Life Through Film
“Stories reminding ourselves of Universal Truths,
that awaken us to our possibilities”
What makes a good child?
One who obeys
Follows all the rules
Doesn’t get in the way
Is never a burden
Pleases, by being what the parent wants and feels they need
Allows the adult to live vicariously through their dreams, having missed out on fulfilling their own.
I was told repeatedly, “You could do what they do.”
The next thing I knew, whatever “they” were doing I was signed up for.
I never lived up to the expectation.
I suppose I was not “them” because I was “me.”
Surprise!
I was told, “No talking during dinner.” “No hugging.” “No and no and more no’s.”
I was told, “Never, walk in front, only off to the side or behind. Stay out of the way.”
What makes a good child?
Is a child here to fulfill a parent, to fill their voids, to make them happy?
In Guillermo del Toro’s version of Pinocchio; Pinocchio cannot live up to what his father needs. Geppetto misses the loss of his son Carlo. Creating Pinocchio is like a second chance to have Carlo back.
Nearing the end of the story, Geppetto realizes to expect Pinocchio to be Carlo is not love and an impossible task for Pinocchio to live up to.
They agree that Geppetto will be Geppetto and Pinocchio with be Pinocchio. They will love each other for who they are.
Death is another subject in this story to ponder. That we do not know how long we have, that life is precious, for it is brief. How we treat each other, how we treat ourselves requires thought and consideration.
We can end up, using up, a great deal of time placing expectations, burdens, on others that are never meant to be fulfilled. Time is here for us to know and love ourselves and in that we develop greater compassion to give the same to others.
As I grew and began to see through the eyes of an adult I came to realize that my Mom wanting me to be like others was because she had never been completely happy as herself. Seeing others as doing and being more than ourselves, sends a message that we are not enough.
It didn’t work for her and it didn’t work for me, but I grew from the experience and now I love myself for who I am.
My father didn’t know how to be a Dad and never stayed long enough to figure it out. He wanted us to stay out of the way, because he had broken his hip as a teenager and walked with a limp. Now with arthritis and artificial knees, I get it. He was afraid of tripping and falling.
Getting back up, is no easy task.
Our parents wanting us to be someone else feels terrible. When we want to be someone else, it feels terrible. There are even times we think we’d like our parents to be someone else. I’m sure they feel this same terrible.
It’s good this feeling of terrible, because no one lives to be another, we are all here to come to know what it is to be ourselves. And when we do, it feels really good.
In the wisdom of Sebastian J. Cricket,
“Do your best and that’s the best that anyone can do.”
Love yourself, be yourself.
Love others as themselves.
This is the best.
View; Netflix
Released; November 24, 2022
Photos; Sharon Cooke and Internet Film Stock
Director; Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
Screenplay; Guillermo del Toro, Patrick McHale
Story by; Guillermo del Toro, Matthew Robbins
Based on; The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, Illustrations by Gris Grimly
Produced by; Guillermo del Toro, Lisa Henson, Gary Ungar, Alex Bulkley, Corey Campodonico
Starring;
Ewen McGregor, Sebastian J. Cricket
David Bradley, Geppetto
Gregory Mann, Pinocchio
Burn Gorman, The Priest
Ron Perlman, Podesta
John Turturro, Dottore
Finn Wolfhard, Candlewick
Cate Blanchett, Spazzatura
Tim Blake Nelson, The Black Rabbits
Christopher Waltz, Count Volpe
Tilda Swinton, The Wood Sprite, Death