There have been so many great iconic versions of thePinocchiostory over the decades. The most famous one is Disney’s 1940s animated rendition, but directorGullermo del Toroand Netflix are about to release a newPinocchiothat may challenge that classic’s animated crown. The more twisted and dark stop-motion animated take onCarlo Collodi’s source material releases this Friday, December 9, on the popular streamer. Now with the film’s Netflix debut,Funkohas unveiled their Pop line forGuillermodel Toro’s Pinocchio.
The line includes four vinyl figures which feature Geppetto, the Wood Sprite, Black Rabbit, and Pinocchio who comes with his trusted cricket. The coolest thing about these figures is that they look ripped straight out of the film. Given that this version is animated, that lends itself better to more screen accurate Pops. Especially since this was a stop-motion animated project which uses real life models/figures to create motion through still images. Just like in the film itself, the level of detail on this particular set of Pops is insane. Whether it’s the line detail found throughout Pinocchio, Black Rabbit’s creepy blue under skeleton, or Geppetto’s rough looking beard texture, there was a lot of care and love put into these figures.
Netflix’sPinocchiolooks like a darker, more gothic fantasy, take on the source material then fans are used to. While the amount ofPinocchiocontent we have been getting has seemed like a lot, with Disney just releasing a live-action remake of their own animated film back in September, del Toro is separating his own film from the pack by presenting a love letter to a sadly forgotten style of animation. Stop-motion animation was best known for the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials of the ‘60s and ‘70s. The style was also famously used in Disney’sThe Nightmare Before Christmas. However, since the dawn of CGI animation in the mid ‘90s, stop-motion has only been reserved for studios like Aardman Animations who specialize in the craft.
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That’s why it’s so great that a prolific filmmaker like del Toro is putting a glowing spotlight on the animation style once again. With del Toro’s dark and twisted filmography featuringPan’s Labyrinth,Crimson Peak,The Devil’s Backbone, and theHellboyduology, there’s no better director to bringPinocchio’s story to life in such a beautifully eerie way. Pinocchio now joins 2022’s other stop-motion hitMad Godin bringing this niche animation style back into the public eye where it belongs.
Netflix’sPinocchiohits the streamer on December 9 with the film thus far dazzling audiences and critics alike with a jaw-dropping 97% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The images can be viewed down below, and you may find more information on Funko’s newPinocchioline ontheir website.
