User blog:ARTaylor/80 Years of Pinocchio

Today is the eightieth anniversary of the premiere of Pinocchio. Based on the classic Italian children's novel, this is the second feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios. The film follows the adventures of a wooden puppet and his cricket conscious who learn about good and bad on the puppet's quest to become a real boy.

The film was a landmark in the animation industry as it showed realistic movements of vehicles, machinery, and natural elements. It received universal acclaim from critics. It won two Academy Awards, for Best Original Song and Best Original Score, the first for The Walt Disney Company and the first for any animated feature. Unfortunately, the film was a box office bomb. This was due in part to having twice the budget of Disney's first feature, but primarily due to the outbreak of World War II that cut off valuable markets in Europe and Asia. This proved a significant hit to the studio.

It eventually made its budget back with numerous reissues in the subsequent decades. In the years since, the film has been considered one of the greatest in the field of animation with some calling it the height of Disney's technical perfection. It has topped numerous Best Of lists. The iconic song "When You Wish Upon A Star" went on to become the theme song for the Disney Company. The movie is the basis for one of Disney theme parks' most popular ride with the characters making numerous appearances throughout the parks. The characters have appeared in several video games. A direct-to-video feature was planned but cancelled while a live-action remake is currently in production.