Pinocchio (Disney film)/Nightmare Fuel

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • The movie in general is perhaps Disney's scariest picture, especially since none of the villains are ever punished for their crimes. Thus leaving children with the horrifying realization that not all evil can be beaten and that the world will always remain a dangerous place for them...
  • Stromboli was particularly frightening, especially telling Pinocchio when he's worn-out he'll make good firewood...and then throwing an axe at a (fortunately lifeless) puppet.
  • The whole concept of Pleasure Island, an amusement park that's actually a trap for unsuspecting little boys!
    • The Transformation Trauma inducing scene: Lampwick's transformation into a donkey.
    • Lampwick's voice changing into braying while crying "Mama!"
  • The Coachman. The face the Coachman makes as he says those last two lines rivals the face from Inland Empire in pants-soiling scariness. Especially the line "And they never come back as... BOYS!" and that pants wetting inducing Slasher Smile when he says "boys". shudder
    • This particular Fridge Horror aspect: If you look 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.)
    • We never quite find out just what happens to the donkey-boys who can still talk... Perhaps the talking donkeys are the ones pulling the coach! Cue Fridge Horror, people!
    • 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.
  • Monstro, that enormous whale. Getting chased and devoured by something at LEAST 500 feet long is horrifying. Plus, he has at least two of those intense chase scenes! Especially the scene where he charges right at the viewer *shudders*.
  • When Pinocchio gets the tip of his finger burned at the beginning--and can't feel it. In the book, he slept too close to a fire and woke up to find his feet burned away.
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