History WesternAnimation / PinocchioAndTheEmperorOfTheNight

* BigBad: Puppetino for the first half of the film, The Emperor of the Night for the second.

* MalignantPlotTumor: Gee Willikers and Lieutenant Grumblebee enlist the aid of bugs everywhere by visiting "Bugsburgh" and fight off... a frog. The side-story has little consequence, ''consumes a lot of time'', and nearly derails the plot of the entire movie! Considering the film was supposed to get a spin-off based around the town (which came very close to a Fall 1989 debut, but scrapped due to L'Oreal disposing of the studio with their purchase of it), it comes off more as a poorly disguised BackdoorPilot than anything else.

* WackyWaysideTribe: Bugsburgh.

* MalignantPlotTumor: Gee Willikers and Lieutenant Grumblebee enlist the aid of bugs everywhere by visiting "Bugzburg" and fight off... a frog. The side-story has little consequence, ''consumes a lot of time'', and nearly derails the plot of the entire movie! Considering the film was supposed to get a spin-off based around the town (which came very close to a Fall 1989 debut, but scrapped due to L'Oreal disposing of the studio with their purchase of it), it comes off more as a poorly disguised BackdoorPilot than anything else.

* WackyWaysideTribe: Bugzburg.

The movie is ostensibly a sequel to [[Literature/TheAdventuresOfPinocchio the classic tale]], but it's more of a {{Mockbuster}} of the [[Disney/{{Pinocchio}} Disney version]] than that: It has FunnyAnimal con artists, a Jiminy Cricket-esque conscience figure, a sadistic puppetmaster, a place where kids are free to do whatever they like ''for a price'', a titanic battle on the high seas, and a few musical numbers. [[DisneyOwnsThisTrope Disney noticed and sued Filmation for copyright infringement]]; they lost, as the original ''Pinocchio'' story was written by Carlo Collodi and out of copyright.

Reviewed [[http://madnessmonster.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/pinocchio-emperor-review/ here]]. See also ''WesternAnimation/HappilyEverAfter'', a sister Filmation production that serves as a sequel to ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'' (and which Disney had more success in driving into obscurity).

* QuintessentialBritishGentleman: Lieutenant Grumblebee is an anthropomorphic animal version of this. He has an IAmVeryBritishAccent and is something of an UpperClassTwit in his pomposity, ''and'' is also the bug world's equivalent of a World War I or II fighter pilot (i.e. the character of Biggles).

The movie was designed to be a sequel to [[Literature/TheAdventuresOfPinocchio the classic tale]], but audiences felt more like they were watching a Re-Tread of the [[Disney/{{Pinocchio}} Disney version.]] It hit a lot of similar notes, including but not limited to: FunnyAnimal con artists, a Jiminy Cricket-esque conscience figure, a sadistic, cruel puppetmaster, a place where kids are free to do whatever they like, and a titanic battle on the high seas. [[DisneyOwnsThisTrope Disney sued Filmation for copyright infringement]] and lost, as the original ''Pinocchio'' story was written by Carlo Collodi, and was out of copyright.

Possibly due to these similarities, the film was a commercial failure, costing $8 to $10 million to make, but only earning $3.3 million domestically. However, it retains a small but loyal cult following; fans of the movie will illustrate the many differences between the two films, one of which is this film's Aesop about the power of choice, and the theme of temptation as a form of captivity. They'll also cite the DarkerAndEdgier nature of the opposition; in particular, Puppetino's transformation of Pinocchio and the appearance of the eponymous Emperor of the Night are unique, impressive, and terrifying to this day.

Reviewed [[http://madnessmonster.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/pinocchio-emperor-review/ here]]. See also ''WesternAnimation/HappilyEverAfter'', another Filmation effort that served as a sequel to ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''.

** A more subtle form, but listen very closely to the song "Do What Makes You Happy", which sings about the joys or abandoning home to pursue the life of a rule-snubbing vagabond. How many kids and teenagers have ran away from loving homes just for a taste of freedom? And how many have later come to regret it?

* AesopAmnesia: The movie pretty much runs off this, in regards to Pinocchio forgetting every single lesson he learned in the original story.
* AndIMustScream: While Pinocchio is being turned back into a puppet, the camera cuts several times to closeups of Twinkle watching, implying that her original human self is still conscious trapped inside her now puppet body and aware of what's happening.

* BrickJoke: in Scalawag and Igor's introductory scene and EstablishingCharacterMoment, Scalawag yells out that the sky is falling to distract their customers from the con. During the climax, as the Emperor of the Night's dimension starts crumbling around them, Scalawag yells out that the sky is falling again. This time, Igor points out that it's no trick.
* CaptainErsatz: Many of the film's characters for characters from the original book/Disney film. Gee Willikers is Jiminy Cricket given Pinocchio's origin, Scalawag and Igor are Honest John and Gideon with redeeming characteristics, Puppetino is Stromboli with magical powers, and the Emperor of the Night is an ''even'' '''scarier''' version of the Coachman.
* CircusOfFear: Very much shades of ''Literature/SomethingWickedThisWayComes''.

* CreepyChild: The kid in the Cowboy hat that encourages Pinocchio to drink alchohol. [[spoiler:he turns out to be the Emperor in disguise.]]

* DealWithTheDevil: The Emperor tries this on Pinocchio, and it nearly works as he willingly forfeits his free-will over to guarantee his family and friend's safety. But the Emperor screws up, [[ForTheEvulz as he fails to live up to his end]] of the deal, triggering [[{{Determinator}} Pinocchio's wrath and vow to leave by force]].

* EvilSoundsDeep: Evil sounds like Creator/JamesEarlJones.

* {{Expy}}: It's painfully obvious that Scalawag and Igor are meant to be stand-ins for [[CunningLikeAFox Foulfellow]] and [[CatsAreMean Gideon]]. However, because [[WhatMeasureIsANonCute raccoons are cute, chubby, and cuddly]], and EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys, these two end up proving their inner heroism by swallowing their cowardice, doing a HeelFaceTurn, and helping Pinocchio out in the end--if only by getting him to the empire and then [[YouAreNotAlone standing by him when it counted]].

* FriendOrIdolDecision: [[spoiler:The Emperor of the Night]] pulls one of these on Pinocchio, trying to make him choose between Geppetto, Twinkle, and his friends on the one hand versus his freedom. Pinocchio decides to TakeAThirdOption. Things end poorly for the villain.

* HiddenDepths: From Scalawag and Igor no less, who give a BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil explanation to Pinocchio, about the Emperor's and Blue Fairy's diametrically opposed motives and goals concerning free-will.
* HolyBurnsEvil: Neither Emperor or Empire of the Night can stand up to Pinocchio's display of free-will, love and sacrifice for his loved ones.
* HonestJohnsDealership: Scalawag and Igor's carnival game.
* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Pinocchio, again.
* HumanoidAbomination: The Emperor of the Night is monstrosity, lacking a whole body and seems to part part darkness.

* {{Irony}}: The Emperor wants Pinocchio to have no choice, this ends up ''going badly for him'' as Pinocchio, having no choice, [[spoiler: sacrifices himself to save his father.]]

* JumpScare: The Emperor gives a particularly ''nasty'' one to the younger viewer, when his fingers transform into ''screeching demons'', emphasizing that his empire can suddenly switch without warning from a dream, to a nightmare.

* LotusEaterMachine: The "Land Where Dreams Come True."
* MalignantPlotTumor: Gee Willikers and Lieutenant Bumblebee enlist the aid of bugs everywhere by visiting "Bugzburg" and fight off... a frog. The side-story has little consequence, ''consumes a lot of time'', and nearly derails the plot of the entire movie!
** Considering the film was supposed to get a spin-off based around the town (which came very close to a Fall 1989 release, but scrapped due to L'Oreal disposing of the company with their purchase of it), it comes off more as a poorly disguised BackdoorPilot than anything else.
* MoodWhiplash: It happens ''several times'' in this film - a charming moment plays out with a up-beat song, only to be followed by a scene of [[{{NightmareFuel}} Nightmare Fuel]].

* SatelliteLoveInterest: Twinkle exists pretty much to tempt Pinocchio and be a living MacGuffin for the second half of the movie.
* ThatRemindsMeOfASong: The set-up for the AwardBaitSong listed above probably qualifies as this, particularly since it existed solely to show off the talents of Rickie Lee Jones. [[SubvertedTrope However]], the song in question was crucial to the {{Aesop}} as well as the climax of the film, and while never mentioned explicitly again an instrumental version of it does play as part of the soundtrack during said climax. {{Anvilicious}}, perhaps, but still effective.

* WackyWaysideTribe: Bugsburg.

* MalignantPlotTumor: Gee Willikers and Lieutenant Bumblebee enlist the aid of bugs everywhere by visiting "Bugs-Berg" and fight off... a frog. The side-story has little consequence, ''consumes a lot of time'', and nearly derails the plot of the entire movie!

* ThatRemindsMeOfASong: The set-up for the AwardBaitSong listed above probably qualifies as this, particularly since it existed solely to show off the talents of Rickie Lee Lake. [[SubvertedTrope However]], the song in question was crucial to the {{Aesop}} as well as the climax of the film, and while never mentioned explicitly again an instrumental version of it does play as part of the soundtrack during said climax. {{Anvilicious}}, perhaps, but still effective.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Scalawag, in the end. (Natch, [[EdAsner considering his VA]].)

One year after becoming a real boy, Geppetto feels Pinocchio's ready to take on some responsibility, and so entrusts him with a delivery job: take a [[MacGuffin hand-crafted jewel box]] to the Mayor. Unfortunately, he instead trades the box away to a pair of con artists he meets on the road, in exchange for a [[DistractedByTheShiny big, shiny]] [[spoiler: ([[GenreBlind fake]])]] [[DistractedByTheShiny ruby.]] Geppetto, when he finds out, is somewhat less than pleased.

* DealWithTheDevil: The Emperor tries this on Pinocchio, and its nearly works as he willingly forfeits his free-will over to guarantee his family and friend's safety. The Emperor screws up, [[ForTheEvulz as he fails to live up to his end]] of the deal, triggering [[{{Determinator}} Pinocchio's wrath and vow to leave by force]].

* EldritchAbomination: The Emperor.

* AdultFear: Listen to the scene where Puppetino turns Pinnochio back into a puppet with your eyes closed - UpToEleven.

** Besides those two, we have [[strike:Jiminy Cricket]] Gee Willikers, a small insect named after an interjection who tries to keep Pinocchio on the straight and narrow, and a [[TheyJustDidntCare painfully obvious]] expy of Lampwick in the [[strike:Pleasure Island]] Neon Cabaret scene. And like Monstro, the Emperor's ship swallows their boat whole and provides the backdrop for Pinocchio's final battle.

* MalignantPlotTumor: Gee Willikers and Lieutenant Bumblebee enlist the aid of bugs everywhere by visiting "BugsBerg" and fight off... a frog. The side-story has little consequence, ''consumes a lot of time'', and nearly derails the plot of the entire movie!