# The Music and Magic of the Disney Animated Canon, Vol. 2: Pinocchio **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 14, 2015, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550 "2015-11-14T13:14:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/1 "2015-11-14T13:14:21Z")
The Walt Disney Company has been making us laugh, cry, get angry, whoop for joy, sing, dance, and fall in love since its first feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in 1939. In this, the second part of an intended complete series of separate discussion threads about each movie in the Disney Animated Canon, we will discuss our memories of the movies, with what I hope will be a special emphasis placed on the music therein. This is intended to be a regular series, but just because a new thread opens up doesn’t mean you have to stop posting in the previous ones. I can also promise you that there will be, on occasion, schedule slip on my part, as there was in the [first](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=726298) volume of this series, which I wrote shortly before going into a hospital, as it turned out. Previous volumes: 1. [Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=726298) OK, so let’s talk about _Pinocchio._ “When You Wish Upon a Star” was a seminal song for Disney, that to this day they use in their prologues. It won the 1940 Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was sung in the song by the character of Jiminy Cricket, whom we’d see again in _Fun and Fancy Free._ I’ve always liked Jiminy. He starts out in this movie as a homeless person, but gets promoted to Pinocchio’s conscience and does a fine job. Jiminy’s also responsible for my favorite line from this film: “You’ve buttered your bread. Now _sleep_ in it!” He also cracked me up at the puppet show, where he went from not watching on general principle to watching FERVENTLY when the girl puppets came out. All men are perverts? It was never explained how playing pool, drinking and smoking turns you into a jackass, but Lampwick’s transformation sequence was _terrifying._ ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/2 "2015-11-14T13:18:04Z")
Missed the edit window, but I voted for “When You Wish Upon a Star”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/3 "2015-11-14T15:34:54Z")
“Talking like Gepetto” is a running joke in our house. “Oooooh, Pinocchio … why you never call me anymore?” “Oooooh, Pinocchio … why you so angry?” My teenage son started doing it last year and for a while it worked its way into almost every conversation. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/4 "2015-11-14T16:21:59Z")
Give a Little Whistle gets sick in my head all the damn time. I have no idea why. That said, When You Wish Upon a Star is one of the best songs ever written. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/5 "2015-11-14T17:57:31Z")
I picked I’ve Got No Strings, but only because When You Wish is massively overused since it became the official Disney theme. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/6 "2015-11-14T20:27:50Z")
Something I just realized is that _Pincocchio_ is the only Disney Animated Canon movie (and one of a small handful of movies, period) to earn a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/7 "2015-11-16T07:23:27Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I picked I’ve Got No Strings, but only because When You Wish is massively overused since it became the official Disney theme. Unfortunately, whenever I hear “I’ve Got No Strings” I can’t help but hear Evil Robot Raymond Reddington. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/8 "2015-11-16T17:54:58Z")
Although “When You Wish” remains perhaps the best and most influential song in the history of the Disney canon, my favorite music cue from the film is the wonderful [**Coach to Pleasure Island**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb4mFiTcGfM), which uses “Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee” to both jubilant and ominous effect. Simply a brilliant score all-around. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/9 "2020-03-02T02:58:32Z")
Bringing this one back now as well, now that I’ve got Disney+. I’ll be watching Pinocchio again soon and giving new thoughts on it. Anyone have anything else they’d like to share? ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/10 "2020-03-02T16:08:27Z")
I’d forgotten how funny Gepetto is in this movie. Dunking water on himself to wake himself up when he realizes Pinocchio has come to life. “Father, here I am!” “Don’t bother me now, Pinocchio,” he replies, not realizing that his long-lost son has returned to him. And the funniest one is at the very end, when Pinocchio is brought back to life. “Father, why are you crying?” “Because… you’re dead, Pinocchio.” “No! No, I’m not!” “Yes. Yes, you are. Now lie down.” ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/11 "2020-03-02T17:12:53Z")
I’m also going through the Disney movies on Disney+. The visuals are still stunning. I like Jiminy Cricket, but he was totally ineffective and terrible at his ‘job.’ Figaro is the best Disney cat. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/12 "2020-03-02T18:23:41Z")
I think the most brilliant thing about PINOCCHIO is its fearlessness because it does so many things that would be completely unthinkable for the Disney template today: - There is no romantic interest whatsoever - Anthropomorphic, talking animals and non-talking animals co-exist without the need for an “explanation”. It’s just a fairy tale. - The most critical one: Pinocchio becomes a Real Boy because of his bravery, but he hasn’t changed any of the horrors of the world he lives in. He doesn’t burn Pleasure Island to the ground. He doesn’t rescue any of the terrorized donkey-boy slaves. None of the villains (Honest John, the Coachman, Stromboli) get their comeuppance or are punished in any way for their cruelty and evil acts. One might call the larger overview of the story depressing because of this, but it is also the way the world often works. Love manifests itself in simple acts infused with incredible courage, but it doesn’t mean all Wrongs will naturally be Righted. Evil endures. Similarly, Jiminy is rewarded not because he was “successful” but because he showed courage in trying. There’s absolutely no way Disney would leave all these “loose ends” dangling nowadays, but the film is far more honest for it. Easily (imho), the greatest of all Disney animated features (w/BAMBI and DUMBO close seconds) because of both the exquisite craftsmanship but also because it exists in what we now see was a pre-formula Mouse House world. A masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/13 "2020-03-02T21:16:33Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > I think the most brilliant thing about PINOCCHIO is its fearlessness because it does so many things that would be completely unthinkable for the Disney template today: > > - There is no romantic interest whatsoever Offhand, I think there are no romantic love interests in: Moana The Wreck-it Ralph movies Finding Dory ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/14 "2020-03-03T03:09:24Z")
Who was that asshole who voiced Jiminy Cricket, anyway? Some moronic shithead, no doubt. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/15 "2020-03-03T03:36:15Z")
[Cliff Edwards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Edwards), who also was the first person to perform “[Singin’ in the Rain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tx6CXxOoko).” ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/16 "2020-03-03T04:18:16Z")
Har. I only recently learned that Cliff Edwards also did the voice for the lead singing crow in _Dumbo_. Great voice actor. I also think that _Pinocchio_ is the best of all the classic Disney movies. The drawings and animation are unequaled. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/17 "2020-03-03T21:45:37Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > Offhand, I think there are no romantic love interests in: > Moana > The Wreck-it Ralph movies > Finding Dory It’s true that after 70 years, the Mouse has started to loosen its grip on how it tells its stories. (While Pixar has had a whole different set of templates and formulae long before Disney acquired them). But the Ralph films have still had major relationships develop and evolve, but for secondary characters. Similarly, MULAN positioned characters as potential love interests at the end but they couldn’t hook up for obvious plot-driven reasons. And the love interest in FROZEN was a (wise and well-executed) bait & switch. Plus I’ll concede, THE JUNGLE BOOK and SWORD IN THE STONE didn’t have any major women characters in them at all (except one lady villain in the latter). So the company has learned to gradually break away from its tried & true formula, though like I said in that punch list, the real revolutionary move on its part was that third bullet item. That still has, I think, no real parallel (unless you want to project ahead on the future of POCAHONTAS as we know it in history). ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/18 "2020-03-03T23:01:54Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > [Cliff Edwards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Edwards), who also was the first person to perform “[Singin’ in the Rain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tx6CXxOoko).” Yeah. Didn’t that guy have a stage name, or a nickname, or some dumbass thing? ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-music-and-magic-of-the-disney-animated-canon-vol-2-pinocchio/737550/19 "2020-03-19T19:22:36Z")
Wreck-It Ralph had a romance between Fix-it Felix and the soldier woman. Zootopia had no romantic love interest that I can remember. I don’t think you can really interpret Judy’s and Nick’s friendship as a romance.