Talking Cricket

Talking Cricket
The Adventures of Pinocchio character
Il Grillo Parlante, as illustrated by Enrico Mazzanti
First appearance The Adventures of Pinocchio
Created by Carlo Collodi
Information
Species Cricket
Gender Male

The Talking Cricket (Italian: Il Grillo Parlante) is a fictional character that appears in Carlo Collodi's 1883 book The Adventures of Pinocchio (Le avventure di Pinocchio).[1][2][3]

Role

The Cricket, which has lived in Geppetto's house for over a century, makes his first appearance in chapter IV, after Pinocchio's mischief has landed his creator Geppetto in prison, and insists that Pinocchio must either attend school or work, to function properly in the world. When Pinocchio refuses to listen, the Cricket states, "You are a puppet and what's worse is that you have a head of wood", whereupon Pinocchio throws a mallet at the cricket, killing him.

In chapter XIII, the Cricket appears as a ghost to Pinocchio, telling him to return home rather than keep an appointment with the Fox and the Cat (Il Gatto e la Volpe). Pinocchio refuses and in chapter XIV, he is subsequently injured. The Cricket reappears in chapter XVI, where his colleagues, the Crow and the Owl, and he tend to Pinocchio's injuries.

The Cricket makes his final appearance in chapter XXXVI, living in a house given him by the Fairy with Turquoise Hair, at which he allows Pinocchio and the ailing Geppetto to stay while Geppetto recovers his health.

Media portrayals

  • In the 1940 Disney film Pinocchio, the Talking Cricket is renamed Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Cliff Edwards) and portrayed very differently, as he becomes Pinocchio's inseparable companion and advisor, under instructions from the Fairy with the Turquoise Hair (renamed the 'Blue Fairy').[4][5] His relationship with Pinocchio is much less adversarial than in the book as he accompanies Pinocchio on his adventures. Jiminy Cricket also appeared as the host of the two story segments in the theatrical release Fun and Fancy Free, as well as in several recurring segments of the children's television series The Mickey Mouse Club, and he later appeared as the Ghost of Christmas Past in Mickey's Christmas Carol. Jiminy also appeared as a Disney mascot. Jiminy Cricket later appears in Disney's House of Mouse and Kingdom Hearts voiced by Eddie Carroll. In later projects following Eddie Carroll's death, Phil Snyder and Joe Ochman have since voiced Jiminy Cricket.
  • In Giuliano Cencis's 1972 adaptation Un burattino di nome Pinocchio, the Cricket (voiced by Lauro Gazzolo with Don Messick doing his English-voice dub), though anthropomorphized, differs little from the character of the novel, but gets killed after Pinocchio throws a mallet at the cricket like in the original novel. The only difference in characterization is that he does not reappear in the Fairy's house as a doctor.
    Il Grillo Parlante, as portrayed in Giuliano Cencis's cartoon Un burattino di nome Pinocchio
  • In the 1992 direct to video adaptation from GoodTimes Entertainment, the Cricket (voiced by Cam Clarke) is portrayed very much like Jiminy Cricket, and inhabits Pinocchio's pocket as he accompanies Pinocchio on his adventures.
  • In Steve Barron's 1996 live action film The Adventures of Pinocchio, the Cricket is a CGI character named Pépé (voiced by David Doyle, in his final film performance one year before his death in 1997) and is also portrayed very much like Jiminy Cricket. He is an optimistic character who advises Pinocchio against Volpe and Felinet as well as the main antagonist Lorenzini and also accompanies Pinocchio on his adventures. Pépé reappears in the sequel, The New Adventures of Pinocchio with Warwick Davis replacing David Doyle as the voice of Pépé.
  • In the Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child episode "Pinocchio", the Cricket is actually a termite named Woody (voiced by Chris Rock), but is portrayed very much like Jiminy Cricket.
  • In Roberto Benigni's 2002 live action film Pinocchio, the Cricket also made an appearance and is played by Peppe Barra with John Cleese doing his English voice-dub. The Cricket is similar to Jiminy Cricket and (like him) is a companion to Pinocchio.
  • The Talking Cricket (under his Disney alias) appears in Once Upon a Time, played by Raphael Sbarge. His human alter-ego is local psychiatric counselor, and part-time legal advisor, 'Dr. Archie Hopper', in which he is much more timid than in his Cricket guise.
  • The Talking Cricket appeared in the 2012 Pinocchio film, voiced by Carolo Valli with his English dub voice provided by Arthur Grosser.

References

  1. ↑ Joy Lo Dico. "Classics corner: Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi | Culture". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
  2. ↑ "Pinocchio Goes Postmodern: Perils of a Puppet in the United States - Richard Wunderlich, Thomas J. Morrissey". Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
  3. ↑ "Pinocchio's Real Roots Mapped". News.discovery.com. 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
  4. ↑ "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales, Children, and the Culture Industry - Jack Zipes". Books.google.co.uk. 2013-08-21. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
  5. ↑ Rich, Nathaniel (2011-10-24). "Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio: Why is the original Pinocchio subjected to such sadistic treatment?". Slate.com. Retrieved 2015-07-01.

Bibliography

  • Collodi, Le Avventure di Pinocchio 1883, Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
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