Pinocchio (Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection)

Count the number of truly classic animated films and the list would begin with Walt Disney's PINOCCHIO. C. Collodi's brilliant story of a little puppet who dreams of being a real boy unfolds as a shining example of vivid, rich, detailed Disney animation at its finest! An unforgettable cast of characters includes the spry Jiminy Cricket; kindly old Geppetto; the sneaky J. Worthington Foulfellow; a terrifying whale named Monstro; and, of course, the little puppet made of wood, Pinocchio. Coupled with the haunting theme song "When You Wish Upon A Star," you have a timeless, unparalleled film adventure for anyone who has a dream in their heart.

This Disney masterpiece from 1940 will hold up forever precisely because it doesn't restrain or temper the most elemental emotions and themes germane to its story. Based on the Collodi tale about a wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy, Pinocchio is among the most magical, mythical, and frightening films to come from the studio in its long history. A number of scenes make permanent impressions on young minds (just ask Steven Spielberg, who quoted the film more than once in Close Encounters of the Third Kind), and the songs ("When You Wish upon a Star") can't be beat. --Tom Keogh