A stop-motion-animated adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s 1883 fairy tale novel of the same name, the film is a long-in-development passion project of Del Toro, who’s co-directed it with veteran animation director Mark Gustafson.
Pinocchio reworks the classic fable into a tale of fathers and sons, of the virtue of disobedience, and – like so much of Del Toro’s work – of the dangers of fascism.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Guillermo Del Toro about the film’s inspirations and its unique style of animation.
Director Guillermo del Toro for ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.’
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Del Toro about ‘Pinocchio.’
Moviefone: One of the interesting things about ‘Pinocchio’ is that rather than recall other animated movies, it shares the emotional immediacy of Italian Neorealism and Luis Bunuel‘s films from the 1950s. How did you approach balancing its real life horrors with its fantasy elements? Did you take much the same approach you did with ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’?
Guillermo del Toro: Yeah, it’s very much the same. I mean, it’s instinctual partially, certainly in shaping the first iterations of the tale. Then you’re really, really careful on the composition of the scenes and how they flow from one another. Tonally, it’s a movie that is going to fluctuate between moments of musical comedy or comedy to drama, to melodrama, to conversations that have a gravity for me and an importance for me that is almost existential.
So you have to be able to circulate between Mussolini arriving in a Tex Avery Warner Brothers Cartoon limousine and Pinocchio having a conversation with a fellow bedmate in a fascist reeducation youth camp. So that’s what is difficult. But every time I think about one of my movies, it is that disparity of flavors that attracts me. ‘Shape of Water’ was a love story between a cleaning woman and an amphibian man done by Douglas Sirk with musical numbers. So it is not exactly easy, but it’s what I do. I don’t know if I do it well or not, but I do it.
MF: You’ve said that in making this film you sought to avoid the pantomime shorthand that infects so many animated films today and overly hip characters and how instead you called upon the animators to animate silence and “failed physical acts.” How did you develop this technique?
GDT: It started when I was younger and I saw ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ for the first time. (Director Hayao) Miyazaki has a moment in which the father goes to put on a shoe and he fails to get the shoe in the first and the second time, and finally gets the shoe in. I was transfixed. I thought, “This is amazing.” I read more about Miyazaki of course, and at one point or another, the master Miyazaki said, “If you animate the ordinary, it will be extraordinary.” I decided that real life, in animation, lives in the portions that nobody animates in North America, in the West, in the
industrial animation scene. I started trying it on ‘Tales of Arcadia’ – ‘Troll Hunters,’ ‘3Below,’ and ‘Wizards’ – which were three series that we developed for Netflix and Dreamworks. Little by little I realized, A, how difficult it was, and B, how rewarding it was. So we decided to put eight rules of animation together for the animated crew on ‘Pinocchio.’ I guaranteed them that no one would interfere with our movie, that I would protect it from notes or previews or changes that we didn’t want. I guaranteed them that and I was able to deliver and they invested themselves into animating it as subtle and as naturalistic as they possibly could.
Arriving on Netflix (following a brief theatrical run) on December 9th, Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of ‘Pinocchio’ marks the second major adaptation to arrive this year.
And this is, by a long distance, a much more satisfying, very different version than the Disney offering that landed on Disney+ back in September.
In fact, we’ll go so far as to say that there is more inventiveness, care and technique in one wooden finger of this passion project from the director of ‘Hellboy’, ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ and ‘The Shape of Water’ than in the entire Disney effort, which offered minor charms and little reason to justify its existence.
A passion project of the Mexican director for many years, representing several false starts and financial frustrations, that it’s arriving at all is miracle enough, but that it’s this good is even more reason to celebrate.
Yet this is also no sanitized, completely family-friendly affair. There is a darkness and element of horror at the heart of del Toro’s film, which feels even more in keeping with Carlo Collodi’s moral fable.
Drawing on the classic tale, the stop-motion musical follows the extraordinary journey of a wooden boy magically brought to life by a father’s wish. Brought, it should be said, to life by a wood sprite creature that wouldn’t look out of place in one of del Toro’s live-action fantasies, and voiced by Tilda Swinton, whose character has a sibling in the spirit of Death, whom Pinocchio meets more than once on his travels.
And continuing a theme he established in ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, del Toro uses war and totalitarianism as the backdrop for the narrative. Set during the rise of Fascism in Mussolini’s Italy, this is a story of love and disobedience as Pinocchio (voiced by Gregory Mann) struggles to live up to his father Geppetto’s (David Bradley) expectations.
If Disney’s take featured the now-iconic version animated version of the main character overlaid with a CG sheen, its hard angles lovely sanded down to a smooth, kiddie-pleasing finish, so del Toro and co-director Mark Gustafson opt for a gnarly, more realistic puppet that looks like it was carved from waste wood, all knots and stumpy bits of carpentry. Though this living marionette is no less appealing.
An agent of chaos from the off, Mann’s Pinocchio chafes against rules and regulations, finding fun in disobedience, and needing to learn that there’s a time and place for such behavior.
Still, he’s a loveable lad, singing his way through some memorable numbers and encountering fear from the townsfolk. And he has his conscience present and correct––living (literally) in his heart––in the shape of Ewan McGregor’s Cricket.
The expected beats of the story––Pinocchio tempted away from attending school by the lure of fame from manipulative, cruel showman Count Volpe (Christoph Waltz)––are all found here, but this take on the take expands it beyond those boundaries to explore death, disobedience and those (such as Ron Perlman’s Podesta, who fervently believes in the darkness spreading across his country) would champion hurtful ideologies. After all, it’s not every adaptation of ‘Pinocchio’ that would dare to have Mussolini as a character, and then have the lead sing a song that roundly insults him.
Del Toro worked on the screenplay Patrick McHale and Matthew Robbins, and the result of their toil is a clear-eyed and timeless fable.
Voice-wise, the cast is spot on. Mann (doing double duty as Geppetto’s late son Carlo in a flashback to how the poor land died and as the central character) is charming without ever tipping over into precociousness.
David Bradley, who might be better known to audiences as the grumpy Argus Filch from the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, here infuses Geppetto with real humanity: by turns mournful or frustrated, loving and chastising. Around them, there are the talents of actors such as Waltz, Swinton, McGregor, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, Burn Gorman and voiceover regular Tom Kenny.
When you have Oscar winner Cate Blanchett showing up to provide guttural screeches for simian character Spazzatura, you know the phrase “embarrassment of riches” creeps into the casting discussion (and yes, Blanchett is excellent).
But the voices would be nothing without the beautiful animation and it’s here that that the new effort truly comes alive. Like its central figure (and again, in keeping with its co-director’s sensibilities), this is an authentic, very practical and darkly hewed world, bursting with fascinating little details, such as the skeletal rabbits who guard the link between the world of the living and the dead (and amuse themselves with card games).
Every single puppet, prop, landscape, building and gesture is created with deep attention to detail, and lavish craft.
Though the running time is a hefty one for a movie aimed at families at nearly two hours, it doesn’t waste a moment of that time. And yes, while parents might find themselves having difficult discussions with children about the subjects of death and hatred (and whether Mussolini was a poopy baby), they are themes worth exploring, and the film does so with heart and brains.
There really is no comparison between the two ‘Pinocchio’ films––for all the Disney-friendly fun offered by the Robert Zemeckis movie, del Toro’s makes it look like a bargain bin knock-off with plastic parts. This movie, for all its grungy, darker elements, bears the seal of quality and careful carving. An artisan piece of work that skips pretentiousness and instead bristles with chaos and imagination.
If you only watch one (of the approximately 572) adaptations of Collodi’s story, we recommend this one. Del Toro has been planning this one for nearly two decades––and it has been more than worth the wait and effort.
‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.
It has also been an effort fraught with changes and false starts, but he’s finally going to deliver in December via Netflix, which has put out a new trailer for the movie.
Collodi’s tale was originally published in serial form as ‘The Story of a Puppet’ way back in July 1881. The publication stopped at Chapter 15, but popular demand meant it resumed in February 1882. Re-released in single book form in 1883, it has been hailed as one of the greatest works of Italian literature.
It has been adapted many times for the screen – probably most famously in Disney’s 1940 animated version, which took home Oscars for original song and score.
‘Pinocchio’ is releasing in theaters in November before launching on Netflix in December.
As for del Toro, he’s been aiming to get his ‘Pinocchio’ made since at least 2008 and the movie has grappled through different combinations of filmmakers on its journey to the screen, struggling to find studio support for the ambitious, darkly hewed story. For this version, del Toro co-directs with Claymation veteran Mark Gustafson (who was director of animation on Wes Anderson’s ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ in 2009) and the script is from del Toro, Patrick McHale, Gus Grimly and Matthew Robbins.
This new trailer is narrated by Sebastian J. Cricket (voiced by Ewan McGregor), the latest incarnation of the character who usually serves as an advisor to the central character, a puppet who longs to become a real boy. In true del Toro style, here he’s not simply a funny character along for the ride – he lives in Pinocchio’s heart.
Along with his quest to become truly real, Pinocchio has another mission – he’ll mend the heart of his creator/father figure, the woodcarver Geppetto, who is mourning the loss of his son. But it won’t be an easy task, and Pinocchio’s journey is fraught with danger. He’ll have to learn that disobedience can be as crucial to growing up and becoming who you’re meant to be as blind loyalty.
Thankfully, for those who want to experience del Toro and his team’s work on the big screen, Netflix is releasing this one in theaters in November ahead of a December launch on the streaming service.
‘Pinocchio’ is releasing in theaters in November before launching on Netflix in December.
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Airing its finale on Paramount+ June 16th is the 10-part miniseries about the making of ‘The Godfather’ entitled ‘The Offer.’ The series chronicles producer Albert S. Ruddy’s journey to turn author Mario Puzo’s famous novel into a movie.
Actor Giovanni Ribisi began his career at a very young age appearing in such successful 90’s sitcoms as ‘My Two Dads’ and ‘The Wonder Years,’ before making the jump to the big screen with Tom Hanks’ directorial debut, ‘That Thing You Do!”
But the actor is probably best known for playing Parker Selfridge in James Cameron’s ‘Avatar,’ and will reprise his role later this year in the long-awaited sequel, ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Giovanni Ribisi about playing Joe Colombo in ‘The Offer.’
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You can read our full interview with Giovanni Ribisi below or click on the video player above to watch out interviews with Ribisi and Dan Fogler about ‘The Offer.’
Moviefone: To begin with, were you aware of all the legendary behind-the-scenes stories of the making of ‘The Godfather’ before you started making this miniseries?
Giovanni Ribisi: There were so many things that were so intriguing about the story and the making of, but I’d also categorized ’The Godfather’ as it came out of the 70’s as sort of the wild and crazy days of filmmaking. So, for that reason, it wasn’t all together shocking, but just still amazing to me. What Al Ruddy did to achieve what he did.
MF: Can you talk about your approach to playing Joe Colombo and the differences between the character depicted in the series and the real-life mob boss?
GR: For any biopic or even documentary for that matter, there’s always an interpretive factor and a lens that you’re looking through to create the whole story. I think for me, I had read a book that was written by Don Capria, and actually Joe Colombo’s son, Anthony Colombo, which was better than some sort of sensationalized mobster biography. It was something that was from having grown up with this man, looking up to him as a father and it really humanized him for me.
But there was also definitely for the story, a comedic aspect to the nature of everything. Also, just how ridiculous it got, especially by today’s standards of again, what protagonist Al Ruddy was going through and the hurdles he had to overcome in order to achieve what he did. So, for me, I think at a certain point in reading the scripts, I just decided to have fun with it. I wanted to look at it from, I wouldn’t say comedic, but just try to find the humor just to balance the severity, I guess.
MF: In your opinion, why did Joe Colombo hate Mario Puzo’s novel ‘The Godfather’ so much, and how did producer Albert S. Ruddy convince him to let them make the movie?
GR: That’s a great question. This is just my theory, because I don’t know for sure. But what it seemed like Joe Colombo was doing, and I think the common ground that he found with Al Ruddy was that he was trying to bring in and usher in the new guard of what his life was. I think that the book, and the way things were depicted, and Frank Sinatra‘s take on it were just not conducive to him trying to reidentify, restructure his life and the business that he was in.
I think that you can make the argument that there’s movies before ’The Godfather’ and after ‘The Godfather,’ not just because of the nature of filmmaking. I mean, largely of course because of that, but also because the way they went about things. Mike Nichols was the maverick of Hollywood and he was trying to rescue this thing from corporate America and bring the creative nature of films, and the possibilities of that to the films that he was making.
I think that from just that notion of thinking outside of the box, Al Ruddy and all that, I think that’s where they connected. Al really changed Joe’s mind. I mean, he was adamantly against it. He was trying to deny the ideas of the mafia or La Cosa Nostra. Joe Colombo was trying to do that.
MF: What was it like working with actor Miles Teller on Colombo and Al Ruddy’s friendship?
GR: I just can’t say enough positive things about my experience with Miles and just what a class act he is. He reminds me of an old school movie star. He’s just got taste, and he’s really smart, and he challenges the material in all the best ways. So, it was easy to find for me personally, to find that connection and that bond with him and to have that hopefully translate through the characters.
MF: ‘The Offer’ reveals that Luca Brasi actor Lenny Montana was actually a member of Joe Colombo’s crew. Were you aware of that before making the series?
GR: Oh, I had no idea. Then when you look him up, it’s incredible because he was a 1950s wrestler, in the sort of the lower brow version. He was just such a character and that’s also part of, I think Coppola’s genius and Al Ruddy just looking at somebody like that, hiring them and making them perform the way they did. Because that’s one of the most, for me, one of the most memorable scenes of the movie and something that I flash on whenever anybody brings up ‘The Godfather.’
MF: In the series, Lenny Montana is played by ‘The Incredible Hulk’ actor Lou Ferrigno, which was perfect casting. What was your experience like working with Ferrigno?
GR: I mean, he was the guy that for everybody on set, when he came on set, we were all star-struck because he’s such a huge, almost pivotal masculine figure in our Freudian minds of the formative years. ‘The Incredible Hulk’ and watching that show, anybody who’s as old as I am now, remembers that.
MF: Finally, you worked with director Sofia Coppola on ‘The Virgin Suicides’ and ‘Lost in Translation.’ How do you think this series honor’s her father, her family, and their cinematic legacy?
GR: I really hope it honors their cinematic legacy. That was definitely minimally an intention from all of us and just by virtue of the fact that it is about what they did and what it takes to make a movie. Not just to go through that, because a lot of people go through experiences or extreme experiences like that and they don’t make ‘The Godfather.’
But this was something that is just, again, just such a seminal important piece of work for what we all do. I think movies would be completely different had ‘The Godfather’ not been made. Yeah, it’s definitely a tribute to them.
You can watch an exclusive scene from the finale of Paramount+’s ‘The Offer,’ featuring the premiere of ‘The Godfather,’ by clicking on the video player above.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dan Fogler about playing Francis Ford Coppola in ‘The Offer.’
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You can read our full interview with Dan Fogler below or click on the video player above to watch out interviews with Fogler, and Giovanni Ribisi about ‘The Offer.’
Moviefone: To begin with, were you aware of all the legendary behind-the-scenes stories of the making of ‘The Godfather’ before you started making this miniseries?
Dan Fogler: Yes, we just had one recently on the series that was a legend that came out, which was the famous dinner scene. I remember talking about that in college when I went to acting school because it was such a great tool. Coppola talks about getting all the actors together for dinner, sharing central activities, drinking together, and partying together because that builds the relationships and it makes excellent chemistry.
So, there was this famous dinner that we recreated in the show, where they brought in the cast. It was the day before shooting and Coppola rented out this room in this restaurant and they brought Marlon Brando, James Caan, and Al Pacino. Everyone was there, even Diane Keaton. Everyone started vying for Brando’s attention and everyone kind of sat where you’d think that they would sit as a family hierarchy.
Then all the things that happened in that scene played out, where there’s an insult and Caan gets upset, and it gets heated. Then Brando says, “Did this man hurt you?” to Talia Shire. Suddenly, it was in that moment that Coppola saw, “Oh my God, this is going to work. Everyone’s falling into place perfectly, the chemistry’s working and they’re already in character.” So, it was one of those magical theatrical moments. So yeah, those are legends. Coming up as a young actor, you hear about all these things and then suddenly you’re on set and you’re recreating them and it’s very surreal.
MF: What was your approach to playing Francis Ford Coppola?
DF: So, I’ve been kind of studying Coppola for a while. I saw ‘The Godfather’ when I was in high school as a young actor, and then used that as a mothership of the whole ensemble, just like reverse engineering. I was seeing everything from Coppola, including ‘The Godfather,’ then I went to ‘Apocalypse Now,’ and ‘Hearts of Darkness.’
Just seeing Coppola, the ringmaster at the center of that circus and the kind of person that it takes. The fortitude that it takes to create something like that, the passion, and the energy. So, I was very familiar with him. I understood as a young actor, he was 30 when he did ‘The Godfather.’ There was a real “Orson Welles syndrome” going on with him, where he’s the smartest guy in the room, but he still is got to prove himself.
He won an Academy Award for writing ‘Patton,’ which is just military poetry, but he still had to prove himself as a director. They don’t make a lot of people like that anymore. These real artists, he’s like a real visionary. What I understood about seeing him at the center of that, that he has to put himself in the middle of chaos in order to create his best work. He has to be in the middle of a pressure cooker in order to create, to be at his best.
I understood as a young actor, really trying to prove yourself, being put in a situation where you’re pigeonholed and who would ever cast me is Coppola? I would think John Belushi first, and I would think all of these different people first. I knew I would have to prove myself in order to be the room to audition for Coppola.
But there was something that happened after the audition where I saw myself and I kind of saw what they were hoping to see, like the potential there, which is that I look like him. I look like I could be related to him if I put the glasses on. I got a beard, I put my hair to side, and I really do look like him. So, there was a confidence there where I thought, I got a shot here. So, Coppola has been in my life a long time.
Matthew Goode as Robert Evans in ‘The Offer,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2022. Photo: Miller Mobley/Paramount+
MF: At this year’s Oscar ceremony, Coppola for the first time ever publicly recognized Robert Evans contributions to ‘The Godfather.’ Can you talk about their relationship in the series and what it was like for you to work with Matthew Goode?
DF: If Matthew is not nominated (for an Emmy), then there’s something wrong with the world. I had a front row seat. There’s something that happened to me playing Coppola, which was, I’m playing a director. I had such a love of the ensemble of all their performances. I was just sitting there impressed. I just couldn’t help but root them on and be a coach for them. Anytime someone was like, “I feel nervous or whatever.” I was like, no. You are amazing. I was there for them for the support. Especially Matthew, because he’s a Brit. What he’s doing is he’s just sinking into that, disappearing into that, and becoming Bob Evans. I think that he’s amazing.
On the show, I’m playing a great admiration for the Evans because he’s giving us a chance here. He’s just a huge coach for everybody, but in a real life, that contention really spiraled out of control. There’re so many egos and there’s telegrams that I found, between Evans and Coppola when they were starting to do ‘The Godfather Part II.’ They’re just scathing, and a lot of feelings were hurt.
Here’s the thing. Coppola had this vision and he saw only one person as the Don, and he wanted Brando. He thought that was a long shot. Then when he got Brando, it was just like, “Okay, well then I want Pacino, that’s my only choice.” So, he became like, “It’s my vision, let me see my vision to the end. There’s something here.”
He butts heads with Evans at every point on the road. So, I guess they did butt heads a bit about that. That’s in the show, and those scenes are a lot of fun, but I think my favorite stuff to play is when they’re working together, getting along, and Evans walks in and is just like a knight in shining armor. He just saves the day. There’re a couple moments like that. Those are my favorite moments, the celebratory moments where we’re all winning, and the musketeers are working together.
MF: Finally, have you ever had a chance to meet Francis Ford Coppola?
DF: No, but I’ve met people in his family. I worked with Robert Schwartzman. I did ‘The Argument,’ with him. He’s his nephew. I’ve met and spoken to, in my research, people that want to be off the record, who are very close to him. I got to speak to James Caan, which is as close to him but not in the family as you can get. I hope one day to talk to him and I hope that he sees it. That would be the ultimate badge of honor to get his stamp of approval.
You can watch an exclusive scene from the finale of Paramount+’s ‘The Offer,’ featuring the premiere of ‘The Godfather,’ by clicking on the video player above.
Maika Monroe as ‘Julia’ in Chloe Okuno’s ‘Watcher.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of IFC Midnight. An IFC Midnight release.
Opening in theaters on June 3rd is the new thriller ‘Watcher,’ which was directed by Chloe Okuno (‘V/H/S/94’).
The film stars Maika Monroe (‘Independence Day: Resurgence,’ ‘The Guest’) as Julia, an American who moves to Bucharest with her boyfriend, Francis (Karl Glusman). Unable to speak the language, isolated while Francis works, and in fear of a local serial killer, she begins to perceive that she is being constantly watched and followed by a sinister neighbor named Daniel Weber (Burn Gorman).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actress Maika Monroe about her work on ‘Watcher.’
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You can read our full interview below or watch our interview with Monroe and director Chloe Okuno by clicking on the video player above.
Moviefone: To begin with, how did you get involved with this project and what was your first reaction when you read the script?
Maika Monroe: I had actually seen Chloe’s short film probably six months before ever being sent a ‘Watcher’ script. So, a producer friend of mine had sent it and just said, “You have to see this.” I watched it, and I was absolutely blown away by it. It was just so well done in every aspect. So, I was a fan. Then a couple months later I was sent this script and really fell in love with the character. Then I met with Chloe, and with all her ideas for this film, I was just like, I have to do this.
MF: Can you talk about the feelings of isolation and paranoia that Julia goes through during the course of the movie?
MM: I think it’s something that women deal with on a daily basis. I think that Chloe portrayed it in such a profound way through this genre film. I feel like a lot of people will probably be able to relate. The way that she builds tension and releases tension, I think it’s a huge part of what this story’s about. So, hats off to Chloe.
MF: As an actress, was it difficult to prepare to play a character that’s going through these types of emotions?
MM: Honestly, I think genre films are some of the hardest for an actor because every day at least one of the scenes you are shooting are incredibly intense. I mean, it is no walk in the park. I think Chloe really helped create an environment on set that as an actor, you just felt really safe to go there. But it is not easy.
Maika Monroe as ‘Julia’ and Karl Glusman as “Francis” in Chloe Okuno’s ‘Watcher.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of IFC Midnight. An IFC Midnight release.
MF: Can you talk about Julia’s relationship with her boyfriend? He doesn’t believe her when she tells him what is happening, does she feel betrayed by that?
MM: I think when you meet Karl Glusman, the actor who plays my boyfriend, you see why she fell in love and you see this relationship. Then I think that there’s such a massive heartbreak, and I’ve felt this in my own relationships, where the person that is closest to you doesn’t believe you. I think that’s one of the most heartbreaking things of all because you think that this person has your back no matter what. I think that in this movie, you see this deterioration of a relationship between Julia and Francis.
MF: What was it like working with actor Burn Gorman? Is he as scary on set as he is in the movie?
MM: No, he’s truly the sweetest, most lovely human being. Then as soon as we’re on set, he just completely transformed into this character. I was just blown away by the way that he walked, his accent, and everything. He had all these great ideas. Both Chloe and I were like, “Oh my God,” because we had met him, we had dinner with him, and he was just so charming and lovely. Then as soon as he steps on set, he just becomes this horrifying villain. But it was very cool to work with him.
MF: Finally, can you talk about working with director Chloe Okuno and watching her execute her unique vision for this project?
MM: I was absolutely blown away with Chloe and her professionalism. She just had such a specific vision, which I think you see in this film. The cinematography is beautiful, and I love the way she uses the camera to make the audience feel something. So, Chloe was so prepared for this and I was just so excited for us to discover something new on every scene, it was such a pleasure to work with her.
Maika Monroe as ‘Julia’ in Chloe Okuno’s ‘Watcher.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of IFC Midnight. An IFC Midnight release.
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