now threatens to do the same with anyone who crosses him.

So now Pinocchio has been thrust into the space age with only his wits and Nurtle the Turtle (from the land of Twurtle-Dee, if I recall correctly) to help him overcome this monstrous foe.

The whole story is kind of bland, much like the direction, and one plot point: wasn't he already a boy at the end of the first movie? Oh well....

At least this movie has one saving grace: Arnold Stang as the voice of Nurtle. If you don't know his name, just look him up. I'm sure once you see him or hear that whiny voice you'll go, "oh, yeah!". I did.

Two stars for "Pinocchio". After this one, they should have done "Pinocchio in a Toothpick Factory".

Could have had a million sequels.

I saw this on the big screen. It changed my life. Well, OK. Perhaps I would have become a Sci-Fi fan anyway, but at age six, this was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I should note that when this came out, I still thought Clutch Cargo was at least moderately cool. Years after I had seen it, I had dreams about it. As an adult, I remembered this little tale whenever I saw a reference to "Pinocchio". (Disney tosses them around like beads at Mardi Gras) It was so obscure that I thought I might have dreamed it up myself. I was excited to have unearthed this gem and bring it into the light of today. I think it might be fun to see this again just for the nostalgia. Then again, I've listened to some of the music I liked so much back then and found it just... scary. Perhaps this should remain wrapped in the rose colored cloak of the past as my first full length, animated, Sci-fi feature film. For that alone, I'll give it six stars.