Discover

'Monstro' is a fictional character from the Disney film ''Pinocchio''. He appears as a 'sperm whale', though his underside resembles that of a 'blue whale'.

Contents

''Pinocchio'' (the Disney film)

Comparisons to Book

Trivia

''Pinocchio'' (the Disney film)

Monstro is first mentioned when Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket return home to find Geppetto gone. Soon after they discover this, a dove flies down and delivers a note, which apprises Pinocchio and Jiminy of the whereabouts of Geppetto, telling them that Geppetto has been swallowed by the great whale, Monstro. Pinocchio immediately sets out to rescue Geppetto, accompanied by Jiminy. Tying his donkey tail around a stone, he descends to the sea floor and looks for Monstro. It doesn't take long for him to find him, and he is able to enter the Monstro's belly when the whale opens his mouth to feed on a school of fish; thus Pinocchio is soon reunited with Geppetto (and his pets, Cleo the goldfish and Figaro the cat). Pinocchio soon effects their escape by starting a fire which causes Monstro to sneeze, thus propelling them, atop a raft, to freedom. However, Monstro becomes enraged and furiously chases the escapees until a climactic finish where Pinocchio and Geppetto lose the raft and Pinocchio selflessly carries Geppetto to safety but is himself apparently drowned. By this heroic act, however, Pinocchio's wish to become a real boy is granted. Monstro is apparently killed when he slams into a cliffside, though his fate is never shown on screen.

Comparisons to Book

★ In the original story by Italian author Carlo Collodi, the creature is referred to as the Terrible Shark (a vast creature, 5 storeys tall and a mile long)

★ In the original story, Pinocchio does not set out specifically to rescue Geppetto. Instead, after witnessing Geppetto's disappearance at sea, he runs into several other mishaps before he jumps into the sea to escape a pursuer and is soon swallowed by the Terrible Shark where he finds Geppetto. Thus his reunion with Geppetto only comes about by happenstance.

★ Pinocchio's and Geppetto's escape from the Shark is much less dramatic than the equivalent scene in the film. In the story, after one failed attempt, Pinocchio and Geppetto simply walk out of the beast (albeit in total darkness) and swim away. The Shark takes no notice and gives no pursuit. When Pinocchio's strength begins to fail him, a fish (that Pinocchio had befriended soon after being swallowed) helps them reach the shore. The fish had escaped by following Pinocchio's example and thus expressed his gratitude.

★ In the story, the failed attempt to escape the Shark comes when the creature sneezes and Pinocchio and Geppetto are hurled back into the beast's belly; a contrast to the corresponding scene in the film, where the escape is actually enabled by Monstro sneezing.'

Trivia

★ Monstro was inspired by Moby Dick.

★ Monstro also appeared in ''Kingdom Hearts'' as a world. Like the other Disney Worlds, Monstro is infested with the evil Heartless and has escaped from the boundaries of the universe of Pinnochio floating through the empty space between the worlds. After Sora and friends restored the worlds, Monstro assumingly returned to his world. Lord Jabu Jabu in plays a most similar role.

★ Monstro appeared in both versions of the nighttime extraordinaire Fantasmic!. Here, the giant whale thrashes violently in the ocean after being awakened by Jiminy Cricket, splashing enormous waves in his wake and flooding Mickey's dream.

★ Monstro is also the title of a song on by the rock singer Meat Loaf.

★ Monstro along with Pinnochio and Geppetto happen to be, or are represented in an episode of Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, where Pinnochio tries to kill Billy and eat him, in hopes that he will become a real boy, because Geppetto wants Billy, a real boy to be his son.

★ Monstro is also the given name of Tom R., a famous pilot from Massachusetts.