Of all the many animated and live action adaptations of Carlo Collodi's timeless masterwork on the mischievous puppet, this is by far the best. It is the most faithful to the book showing Pinocchio not as an innocent passive child like in Disneys version but as a spoiled lazy brat who gradually gets wiser as the film continues. Many elements from the book that were disregarded as too dark in most other adaptations were included;SPOILERS.Pinocchio killing the cricket for lecturing him.The fox and cat in the guise of assassins hanging Pinocchio from a tree.The death and resurrection of the blue fairy.The encounter with the green fisherman.Lampwick (Lucignolo) dying of exhaustion after years of servitude to a farmer as a donkey.END SPOILERSThe acting is top-notch for an animated film. The animation itself has a very European feel to it, while the musical score, while an acquired taste in some cases, always convey the correct moods.A definite must for fans of the book which faithfully retains the harsh lessons inherent in the original work, yet disregarded in other "sugary" adaptations.