I never heard of this movie as a kid, but I recently heard a few people naming it as the most disturbing/upsetting children's film/cartoon they've seen. I actually didn't like Disney's Pinocchio (along with ET, it's one of the classics I can't get into), but I decided to watch the Emperor of the Night movie on-line. As a person who never liked the original Pinocchio, it's probably to this movie's credit that I think it's not bad. But I don't think it's the most disturbing children's film or cartoon. I think most children could handle it. It's just that the villain, voiced by James Earl Jones, may be a little scary. He's sort of a demon, but the Wizard of Oz, Wicked Witch and numerous Disney villains have the same effect. Moreover, James Earl Jones' character doesn't show up until pretty late in the film, and everything up to that point is tame.
It's been a year since Pinocchio became a real boy and he's warned by his fairy godmother that he could become a puppet again if he takes his "freedom for granted." Pinocchio eventually finds himself at a carnival where he falls in love with a girl puppet, and is transformed back into a puppet himself. He eventually enters this strange world (the Empire of the Night) where he meets the villain and finds out his freedom of choice is still powerful. Teaching values of freedom and choice should be important. Generally, this movie's not bad.
It's been a year since Pinocchio became a real boy and he's warned by his fairy godmother that he could become a puppet again if he takes his "freedom for granted." Pinocchio eventually finds himself at a carnival where he falls in love with a girl puppet, and is transformed back into a puppet himself. He eventually enters this strange world (the Empire of the Night) where he meets the villain and finds out his freedom of choice is still powerful. Teaching values of freedom and choice should be important. Generally, this movie's not bad.