Fresh off its screening at Raindance Film Festival—where it casually bagged four major nominations—the latest nightmare from the Twisted Childhood Universe is gearing up to splinter its way into your local cinema. Pinocchio: Unstrung takes the classic fairy tale, douses it in gasoline, and sparks a deliciously dark fire.
The story sees Geppetto, played by the legendary Richard Brake (interview), as he gives his grandson, James, a handcrafted wooden doll. Naturally, the kid possesses absolutely zero horror-movie survival instincts and immediately introduces his new wooden bestie to the real world. This innocent show-and-tell triggers a catastrophic domino effect. Pinocchio has a violent moral code. The absolute best way to be a “good boy” is to brutally eliminate anyone he deems “bad”.
A Dream Team of Horror Royalty
However, to ensure you never sleep soundly again, the filmmakers pulled off a stroke of twisted casting genius by recruiting horror royalty Robert Englund to voice a demonic, insectoid conscience—yes, a nightmare-fueled Jiminy Cricket. Having Freddy Krueger guide a killer puppet’s moral compass is exactly the kind of unhinged creative choice the genre needs.
The Young Star
Stepping right into the center of this bloody chaos is newcomer Cameron Bell. He’s making his feature debut as James. Holding your own alongside titans like Brake and Englund is no small feat. However, Bell brings a brilliant, vulnerable energy to this terrifying addition to the franchise. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Bell, who clearly has a promising future ahead of him. You can watch the interview below. He discussed his role and the film with excitement. It’s the same kind of feeling many of us felt when we first discovered how amazing the genre is.
Prepare for the Splinters
Steered by mastermind writer-director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Chambers, this movie is fully prepared to ruin your weekend in the best way possible. Just a warning, Pinocchio: Unstrung is not for the faint of heart. It’s brutal and bloody, but that’s what you get when SFX master Todd Masters (interview) is behind the gore and guts.
So, clear your schedule, double-check the locks, and get ready. Pinocchio: Unstrung carves its path into theaters nationwide on July 24th.
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