CZECH REPUBLIC: A VISIT TO THE SET OF "CARLO COLLODI'S PINOCCHIO", A EUROPEAN CO-PRODUCTION STARRING ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE MARTIN LANDAU, FAST-RISING YOUNGSTER JONATHAN TAYLOR, AND THE WALKING,

Record ID: 386432

  • Title: CZECH REPUBLIC: A VISIT TO THE SET OF "CARLO COLLODI'S PINOCCHIO", A EUROPEAN CO-PRODUCTION STARRING ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE MARTIN LANDAU, FAST-RISING YOUNGSTER JONATHAN TAYLOR, AND THE WALKING,
  • Date: 15th September 1995
  • Summary: CESKY KRUMLOV, CZECH REPUBLIC (SEPTEMBER 15, 1995) (REUTERS) VIEWS OF CESKY KRUMLOV EXTRAS ON THE SET OF "CARLO COLLODI'S PINOCCHIO" CLAPPERBOARD PINOCCHIO PUPPET ON THE SET GENERAL VIEW OF SET DIRECTOR STEVE BARRON CAMERA SHOOTING TRACKING SET MARTIN LANDAU SAYING THE FILM IS A MOVIE FOR ADULTS AS WELL AS CHILDREN BECAUSE THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS - SEPARATION, FAM
  • Embargoed: 30th September 1995 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CESKY KRUMLOV, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Reuters ID: LVAEF211G9FDK0LHN7QVZBBLFLF6
  • Story Text: An outstanding international cast has been shooting a live-action film, "Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio" in the 15th century town of Cesky Krumlov outside Prague, on the Croatian coast and in London.

    Production designer Allan Cameron said that Cesky Krumlov had the right fairy-tale look for the story, although it was originally set in a 19th century Italian village.

    The 30-million-dollar project is one of the biggest European co-productions of recent times, with the participation of the United Kingdom's Allied Pinocchio Productions, Samuel Hadida's Davis Films of France, Germany's Dieter Geissler Film Produktion and Etamp of the Czech Republic.

    Heading the cast are Academy Award winner Martin Landau as the kindly puppet-maker Geppetto, and fast-rising young star Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Pinocchio.

    They have been joined by Germany's Udo Kier, British actors Dawn French and Griff Rhys Jones, France's Jean-Claude Dreyfus and Jean-Claude Drouot, Italian actress Anita Zagaria and American actor Rob Schneider, amongst others.

    But the show is stolen by the Pinocchio puppet itself, the "child" of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, whose previous creations include The Muppets, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the new box-office success, Babe. The puppet is operated by a team of puppeteers, who manipulate rods and cables from positions below floor level. In some locations holes had to be dug in the ground to conceal the puppeteers and the camera.

    Using the latest animatronics and computer-generated imaging, the puppet's face moves in such a lifelike way that it is possible to synchronise the lip movements exactly with the soundtrack recorded by Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Taylor Thomas was also featured as the voice of young Simba in Disney's box-office success, "The Lion King".

    Landau said that he developed a rapport with the Pinocchio puppet almost immediately. "I have worked with some wooden actors in my time", Landau said, "but this guy Pinocchio's as loose as a goose".

    Rob Schneider, who plays Volpe, said that Barron's film was closer to the original story written by Carlo Collodi than the famous Disney animated version.

    "You get to see something that's never been done before, and that's Pinocchio. It's really amazing, like acting with another actor", Schneider said, laughing, and we have Martin Landau, so take that, Disney, with your cartoon!" Director Steve Barron explained that in his live-action film, the different natures of the human Geppetto and the wooden puppet were much more apparent, whereas in the animated version both characters were essentially drawings.

    The film is closely based on the children's classic novel, following the adventures of Pinocchio, the puppet carved by Geppetto which slowly comes to life and claims the old man as his father.

    Thee story is familiar to young children all over the world as a cautionary tale, because every time Pinocchio is naughty some misfortune befalls him. In one episode Pinocchio tells lies and his nose grows longer and longer.

    Pinocchio is separated from Geppetto and, under the guidance of a talking cricket called Pepe, survives ordeal after ordeal as he searches for his 'father'. He is transformed into a donkey, he is cheated out of his money by a crafty fox called Volpe, and he is swallowed by a sea monster. Finally he is reunited with Geppetto and turns miraculously into a real boy.

    "Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio" will be distributed in the United States by Savoy Pictures, whilst Kushner-Locke International are the foreign sales agents. The film is expected to be released in the summer of 1996.
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