GENOA, Italy, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- The Italian visual-effects master who helped bring E.T. to life on the big-screen wants to do the same for Pinocchio, ANSA reported Friday.
Carlo Rambaldi, 82, who won his second Oscar for the 1982 Steven Spielberg blockbuster, "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," said he has long dreamed of out-doing Walt Disney's 1941 animated classic about the puppet who wants to be a real boy.
"It's always been a bee in my bonnet," said Rambaldi, who won his first Oscar for "Alien" and who was also nominated for the 1976 version of "King Kong."
"Now I hope I can finally get something done."
Rambaldi's most recent film credit was for his son Vittorio's "Primal Rage" in 1988.
Rambaldi said he is working on the "Pinocchio" idea with Vittorio, a horror effects specialist. He also said he would try a similar approach to Roberto Benigni's 2002 live-action film version of "Pinocchio" -- that is, he would try to bring out the darker aspects of Carlo Collodi's 1883 story, which many Italians see as a morality tale that Disney simplified, ANSA said.
Although Italian critics praised Benigni's film, U.S. reviewers hated it.
"Roberto was unfairly panned by the American critics, who didn't understand what he was trying to do. We Italians loved it," said Rambaldi.
