DVDizzy Forum

Okay, I know the original story is Italian, and many non-Disney illustrations of the tale generally have an Italian flair about them, suggesting that the tale is set in Italy.

However, the national setting of Disney's version of Pinocchio seems more confusing. Whilst it's still taking place in a continental Western European country, Disney doesn't make clear exactly which country it's set in, Here's some things which add to the confusion of "where it's set":

*Pinocchio's village was modelled after a village in Bavaria, a region of Germany.

*There are some Italian sounding names: Pinocchio, Figaro, Gepetto, Stromboli, Monstro.

*In Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom at Disney World, there are Pinocchio themed fast food restaurant called the Village Haus and Pinocchio's Village Haus, respectively. "Haus" is the German word for house, implying that Pinocchio is either German, Austrian or from the German speaking areas of Switzerland.

*However, in Disneyland Paris, there's a Pinocchio toy shop next door to the film's dark ride called "Il Bogetta di Gepetto". This is definetely an Italian title.

*Despite being on the same giant complex as a Village Haus cafe, I once saw an image online of a giant blow-up Pinoochio by the Italy section of the World Showcase at Epcot, and I've heard that, along with other characters from his movie, he often pops up there for photos and autographs.

Where do you guys think the film is set? I personally think that it's set somewhere in Italy, yet fairly near the border of a German speaking country. Whilst there is an Italian quality to the place, there's also a Germanic feel seeking through. Either that, or Walt and his artists didn't pay much attention to cultural accuracy and I'm just over analysing things.

Mayb it's Italians living in Bavaria?

Maybe in Tyrol? Tyrol is both a province in Austria and Italy. In Italy many inhabitants speak both Italian and German.

or Switzerland where you will find German, French, and Italian spoken depending on what region you are in...

The official languages of the Federation are German, French, and Italian. Romansh is an official language for communicating with persons of Romansh language.

I have always heard people debate between Italy and Germany. I seem to remember once hearing that the definitive answer for Disney's film is Italy, but I don't remember where now. It certainly looks more classically German to me, though. Plus there's the "Pinocchio's Village Haus" in Fantasyland, which sounds German to me.

-Aaron

castleinthesky wrote:Maybe in Tyrol? Tyrol is both a province in Austria and Italy. In Italy many inhabitants speak both Italian and German.

Actually, that may be a possibility. I did a little research just now and realised that I went on a ski trip there in 2000 and 2001, and I seem to remember that it looked very much like Pinocchio. However...my little research brought me some interesting facts...it wasn't really Italian. If we take the 19th century as when the film was set (the book was written around then), the Italian parts of Tyrol weren't actually in Italy...until the end of World War 1, the whole area was in Austria, and for many years, only 3% of the people actually spoke Italian as their first language. So if we take that theory, the characters are Italian speakers in Austria.

To me, Pinocchio has some Switz, German & Italian influence in it, but maybe Disney wanted it to be a place with all those things intertwined into a single place. A combination of each of these cultures into 1.

Like in Bambi, you don't know where in the world the forest is located. The location in the book was in the Alps or in Austria, while the film version is located somewhere in the northeastern part of the US, or even Canada.

It's set in the town of Gertaly, of the European country Imany..

I always just assumed they set it in a non-descript European melting pot country. Kind of like how the US of A is often portrayed as looking like either LA (busy city with hot people), New York (busy city with mean people), or a farm (hicks)...

Escapay

Interesting... I never knew such a debate existed.

I assumed it was a fact and that pretty much everyone who has an interest in Pinocchio know it's set in Italy.

I'm 100% sure even Disney's film is set in Italy, despite never being referenced in the film.

I think there are some reasonable suggestions here, but I'd go for northern Italy. I don't remember the exact details of the story right here and now, but I guess it shouldn't be too far away from the sea, or what do you think?

the author was Italian and had set the story in Tuscany, but obviously Disney took some liberties with that...

I'm guessing it's also Northern Italy somewhere. Although Pinnochio's cloths look more Austrian/German, I guess Northern Italians also dress like that. i'm sure it's somewhere near the alps. As for the water deal it could be near there as well.

Another reason Disney probably hinted it at italy is cause at Pleasure Island, there was a picture of Mona Lisa that got vandalizes. Disney who love to put in little hints like that, must of show that it's from Italy.

The names of most of the principals are all Italian - Pinocchio, Gepetto, Stromboli ... and even Monstro!

I agree with the northern Italian/Southern Austrian/Tyrolia theory. The northern party of Italy and the southern party of Austria is a "melting pot" of a region...with aspects of many different cultures. Since the characters have such Italian names and the design of the characters (Gepetto wears lederhosen) and setting is clearly Bavarian/mountainous, that would be my best guess.

castleinthesky wrote:Maybe in Tyrol? Tyrol is both a province in Austria and Italy. In Italy many inhabitants speak both Italian and German.

Tyrol makes sense, I suppose, considering that that's the kind of hat that Pinocchio wears.

As has been said, Gustav Tenggren based the village and buildings in Pinocchio on a Bavarian town: Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where he spent some time making sketches.

The characters are from various different places; Stromboli's obviously Italian, but Gepetto is German in all but name and the Coachman is obviously from a sort of Dickensian England (though he only seems to be passing through the area and probably doesn't live there).

I think all that we can really say is that it is set in a quintissential European storybook village, perhaps not intended to be anywhere specific. All we know is that the village is by the sea (see the exterior of the Red Lobster).

That said, Tyrol sounds convincing.

Tirol/Austria/Switzerland/northern Italy/the Alps - close to or in the mountains and not too far from the sea. I guess we've circled it in quite well now.

Because of the whale I guess it shouldn't be too far from the big sea (a "whale of a tale" either way I'm sure). A lake probably won't do. So should it be Golfo di Genova or the Adriatic?

It's clearly set in Valaria, the fictional location of most of the Classic Monster films from Universal in the 30s and 40s. Come on, where else do so many stereotypical mixed European cliche's exist?

it's probably in Northern Italy/ Southern Switserland. i'm saying that becasue at Storybookland it has the Matterhorn as the background. who knows they might live some ways from the ocean since we don't know how long that coach ride to pleasure island is or how long it took Pinnochio to get to the sea to find Gepetto. we probably won't find out where it is just like how we won't figure out where Snow White takes place along with Sleeping Beauty and Little Mermaid.

Disneyfreak1990 wrote:it's probably in Northern Italy/ Southern Switserland. i'm saying that becasue at Storybookland it has the Matterhorn as the background. who knows they might live some ways from the ocean since we don't know how long that coach ride to pleasure island is or how long it took Pinnochio to get to the sea to find Gepetto. we probably won't find out where it is just like how we won't figure out where Snow White takes place along with Sleeping Beauty and Little Mermaid.

Isn't Snow White from Germany and Little Mermaid(at least Eric's Kingdom) set in denmark?