It’s sorta funny when you revisit classic Disney movies. There’s so many things you realize you never really remembered. You realize just how non-PC (for today, at least) that these FAMILY films really are in today’s movie-going age. Such was most certainly the case when we got our review copy of PINOCCHIO Walt Disney Signature Collection.

Highlights that stay glued in memory for this cherished film are perhaps the most iconic visuals; Pinocchio and the honest-seeking Blue Fairy, a boat inside of Monstro the whale, the deceptively wicked Pleasure Island… lots of little bursts that you come to appreciate all over again when you revisit a classic that you feel you know so well.

But other things you some how don’t remember like underage drinking and smoking (yes with dramatic purpose), the immensely creepy Coachman, the extremely terrifying Stromboli… so many random moments from the film, and the heart-breaking cries of the little donkeys. So many wonderfully wickedly unsettling moments that give these films a new sort of flavor compared to the pixie dust treatment that the marketing sprinkles so abundantly on these classics.

But for its scary and its sappy moments, getting re-acquainted with this classic is one of those classic components of the Disney brand that separate them from all else… that golden little “aww” moment that you get from the beautiful “When You Wish Upon a Star” opening down to the happy tears after Pinocchio awakens as a real boy.

But I don’t need to talk up WHY you need to love Pinocchio, you want to know why you need to buy this latest release of a film that you have likely purchased 2 or 3 times by this point. Of course, that means you want to dive in deeper into the BONUS MATERIALS.

Bonus Features are tough when it comes to re-releasing a film like Pinocchio so many times but Disney has managed to work out a notable selection of extras for this Walt Disney Signature Collection. Notably, these new features take a queue from the name of the series collection and that’s in Walt Disney himself. Walt nostalgia has been extremely popular and these new features align Pinocchio history with a specific lands on Walt himself.

Below is the official recap on the goodies included in this release:

  • In Walt’s Words – “Pinocchio” – Hear Walt himself discuss the making of “Pinocchio” through archival recordings and interviews.
  • Walt’s Story Meetings: Pleasure Island – The Pleasure Island scene in “Pinocchio” had much more development than what is seen in the film. Join Pixar’s Pete Docter and Disney historian and author J.B. Kaufman as they explore artwork recently discovered in Disney’s animation research library revealing some of the attractions, gags and games, which Disney animators created for this iconic location of the film, that never made it on screen.

  • Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in “Poor Papa” – This recently restored and scored 1927 short features Oswald the Lucky Rabbit who gets multiple visits from the stork and is forced to attempt various methods to help stop the onslaught of baby deliveries.
  • The Pinocchio Project: “When You Wish Upon a Star” – Music influencers Alex G, Tanner Patrick and JR Aquino from Disney’s Maker Studios, a global leader in short-form videos, gather in a creative workspace to create their rendition of the film’s signature song, “When You Wish Upon a Star,” and produce a fresh new music video.

Of course, Classic Bonus Features are also included here creating what is now the ultimate version to own of PINOCCHIO. You get access to a grand assortment of extras from prior home entertainment releases include hours and hours of bonus material, including making of “Pinocchio” featurettes, deleted scenes, sing-alongs, storyboards and theatrical trailers.

PINOCCHIO Walt Disney Signature Collection is available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital.