Pinocchio (1940)

The critic marvels at the enduring sense of wonder in this tale of the wooden boy and his conscience, with characters that have become 20th-century mythology. The magnificent score including 'When You Wish Upon a Star' and the artistic use of early Technicolor are singled out for praise.

Praises the film as ahead of its time with a dark, moralistic fable and grim message that trusts young audiences, highlighting its painterly visual texture and depth on Blu-ray.

The 1940 Disney film is a triumph of storytelling with a moral, a parable about the dangers of lying that reaches children deeply through Pinocchio's journey. Ebert highlights the innovative animation techniques like the multiplane camera and the film's archetypal power and visual imagination.

The critic calls it the most perfect example of cartoon work seen on screen, a great advance on Snow White with lifelike animation and characters that breathe. Jiminy Cricket is singled out as an immortal creation, though the music is deemed pedestrian and uninspired.

Calls it Disney’s most powerfully dark vision with real gravitas, praising its handling of darker themes, dread and visual artistry over lighter elements.

The critic calls it a masterpiece superior to Snow White in technical achievement, conception and production, praising its charm, humor, drama, action and beauty that entertain all ages.

Disney's second feature-length cartoon is a blithe, witty, fresh and beautifully drawn fantasy superior to Snow White in every respect but its score. It is the best cartoon ever made, a gay and clever delight for young and old alike.

The piece celebrates Disney’s 1940 animation on its 80th anniversary as a pop culture staple that dynamically visualises a child’s journey from innocence to experience. It highlights the lasting alterations to Collodi’s tale, such as elevating Jiminy Cricket as the conscience and heartbeat of the film.

The critic notes that the quality of Walt Disney's second feature still shines through decades later, praising its Academy Award-winning score and song while acknowledging that the moral preaching feels heavy-handed for a children's film and the animation shows its age. The characters and songs remain distinctive, though it is not ranked among the very top Disney classics, and it will still enchant younger viewers.

The review describes the film as a rum mixture of the excellent and the awful, praising stunning animation of the whale and delightful background details while criticising the cute goldfish and odious fairy. It notes that Pinocchio reveals Disney’s virtues and vices more clearly than any other cartoon.

The critic hails Pinocchio as Disney's only perfect animated film and greatest masterpiece, praising its technical wizardry in animation, moral message, and classic music like "When You Wish Upon a Star."