‘Pinocchio Unstrung’s Violence Still Can't Top The 1996 Movie's Most Disturbing Scene

The Twisted Childhood Universe has covered a lot of ground in three years, with Pinocchio Unstrung (2026) being the latest installment and an adaptation of the iconic 1883 story by Carlo Collodi. Reimagining the character as a violent murderer using parts of his victims to make him real is already a departure from the story, but there's one scene the film didn't adapt.

While Pinocchio is a classic children's story, it wasn't without its shocking moments. The Disney version of the film delivered a shocking version of the Donkey transformation on Pleasure Island, but it was nothing compared to the nightmare fuel The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996) gave viewers.

‘The Adventures of Pinocchio’ Delivered a Scarring Transformation Scene

Directed by Steve Barron, The Adventures of Pinocchio tells the story of Pinocchio, but in live action. One scene in particular sees Pinocchio run off to a fun fair called Terra Magica. While it seems like a great place for kids, those who drink the water from there turn into donkeys and are sold to the circus.

While Pinocchio only drank enough to grow ears, one of the other kids, Lampwick, drank just enough. As they ride on a mine cart rollercoaster, Lampwick begins ot change into a donkey, and it's utterly terrifying to witness.

Aside from the fact that the boy had no idea what was going on, the transformation was practical, from his hands turning into hooves to his head growing in size, as well as his teeth. What comes of this is a traumatic memory that didn't need to be in a horror film. If the goal was to scare kids into following the rules, The Adventures of Pinocchio more than delivers while also telling a good story.

‘Pinocchio Unstrung’ Unsettles in Different Ways

Pinocchio Unstrung doesn't have a scene where children turn into donkeys. Instead, the only one delivering terror is the titular puppet. From the moment he takes a life to protect his friend, Pinocchio doesn't just murder; he tortures in ways that are reminiscent of Art the Clown from Terrifier (2018).

He takes organs, breaks teeth, and even removes skin, and all the while he does it with a childlike innocence that adds to the dark humor while still being unsettling. The film also turns Geppetto into a much more malicious figure who is chasing immortality even while he cares for his grandson.

It's implied he'd killed before to try and resurrect his grandson's dead friend, killing the wooden bodies those souls possessed when they didn't act as he'd hoped. But by the end of the film, as he's killing children and acting completely unhinged, it makes the loving father figure something much worse.

Pinocchio Unstrung remains a dark and bloody film, only honoring the source material as a foundation. It marches to its own beat and isn't afraid to rewrite the character's history by turning him into a slasher. But while it didn't need the donkey scene, it would've been nice to see it in some way.

‘Pinocchio Unstrung’ Missed Out on Skipping a Donkey Scene

There's no questioning the horror elements of Pinocchio Unstrung, or even its ability to scare or traumatize a viewer upon watching. But it also says a lot that one scene from a 30-year-old film can still elicit such a visceral reaction without having to be violent.

Seeing Lampwick change is a moment that everyone will recall, even if they can't remember the film, and it's moments like that that prove what works in Pinocchio should work in all versions. With that said, it's a shame to see that Pinocchio Unstrung didn't try something similar, even if it didn't technically mean there had to be a true transformation.

Perhaps Geppetto made a donkey-human hybrid from body parts, or that was one of the strange reactions to the magic that brought the young boy to life in the first place. There were definitely ways to bring this moment to life, and it'll be the film's biggest disappointment that it didn't try to adapt it. But seeing that there's still The Adventures of Pinocchio to watch, and the potential for more stories in the Twisted Childhood Universe, there's always a chance a donkey transformation scene will come.