Pinocchio (Disney film)/Fridge
Fridge Horror
- Looking at the coach taking the children to Pleasure Island, it appears to be pulled by donkeys. Thus, little boys are kidnapped and changed into donkeys, losing everything they ever loved in life and on top of that, some are forced to pull the coach of the man who changed them in the first place and carry other children so that they can share the same monstrous fate as themselves. (In the book, this is definitely stated.)
- On top of that, there's the fact that no one rescues the boys after they're robbed of their humanity and sold into slavery. Nobody even bothers to mourn for them, but we're supposed to clap and cheer because The Hero gets out OK. And the Coachman is never stopped, so he presumably goes on doing it to more boys. Honestly, this troper finds it pretty damn Egregious that the ending is even considered happy.
- Fridge Logic: It would seem that the film intended that the Coachman, while a Complete Monster by today's standards, look more like a 'force of nature' against the bad boys. Turning into a donkey is considered to be a just desserts for being 'bad boys'. Perhaps they meant it that way so the Coachman turns into a Karma Houdini. Still, if that's his job, Disney, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!?
- Probably, but it's still Disproportionate Retribution. It would teach a much better lesson if the boys actually got a chance to learn from their mistakes and find redemption. After all, that's all part of growing up--they're not evil people, they're just kids who don't know any better. And anyway, think of what it would do to the children's parents if they knew what the Coachman was doing. One boy even begs the Coachman to let him see his mother again.
- Perhaps Disney went too over the top. Maybe back in the days where Pinocchio was aired, bad/naughty kids was considered a serious matter, so Disney decided to be as Anvilicious as possible or opts the Scare'Em Straight path as in "If you keep being naughty kids, you will meet the Grim Reaper (here being the Coachman), and you are to be considered sinful and then be sent straight to Hell (Pleasure Island/turning to Donkey)". Remember that once sinners goes to Hell, they have no chance to enter Heaven again. Needless to say, Disney might've gone over the top...
- Alternatively, Pinocchio was supposed to represent that "Got a chance to learn from mistakes and find redemption", while the rest were considered those too late to repent (and again, once God says you're not welcome in Heaven and your only place is Hell, beg all you like, but God won't let you repent, saying you got your chance in your whole life, but squandered them, it's just too late). It just means Disney just chose to save Pinocchio... while damning the rest with no chance of redemption. Again, I repeat... WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!?
- Probably, but it's still Disproportionate Retribution. It would teach a much better lesson if the boys actually got a chance to learn from their mistakes and find redemption. After all, that's all part of growing up--they're not evil people, they're just kids who don't know any better. And anyway, think of what it would do to the children's parents if they knew what the Coachman was doing. One boy even begs the Coachman to let him see his mother again.
- Pinocchio: Looking at the coach taking the children to Pleasure Island, it appears to be pulled by donkeys. Thus, little boys are kidnapped and changed into donkeys, losing everything they ever loved in life and on top of that, some are forced to pull the coach of the man who changed them in the first place and carry other children so that they can share the same monstrous fate as themselves. (In the book, this is definitely stated.)
- And the Coachman is a Karma Houdini. For all we know, he could still be turning kids into donkeys and selling them off to the circus, salt mines, etc.
- And we never do find out what happened to all the boys who were turned into donkeys. Most of them probably spent the rest of their lives as donkeys!
- Flat-out stated in the book, where we eventually see Pinocchio's companion from Pleasure Island worked to death on a farm.
- Remember near the beginning when Pinocchio touched a burning candle? What if Geppetto hadn't been there to put out the flame on his finger?
- The book answers that one. The finger would have burned off, and Geppetto would have had to make a new one. Such a finger (or foot in the book) would probably be paralyzed and numb for a while as Pinocchio's circulation rebuilds the tissue in the cell walls.
- I don't know about you, but I always got this weird and creepy sense that the Coachman was an allusion to pedophilia and child trafficking. That's what always crept me out about this whole operation. I mean, Pleasure Island??? *Shudder*
- Again, with the boys who were turned into donkeys, it is quite clear that the ones who could not talk were sold to various places (its written on the boxes) such as salt mines. However, what happened to the ones who could still talk? Its probable that they were sold to glue factories so they would be killed in order to stop them talking...
- They probably pulled the coach. Why waste a good donkey?
- Back to Pinocchio (Disney film)