Pinocchio: The Original

By: Carlo Collodi, Steven Ritz-Barr

Narrated by: Steven Ritz-Barr

Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

"Pinocchio, the Original," is "The Adventures of Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi from 1883, with updated comments by Steven Ritz-Barr—a professional Puppeteer for over 4 decades in Paris, Los Angeles and Berlin. It is a darker, more profound version than the popular Pinocchio by Disney, who made the story world-famous with the 1940 animated film. It is filled with absurd puppet-humor and abstract slap-stick—and it is the real version. It is not politically correct (the policemen are all corrupt) and very likely will not be available in Florida or Texas (USA) schools.

It is a coming of age story of a wooden puppet who was promised that he could become a real boy, if he could only behave well—go to school and study hard. He constantly is harassed by two charming con men, Fox and Cat, who attempt to steal his gold coins many times. Over and over, he gets redeemed by a Blue Fairy, who substitutes as his sister, then as his mother. Along the way he is thrown in jail, unjustly, by a Judge who is a Gorilla. He gets caught in a fox-trap while picking berries and is forced to spend a night as a guard dog, and he is saved because of his loud bark. He is almost hung to death, but is saved because he is indeed a marionette made from wood, which cannot really die, (because he is not really alive). Later, one of his classmates lures him away from his goal to finish school and he goes to a place of pure "fun," where he can play all day and never go to school. But soon, he and his friend are turned into donkeys and sold on the market as beasts of burden. The donkey, Pinocchio, lands in a circus, but while jumping through a hoop he injures his leg and is sold for his hide for 4 cents. It is then he dives into the sea to save himself and discovers a huge terrible “shark”—the exact one that has swallowed his father, Geppetto. Through his cunning and caring he finds a way out and saves himself and Geppetto, and finally this absurdly dark, yet humorous tale ends.

Public Domain (P)2022 Steven Ritz-Barr

Reading original Pinocchio

You deserve a chance to hear the original book of Pinocchio. Forget Disney. The reader does a fantastic job with the characters. The story is so much fun. Enjoy

Outstanding Narration

Steven Ritz-Barr's ' skill in creating distinctive voices for the characters made this version of Pinocchio come alive. His opening comments were helpful. Fascinating to learn the origins of Pinocchio and his early adventures.

The original story, you must read this

Renowned puppeteer, narrator, storyteller, voice actor, and esteemed SAG-AFTRA member since 1990, Steven Ritz-Barr delivers a stellar performance in this exquisite audio production for Pinocchio: The Original. He enthusiastically reads and acts with talent, passion, and energy. Mr. Ritz-Barr successfully brings to life all the remarkable and imaginative characters in this magical story and perfectly captures the atmosphere, the places, and the events portrayed in it.

Many of us are familiar with the story of Pinocchio, the wooden marionette who wants to become a real boy due to the success of the 1940 classic Disney animated adaptation. But, what almost no one realizes is that the original work, released as The Adventures of Pinocchio and written by Carlo Collodi in 1883, is quite different from what the Walt Disney Company brought to the public in the 40s and now with the 2022 live-action movie starring Tom Hanks.

I highly recommend that you check out this recording because I think we all need to be familiar with the original fairytale. Besides, this version is much more interesting, it is more atmospheric and darker than what we are used to from the commercial-oriented tales released by Disney.

Pinocchio: The Original is the coming-of-age story of a wooden puppet who was promised that he could become a real boy only if he will behave well, go to school, and study hard. But, as soon as he starts on his journey, little Pinocchio will find out that there is much more to life than what he thinks he knows. Beware, the story is filled with all sorts of colorful characters, including some corrupt cops and others that will do anything to benefit from our unlikely hero’s naivety.

From the comprehensive and heartfelt introduction written by Steven Ritz-Barr and right up to the satisfying ending of Pinocchio‘s journey, listeners will be delighted and highly entertained by this ageless story and by the beautiful way in which Mr. Ritz-Barr brings it to life. Perfect for kids, young adults, and grown-ups alike, Pinocchio: The Original is an adventure in which I encourage readers and listeners of all ages to embark!

I hope that you found this review interesting and will consider leaving a helpful vote below. Thank you! Take care, stay safe, and don't forget, always listen with your heart.