Pinocchio 3000
Encyclopedia
Pinocchio 3000 is a 2004 Canadian computer-animated film by Christal Films. Like A.I. Artificial Intelligence, it is a futuristic science fiction
interpretation of the classic tale The Adventures of Pinocchio where Pinocchio
is a robot
brought to life by tapping into a city's power surge, rather than a puppet
animated by magic
.
The story centers around the basic legend of Pinocchio attempting to fit into living with humans, having difficulties, becoming frustrated with them, and eventually overcoming them. Most of the base elements and characters have been used, in different forms.
The story takes place in the town of Scamboville, a futuristic city constantly under development under the reign of its namesake, Scamboli.
, Pinocchio
as his son. Meanwhile, an evil mayor named Scamboli is making a technology city "Scamboville", to get rid of nature. He also hates children except for his beloved daughter, Marlene. Marlene has a problem about no space for children to have fun. So, Scamboli is going to make a theme park called "Scamboland".
That night, Geppetto and Spencer the Penguin
are preparing to make Pinocchio to life. But Scamboli got the city mains to light
up his theme park for the Grand Opening. So, Geppetto is going to steal his electricity
. Suddenly, Scamboland had a single power cut and the children walked away. Then, Pinocchio came to life. He met Geppetto, Spencer and House as a family. Suddenly, they met Cyberina the fairy
. She decided to give Geppetto's wish to turn Pinocchio into a real boy, if he has to learn about Right and Wrong.
The next morning, Pinocchio is walking his way to school
with Spencer and learning about right and wrong. But he made some new friends with Zach, Cynthia and Marlene. But Marlene challenges Pinocchio to an Imagination game and it was host by Cyberina.
After they finished the game, Marlene have won. But, Pinocchio snatch the medal
from her. Scamboli's henchmen, Cabby and Rodo decided to take Pinocchio to see Scamboli. While they talk to each other, Scamboli has an idea after Pinocchio said, "Life would be great, if kids were more like us". He decided to make Pinocchio a star to entertain the children.
When Pinocchio gave an advertisement, Geppetto must convince him to come home. While Pinocchio was having a concert with the children, Scamboli kidnapped Geppetto. All the children went to a roller coaster
ride called "A Whale
of a Change". But it was a trick, it turn all of them into "Scambobots". Meanwhile Pinocchio gave Marlene her medal and befriends with her. They went to Marlene's garden to spend in the night.
The next morning, Marlene found out that Scambobots were destroying her garden. She heard Pinocchio laughed. She give the medal to him and broke up with him. But Pinocchio accidentally helped Scamboli, so he is going to find his Dad. He found out that Geppetto was not home expect Spencer. So, they went to Scamboli to find him fast. When they got here, they met Scamboli and the robots. Scamboli turned Geppetto into a robot and forced to kill Pinocchio. Spencer flashed Scamboli's eyes with his camera
and stole his remote. Pinocchio and Spencer went to the "Tunnel of Danger" to hide. They were trapped by Scamboli inside a ride. Marlene was here for Pinoccchio to be avoid. Scamboli crates obstacles while Marlene destroys them. Suddenly Scamboli cheats by shutting Marlene down, so he can kill Pinocchio. Pinocchio uses the medal to shield himself from the laser to destroy Scamboli's weapon. Meanwhile, Cabby accidentally gave Geppetto a remote. But Cabby and Rodo got fired by Scamboli. Geppetto commanded the robots to get Scamboli.
Scamboli went to Cabby's shuttle to get away, but he was caught by the Scambocop. It bumps Scamboli inside a shuttle and flies down to the Whale ride. Pinocchio, Geppetto, Marlene and Spencer to bring the robot back to children. Soon it's Geppetto's turn, Scamboli press the red button to stop the machines. Pinocchio went inside the whale and tries to fix it. He found out that Scamboli was here. Pinocchio found the red button to get rid of Scamboli. So, he began to tell a lie to him about his personality. Once he reached it, Scamboli was caught on the cart. Pinocchio learned that everything was his fault. Cyberina appears, Pinocchio told her that he learnt about Right and Wrong. She gave Pinocchio and Geppetto's wish.
Pinocchio turned into a real boy and Geppetto turned back into human. Suddenly, everyone saw a mysterious person in a cart. Scamboli turned into a robot and Marlene was shocked. Cyberina borrowed Cynthia's "Funbrella" to make a sunshine and bring all the greens of Scamboli. It ends Spencer taking a picture of Pinocchio, Geppetto and Marlene.
from her. This object becomes a strong component in the story later.
Despite his robot pride, he gains an appreciation for life and humans through his father and in befriending Marlene, and possesses a desire to be accepted by children, even if it means co-operating with the evil Scamboli.
is an inventor and designer of robots and high technology, in addition to his classic role as a toymaker for local children. He resolves to love Pinocchio regardless of whether he is human, and undergoes many risks to make him happy and keep him safe.
, and is obviously meant to fill the said characters role. Unlike in the Disney tale, he is not employed by Cyberina (the Blue Fairy interpretation) and does not play as strong a role in the story. He is a bit clumsy and laid-back, and is shown to be Geppetto's assistant.
. He has ambitions to transform the city, removing all signs of nature and replacing it with aesthetic metal and technology. He does greatly love his daughter and is very protective of her. He is controlling, and sees children and life as a random factor he cannot account for, motivating him to transform both into something he understands: metal.
, kept back with a series of coloured hooplike hair bands.
of the city. Her name is a play on the name Sabrina, with the word Cyber inputted, or possibly an extension of the word Cyber similar to Ballet and Ballerina, implying she is one who is proficient with cybernetics. She is based on the character the Blue Fairy
from the original story.
Whether or not she has real magical powers is unknown, as she doesn't actively use them. She does however have a large grasp over various technologies and the ability to implement them. She promises to help Pinocchio figure out how to be a real boy, saying he must learn the difference between right and wrong to do so. She plays a stronger role in the story than in most interpretations, and with a large amount of comic relief, influenced by her voice actress, Whoopi Goldberg
's personality and appearance.
She wears eccentric glasses, and has a mermaid
-like lower body through which she can fly, and sparking circuits coming from the top of her head, reminiscent of Whoopi's hair, albeit standing straight up, as if charged with static electricity.
, is quite varied, ranging from pop to soft kid's music. It has been designed with a modern appeal to kids, but pleasant enough for adults. In one instance, Pinocchio sings onstage.
The movie's theme song is What's the Difference? expressing Pinocchio's feelings regarding his robotness.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
interpretation of the classic tale The Adventures of Pinocchio where Pinocchio
Pinocchio
The Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial between 1881 and 1883, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio , an...
is a robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
brought to life by tapping into a city's power surge, rather than a puppet
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
animated by magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
.
The story centers around the basic legend of Pinocchio attempting to fit into living with humans, having difficulties, becoming frustrated with them, and eventually overcoming them. Most of the base elements and characters have been used, in different forms.
The story takes place in the town of Scamboville, a futuristic city constantly under development under the reign of its namesake, Scamboli.
Plot
The story begins an inventor named Geppetto is making a robotRobot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
, Pinocchio
Pinocchio
The Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial between 1881 and 1883, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio , an...
as his son. Meanwhile, an evil mayor named Scamboli is making a technology city "Scamboville", to get rid of nature. He also hates children except for his beloved daughter, Marlene. Marlene has a problem about no space for children to have fun. So, Scamboli is going to make a theme park called "Scamboland".
That night, Geppetto and Spencer the Penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
are preparing to make Pinocchio to life. But Scamboli got the city mains to light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
up his theme park for the Grand Opening. So, Geppetto is going to steal his electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
. Suddenly, Scamboland had a single power cut and the children walked away. Then, Pinocchio came to life. He met Geppetto, Spencer and House as a family. Suddenly, they met Cyberina the fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
. She decided to give Geppetto's wish to turn Pinocchio into a real boy, if he has to learn about Right and Wrong.
The next morning, Pinocchio is walking his way to school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
with Spencer and learning about right and wrong. But he made some new friends with Zach, Cynthia and Marlene. But Marlene challenges Pinocchio to an Imagination game and it was host by Cyberina.
After they finished the game, Marlene have won. But, Pinocchio snatch the medal
Medal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
from her. Scamboli's henchmen, Cabby and Rodo decided to take Pinocchio to see Scamboli. While they talk to each other, Scamboli has an idea after Pinocchio said, "Life would be great, if kids were more like us". He decided to make Pinocchio a star to entertain the children.
When Pinocchio gave an advertisement, Geppetto must convince him to come home. While Pinocchio was having a concert with the children, Scamboli kidnapped Geppetto. All the children went to a roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
ride called "A Whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
of a Change". But it was a trick, it turn all of them into "Scambobots". Meanwhile Pinocchio gave Marlene her medal and befriends with her. They went to Marlene's garden to spend in the night.
The next morning, Marlene found out that Scambobots were destroying her garden. She heard Pinocchio laughed. She give the medal to him and broke up with him. But Pinocchio accidentally helped Scamboli, so he is going to find his Dad. He found out that Geppetto was not home expect Spencer. So, they went to Scamboli to find him fast. When they got here, they met Scamboli and the robots. Scamboli turned Geppetto into a robot and forced to kill Pinocchio. Spencer flashed Scamboli's eyes with his camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
and stole his remote. Pinocchio and Spencer went to the "Tunnel of Danger" to hide. They were trapped by Scamboli inside a ride. Marlene was here for Pinoccchio to be avoid. Scamboli crates obstacles while Marlene destroys them. Suddenly Scamboli cheats by shutting Marlene down, so he can kill Pinocchio. Pinocchio uses the medal to shield himself from the laser to destroy Scamboli's weapon. Meanwhile, Cabby accidentally gave Geppetto a remote. But Cabby and Rodo got fired by Scamboli. Geppetto commanded the robots to get Scamboli.
Scamboli went to Cabby's shuttle to get away, but he was caught by the Scambocop. It bumps Scamboli inside a shuttle and flies down to the Whale ride. Pinocchio, Geppetto, Marlene and Spencer to bring the robot back to children. Soon it's Geppetto's turn, Scamboli press the red button to stop the machines. Pinocchio went inside the whale and tries to fix it. He found out that Scamboli was here. Pinocchio found the red button to get rid of Scamboli. So, he began to tell a lie to him about his personality. Once he reached it, Scamboli was caught on the cart. Pinocchio learned that everything was his fault. Cyberina appears, Pinocchio told her that he learnt about Right and Wrong. She gave Pinocchio and Geppetto's wish.
Pinocchio turned into a real boy and Geppetto turned back into human. Suddenly, everyone saw a mysterious person in a cart. Scamboli turned into a robot and Marlene was shocked. Cyberina borrowed Cynthia's "Funbrella" to make a sunshine and bring all the greens of Scamboli. It ends Spencer taking a picture of Pinocchio, Geppetto and Marlene.
Pinocchio
Pinocchio is an artificial intelligence designed by Geppetto. In this, his nose doesn't so much grow as retract, a feature installed by Cyberina. While initially entertaining the idea of becoming human, after being discriminated against he defensively adopts a position of (possibly righteous) superiority to humans, as he has a faster processing brain and more extensive imagination circuits. When he is cheated out of his victory in an imagination contest with Marlene, he snatches the trophy medalMedal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
from her. This object becomes a strong component in the story later.
Despite his robot pride, he gains an appreciation for life and humans through his father and in befriending Marlene, and possesses a desire to be accepted by children, even if it means co-operating with the evil Scamboli.
Geppetto
Mister GeppettoMister Geppetto
Mister Geppetto is a fictional character in the novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Geppetto is an elderly, impoverished woodcarver and the creator of Pinocchio...
is an inventor and designer of robots and high technology, in addition to his classic role as a toymaker for local children. He resolves to love Pinocchio regardless of whether he is human, and undergoes many risks to make him happy and keep him safe.
Spencer
Spencer is a robotic talking penguin who accompanies Pinocchio on his adventure for some of the time, attempting to help him make moral decisions, guide him through the city, and avoid danger. He wears a suit and monacle like Disney's interpretation of Jiminy CricketJiminy Cricket
Jiminy Cricket is the Walt Disney version of "The Talking Cricket" , a fictional character created by Carlo Collodi for his children's book Pinocchio, which was adapted into an animated film by Disney in 1940...
, and is obviously meant to fill the said characters role. Unlike in the Disney tale, he is not employed by Cyberina (the Blue Fairy interpretation) and does not play as strong a role in the story. He is a bit clumsy and laid-back, and is shown to be Geppetto's assistant.
House
Geppetto's house has an artificial intelligence which can control the doors, windows, and other appliances. This is a build upon the concept of intelligent homes already in progress with technological habitation designs.Scamboli
Mayor Scamboli (called Combinard in foreign films) is the villain of the movie. He is the mayor of the city, a widower who raises his little girl aloneSingle parent
Single parent is a term that is mostly used to suggest that one parent has most of the day to day responsibilities in the raising of the child or children, which would categorize them as the dominant caregiver...
. He has ambitions to transform the city, removing all signs of nature and replacing it with aesthetic metal and technology. He does greatly love his daughter and is very protective of her. He is controlling, and sees children and life as a random factor he cannot account for, motivating him to transform both into something he understands: metal.
Marlene
Marlene (or Marlène) is Scamboli's daughter, and initially is portrayed as a stereotypical spoiled rich girl. It is eventually revealed that she is a more complex character, interested in ecological preservation and semi-technophobic. This may be the root of her initial disdain for Pinocchio. She is also revealed to be Pinocchio's romantic interest. She is torn between her love for her father and the environment, as he refuses to stop attacking it. She wears her hair in pigtailsPigtails
In the context of hairstyles, the usage of the term pigtail shows considerable variation. According to most dictionaries, a pigtail is a braid of tightly woven hair. The name is based on the short, thin and kinked tail of a pig, referring to the way a short, tight braid may stand out from the...
, kept back with a series of coloured hooplike hair bands.
Cab and Rodo
Scamboli's robots are under both his and his daughter Marlene's command, and the lack of seniority in command structure is later evidenced when they zoom back and forth confused under conflicting commands from the two of them. They appear and are stupid, probably responsible for Marlene's stereotyping of robots, and a source of physical humour in the movie. Cab is a tall and lanky yellow robot, Rodo is a short red robot based on the design of a porcupine. Pinocchio initially feels kinship with these two and begins to espouse how much more intelligent robots are with them, but then discovers that he is rather a unique case.Cyberina
Cyberina is the robotic fairyFairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
of the city. Her name is a play on the name Sabrina, with the word Cyber inputted, or possibly an extension of the word Cyber similar to Ballet and Ballerina, implying she is one who is proficient with cybernetics. She is based on the character the Blue Fairy
Blue Fairy
The Fairy With Turquoise Hair is a fictional character in Carlo Collodi's book The Adventures of Pinocchio. She repeatedly appears at critical moments in Pinocchio's wanderings to admonish the little wooden puppet to avoid bad or risky behavior...
from the original story.
Whether or not she has real magical powers is unknown, as she doesn't actively use them. She does however have a large grasp over various technologies and the ability to implement them. She promises to help Pinocchio figure out how to be a real boy, saying he must learn the difference between right and wrong to do so. She plays a stronger role in the story than in most interpretations, and with a large amount of comic relief, influenced by her voice actress, Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
's personality and appearance.
She wears eccentric glasses, and has a mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
-like lower body through which she can fly, and sparking circuits coming from the top of her head, reminiscent of Whoopi's hair, albeit standing straight up, as if charged with static electricity.
Zac and Cynthia
Playing a minor role, representing other children, these children are introduced as the example of average kids living in Scamboville. They appear throughout the story, and seem to be friends of Marlene.Music
The musical score, by James GelfandJames Gelfand
James Gelfand, is a Canadian jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his film and television scores.-Early life:...
, is quite varied, ranging from pop to soft kid's music. It has been designed with a modern appeal to kids, but pleasant enough for adults. In one instance, Pinocchio sings onstage.
The movie's theme song is What's the Difference? expressing Pinocchio's feelings regarding his robotness.