Pinocchio's
Birthday Party
(1974, U.S./Canada) color live-action/animated 79 minutes
Winner of the Best Children's Film Award at the Atlanta Film Festival (1974)
With: Sean Sullivan (Papa Gepetto), Nancy Belle Fuller (the Blue Fairy), Danny McIlravey (Pippifax), Jeff Braunstein (Mr. Schumacher), Anne Gourley (Mrs. Schumacher), Kay Rawley (woman in window), Frank Vohs, (the Wizard). The children: Moira Knott, Ritchie Pierce, Alan Maitland, Jacqueline Zuccarini,
Janice Yoshida, Gerard Jenner
Voices: Ellen Prince (Pinocchio)
Plot Outline: Papa Gepetto is busy making birthday toys for all the village children. The Blue Fairy appears and reminds him that this Saturday is the most important birthday of all: Pinocchio's! Gepetto enlists the aid of the Fairy, Pippifax and the village children, who put together a wonderful party for his wooden son. The party is held deep in the magical forest. Unfortunately, an evil Wizard shows up and causes it to rain on the party, but the Blue Fairy shoos him away, and tells the children two fairy tales: "Puss in Boots" and "Drummer Boy". Finally, Gepetto gives Pinocchio his own gift: a magic machine that produces real fireworks. Pinocchio goes to bed tired and happy, dreaming of many more birthdays to come.
***
PINOCCHIO'S BIRTHDAY PARTY is a fun, highly entertaining fantasy film, a winning combination of live action and animation. It is also the second in a trilogy of Pinocchio films made by Ron Merk, the first being his English adaptation of the German fantasy TURLIS ABENTEUER (PINOCCHIO).
PINOCCHIO'S BIRTHDAY PARTY brings back Pinocchio in puppet form, thanks to a new design by James Racioppi. The puppet-boy is further brought to life by Ellen Prince's fine voice work, reprising the role she started in the first film. Sean Sullivan is fine as Papa Gepetto, and Nancy Belle Fuller is most charming as the Blue Fairy.
This budget production boasts simplistic yet effective sets; Merk obviously knows how to make the absolute most of a low budget by putting every penny (and then some) on the screen. The village square set and the phantasmagoric forest set are especially inviting. There are also some cute puppet animals such as an owl, a frog and a cat.
As the film opens, Papa Gepetto is busy filling orders for birthday gifts for all the village children; we realize that he fills a role in his community very similar to that of the ultimate giftmaker, Santa Claus. The most important birthday is approaching, however: Pinocchio's!
The songs, including "A Party for Pinocchio", are quite catchy. A group of attractive children join Pinocchio, Gepetto, Pippifax and the Fairy in the magical forest to celebrate Pin's birthday, and help him eat his giant birthday cake!
The Blue Fairy produces a magical "Storymobile", which functions as a segway into two great puppet animation stories from DEFA in East Germany. The first, "Puss in Boots", is a fine telling of the famous fairy tale.
No self-respecting fairy tale would be complete without a villain, and in PINOCCHIO'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, we suffer the ego of a creepy wizard who seems equal parts Asian, German and Spanish. After an obligatory misanthropic rant, the Wiz literally rains on Pinocchio's, bringing a downpour which cause our party to seek shelter.
After the Blue Fairy shoo-shoos the Wizard, she introduces the partygoers to "The Imagination Game", which includes a very pleasant song, "Imagine a World".
We then segway into the second cartoon, "Drummer Boy", a fairly bizarre story about a boy, a witch and a giant, featuring grotesque characters, fanciful landscapes and some rather avant-garde electronic music.
At party's end, Gepetto gives Pinocchio his gift; a most amazing machine, which produces fireworks at the touch of a button!
As we soon discover, Pinocchio's Birthday Party (as are all birthdays hopefully), are really a celebration of love for one another. The film (and party) conclude with a boffo tune, "Happy Birthday, Pinocchio", as Gepetto puts Pin to bed, wishing his beloved son sweet dreams forever.
PINOCCHIO'S BIRTHDAY PARTY is a strong fantasy film, completely in the spirit of the 1960's Kiddie Matinee fairy tale, and indeed, boasts an impressive cult following amongst fantasy buffs. Many would love to see this neglected classic receive a long-overdue DVD and VHS release.
Merk followed PINOCCHIO'S BIRTHDAY PARTY with PINOCCHIO AND HIS MAGIC SHOW, another budget production which rises above its limitations to become a delightful and memorable fantasy experience.
Sad to say, due to a disagreement with the producers of PINOCCHIO'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, Merk's directorial credit is missing from the film. In fact, no director's credit appears. Regardless of the name (not) on the screen, many of us feel that PINOCCHIO'S BIRTHDAY PARTY is Ron Merk's masterpiece. To hear the sad tale of this remarkable film, read our exclusive interview with filmmaker Ron Merk.
Video/DVD availability: VHS (Video Treasures, oop)
Our thanks to Don Worth for uncovering this rare theatrical poster for PINOCCHIO'S BIRTHDAY PARTY; note the shameful exclusion of director/screeenwriter Ron Merk!
Family Entertainment Corporation / Intercom Films Ltd./
Ron Merk Productions (uncredited)
Story: based on characters created by Carlo Collodi
Screenplay: Ron Merk, Lawrence H. Garinger
Cinematography: M. Jackson Samuels
Puppets Created by SMOPEY
Puppeteers: James Racioppi, Gregory J. Smith
Editing: Eric Wrate
Animation Directors (DEFA): Monica Anderson, Gunter Ratz
Music Arranging: Paul Hoffert
Songs: Karen Cohl, Susie Ungar
Produced by Gilbert W. Taylor
Executive Producer: Gerald J. Rappoport
Directed by Ron Merk (uncredited)
