Pinocchio in Outer Space
Pinocchio in Outer Space is a 1965 Belgian-American animated science-fantasy film which sets Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio character on a rocketship adventure.[1] Peter Lazer performs the voice of Pinocchio. It was produced by Ray Goossens at Belvision Studios, with American involvement from Norm Prescott (Filmation) and Fred Ladd.
| Pinocchio in Outer Space | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Ray Goossens |
| Produced by | Fred Ladd Raymond Leblanc Norm Prescott |
| Written by | Fred Ladd |
| Starring | Arnold Stang Peter Lazer Jess Cain Conrad Jameson Mavis Mims Cliff Owens Minerva Pious Norman Rose |
| Music by | Ray Goossens |
| Cinematography | Fred Ladd |
| Edited by | Norm Prescott |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures (USA) |
Release date |
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Running time | 71 min |
| Country | Belgium United States |
| Language | English French |
The French version was titled Pinocchio dans l'espace and the Dutch version was known as Pinocchio in de ruimte.
The film was released in the US by Universal Pictures. It was Universal's second animated film that it distributed (the first was The Snow Queen) and its last one until 1986's An American Tail, which is the first film the company co-produced.
The Talking Cricket character was not present in this production. Instead, Pinocchio's sidekick was Nurtle, an alien Twertle (voiced by Arnold Stang), sent by his government to investigate an unusual increase of radiation on Mars. Together they do battle against Astro, a marauding intergalactic whale who was seeking revenge after being abducted by a mysterious race of Martians.
Cast
- Peter Lazer – Pinocchio
- Arnold Stang – Nurtle the Twurtle
- Ray Owens – Mister Geppetto
- Conrad Jameson – G. Godline/Sharp
- Mavis Mims – The Blue Fairy
- Jess Cain – Groovy
- Minerva Pious – The Blue Fairy's Mother
- Norman Rose – Fedora
- Kevin Kennedy – Astro the Space Whale
Comic strip adaptation
In 1965 the film was adapted into a comic strip by Willy Lateste, which was published in Tintin.[2]
References
- Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 197. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- https://www.lambiek.net/artists/l/lateste_willy.htm