Lorenzini

"Act like a jackass, if you have the nerve. Drink up the water, get what you deserve. Be wicked, be naughty, come drink from my Fountain: And then I'll be rich, King of the Mountain"

- Lorenzini overseeing the misdeeds in his pleasure park

Lorenzini is the main antagonist of the 1996 live action fantasy film, The Adventures of Pinocchio. He schemed to steal Pinocchio from Geppetto and make him into a star of his puppet show. Lorenzini portrayed three characters (The Puppet Master - The Coachman - and the Terrible Dogfish/The Whale).

He was portrayed by Udo Kier.

In his Human form
Lorenzini wears a long dark leather jacket, a blue tunic, leather trousers, leather boots, a hat, a dark cape and a purple white striped scarf, also has brown hair with both a beard and an moustache.

In his Sea-Monster form
Due to drinking the water, instead of becoming a donkey (like all the boys) Lorenzini transformed into a gigantic whale-like sea monster with crooked teeth and replacing eyes with light tanned skin.

As Madame Flambeau
Due to gaining dark magic powers as a side-effect from becoming the Terrible Dogfish, Lorenzini gained the ability to shape shift into a whole new individual. He used his newfound power to fool everybody and shape shift into that of a creepy, elderly woman, named Madame Flambeau. In this form, Lorenzini had a dark leather cloak, dark leather jacket and trousers, boots, a hat, and a smooth face, with dark eyes and a large scar on his left cheek.

Meeting Pinocchio
"Gepetto, everything is for sale!"

- Lorenzini reveals himself to be a typical spoiled brat to Gepetto.

In the film, Lorenzini is first seen inside his luxurious puppet theater, discussing the new puppet show. He stresses that "every single child must be in attendance". Lorenzini is soon interrupted by Volpe and Felinet, who have come with news on Pinocchio and his miraculous sentience. Felinet says "What I have seen will show you more curtain calls than Rome has rights". Interested, Lorenzini says "Do tell", and he comes to Gepetto's house the next day. An argument quickly erupts between Lorenzini and Gepetto because of their rivalry and the fact Lorenzini would not buy rich puppets from Gepetto two years ago and he only wants Pinocchio. Pinocchio introduces himself despite Gepetto warning him to be quiet. Lorenzini is taken by him and requests him. But then he eventually makes off with two substitute puppets.

Adopting Pinocchio
"Kindness is my weakness. Of course, noble deeds should go with ignoble obligations"

- Lorenzini, sparing Gepetto for his own evil deeds.

When Gepetto runs into trouble with the Watch when Pinocchio caused a commotion in a bakery in which the baker's wife has caused more damage than the puppet, the town comes to court and the Judge rules Gepetto pay back 20 thousand lira to the bakers to repair the damage and 10 thousand to the court. Then Gepetto honestly claims he doesn't have it, because that's 3 years wages. As Gepetto is sentenced to 3 years locked away in Debtor's prison, Lorenzini steps in and spares Gepetto from jail, saying he, Lorenzini, will pay for the damage. Lorenzini asks if he can be requested to adopt Pinocchio, because he claims he loves him and he will treat him like his own son. Gepetto is derided by Lorenzini who says all Gepetto will give Pinocchio is "Tables, traps and cold Winter nights" and eventually Gepetto gives in to sell Pinocchio. However, Pinocchio realizes he truly loves Gepetto and tells Gepetto as he is carried out by Lorenzini.

At the Puppet Show
Despite these seemingly good qualities of Lorenzini, (i.e. helping Gepetto escape debt) he reveals his true sadistic nature in his theater, where Pepe the Cricket tells Pinocchio that Lorenzini is actually evil. Believing Lorenzini loves him, Pinocchio derides this claim, but then he sees Lorenzini igniting a giant wooden sea monster and aiming to burn Gepetto's puppets and Pinocchio. Lorenzini smirks evilly as he does this and he says "Now for the fireworks," munching chilli as he does to power the flamethrower. Pepe tells Pinocchio to take action and Pinocchio sets out to destroy the theater, albeit saving the puppets. As the audience flees from the fire, Lorenzini grabs Volpe and Felinet and says "I will kill you if you don't bring me that puppet!" Realizing Lorenzini's true evil, the thieves flee. Lorenzini attempts to grab Pinocchio in the chaos but gets struck by fire.

At Pleasure Island
Pinocchio is shocked at Lorenzini's betrayal and even more shocked when Volpe and Felinet swindle him out of money. Shocked at his own stupidity, Pinocchio sits on a rock to think things over and regrets not listening to Pepe's warning. Pinocchio then suddenly is interrupted by a coach pulling up with a sinister looking coachman and a coachload of boys. Lampwick leaps from the coach and says they're off to the best place ever. Pinocchio is all excited, and Gepetto sees the coach, with Pinocchio in it, and follows it. But the coach disappears behind a waterfall and Gepetto misses it. He believes Pinocchio drowned in the ocean because he sees his hat on the beach.

Transformation into the Sea Monster
"Sell these jackasses to the circus. And at the market. For twenty thousand lira each. And skin one...! For a new pair of boots."

- Lorenzini outright displays his evil cruel nature, by professing to skin one of the donkeys (who are little boys transformed by the curse into donkeys) to make himself more boots.

However, Pinocchio enters Pleasure Island in a cave behind the waterfall, and he sees various misdeeds being committed. During one misdeed, the Island manager comes up and ushers them into the tunnel ride as a "reward" for their misdeeds. Then the dark side of the Island is revealed where Lorenzini is shown to be master of the place, and watching the park, which is now akin to Hell. Lampwick, and the boys, drink cursed water which turns them into donkeys. Lorenzini watches the water pour into their mouths, eyeing them evilly. Pinocchio is the only one who doesn't change because the water leaked through him. Lorenzini is informed of this, and gets mad. Then he chases Pinocchio, and grapples with him, but snaps off Pinocchio's donkey ears. Unharmed, Pinocchio runs to the crowd of boys, and warns them of the real intentions of Lorenzini, but Lorenzini himself appears and argues with Pinocchio. He accuses Pinocchio of theft, and then he lures the boys to drink the water, but Pinocchio urges the donkey Lampwick to knock Lorenzini into the Fountain to make his point. Lampwick does, kicking Lorenzini in, and he changes into a ferocious sea monster, and leaps into the water which leads to the ocean.

Vengeance and Defeat
"We're inside Lorenzini, he must be the Sea Monster"

- Pinocchio after swallowed by the Sea-Monster

After drinking the water, Lorenzini returns when Pinocchio looks for Gepetto. He had now become a whale-like sea monster who has grown to gigantic size, and swallowed Pinocchio and even Gepetto when he set off to look for his son. Finally reunited, Pinocchio and Gepetto try to escape, but cannot for fear of losing each other again. But Pinocchio does the only thing he can and lies about hating Gepetto, and his nose grows, and chokes Lorenzini. Finally the nose snaps off and jams itself in Lorenzini's throat. The sea monster spews Pinocchio and Gepetto out of his mouth, and is left to choke in the ocean depths before disappearing underwater, until Pinocchio's long nose breaks (somehow and off-screen).

The New Adventures of Pinocchio
Lorenzini somehow came back to normal as Pinocchio and his friend Lampwick skip school to go to a carnival. While there, they watch a presentation by the carnival's leader, Madame Flambeau.

Disguised
She gives a man with one shorter leg some of her Elixir, and his leg grows to the length of the other one. The carnival's dwarf then leads Pinocchio and Lampwick to to "The Hall of Freaks", a place with a clown that washes his face, a man who can blow fire from his mouth, a large fish tank that have fish with human faces, a woman with a beard, and a fairy called "Blue" who only Pinocchio can see. They then return to Pinocchio's house and find his father Gepetto, who is very sick. Pinocchio and Lampwick then return to the carnival to each buy some of Madame Flambeau's Elixir. Felinet and Volpe, a human-cat and human-fox respectively, lead them to Madame Flambeau. They don't have enough money for the Elixir, so they agree to work for her in the carnival. Lampwick drinks his Elixir and returns home, and Pinocchio gives his Elixir to Gepetto.

Pursuing Pinocchio
The next morning, Pinocchio finds the Elixir has transformed his father into a puppet. Madame Flambeau enters their house, and gets angry at Pinocchio for giving the Elixir to his father instead of himself. She reveals she is Lorenzini's widow. Gepetto and Pinocchio are then forced to work at the carnival's show. Gepetto eventually accepts and enjoys being a puppet, much to Pinocchio's dismay. Pinocchio finds Lampwick, who is now a sea donkey in the large fish tank. Madame Flambeau compromises Pinocchio that if he becomes a puppet, then Geppetto and Lampwick will automatically become human again; but this was a trick so that Pinocchio would perform in front of the prince. Before the show, the dwarf takes Pinocchio; Felinet and Volpe take Gepetto and replace the two with inanimate puppets. The prince angrily leaves, and Madame Flambeau and her team go on a search for Gepetto and Pinocchio. The dwarf then transforms into Pepe.

Lorenzini Returns
"Our little family reunion is almost complete! If only we had a fire and wood...!"

- Lorenzini as Madame Flambeau

"You're as foolish as your late husband."

- Gepetto to Lorenzini, unaware of his true nature

"Well yes. You could say... I learned everything from him."

- Lorenzini finally uses dark magic to shape shift into his true form as Lorenzini, shocking Pinocchio

Madame Flambeau finds Gepetto and then finds Pinocchio. Madame Flambeau then reveals to be Lorenzini. He plans on cooking Lampwick using Pinocchio and Gepetto as the firewood. Pepe gives Pinocchio clues on how to find the Heart of the Mountain. Once there, they find a place with a pool that turns someone/something into their true nature. Lampwick falls into the water and is restored to human. Lorenzini laughs and jumps in the magic water, but he becomes "the sea monster". Gepetto and Pinocchio then jump in and also return to human. Volpe and Felinet jump in but their true nature remains.

Final defeat
"I didn't think there was anyone more inhuman than you, Lorenzini. And I was right."

- Gepetto cursing Lorenzini

"I am tired of you little puppet people ruining my plans... but no more!Lorenzini angry with Gepetto and Pinocchio"

The next day, the sea monster is locked up in a cage, and is laughed at by the carnival's audience. Pinocchio and Lampwick go to see Gepetto's puppet show, along with a girl called "Isabella". Pinocchio talks to her, and then realizes she is the fairy, Blue. Gepetto performs in front of the prince, and is praised by all of the audience. As the credits roll by, the sea monster escapes his prison. It is unknown what happens to him afterwards or if he ever returned to normal again.

Personality
"I see all of them... little specks of gold!"

- Lorenzini talking about the vast amount of children in his audience he plans to make money off.

Lorenzini was, initially, a seemingly arrogant yet pleasant individual, yet he harboured a dark side and everyone in his theatre was terrified of him as they quickly stepped back from him when he approached. He was very intimidating and his penchant for dark leather clothing enhanced this mystique. He also looked rather Devilish, as he sported a grand black beard and curled mustache, which, along with his gleaming green eyes and chilli pepper addiction, made him seem very sinister. He was pleasant enough to Gepetto, however, although he was very intimidating. It was clear he harboured a rivalry with Gepetto, claiming he refused to buy his puppets two years ago and would not buy them today. He also was very demanding... "Show me your best, and show me NOW!"

Very taken with Pinocchio's mystical charm, Lorenzini was captivated with him upon their first meeting, and vowed to possess the puppet by any means. Through sheer perseverance, Lorenzini got what he wanted, by adopting the puppet through a court deal, at the same time paying off Gepetto's debt. When the judge told him this was a generous offer, Lorenzini sarcastically remarked kindness was his weakness, but nobody in the court got his sarcasm. He was genuinely polite to Gepetto and Pinocchio, all the while harbouring evil thoughts which meant he should have been the one in jail, not Gepetto, thus making Lorenzini a master of deception and temptation.

As Pepe told Pinocchio, "Lesson number one - beware of temptation. Lies may be good for the present, but love is ever-lasting!" Pinocchio said Lorenzini loved him, to which Pepe said he was using him, and Lorenzini "has evil plans in the works and is using you to make them come true!" Lorenzini revealed his idea of "fun" in the puppet show, by using a story full of monsters such as giants and sea monsters attacking a princess. Pinocchio leapt in twice to save the day, a giant puppet in the show said "Filthy peasants!" probably reflecting Lorenzini's view on everyone else. Lorenzini was sadistic as well, he emphasised a peasant being squashed in detail by the giant. And all this in front of very young children. Pinocchio, realizing Pepe was right when Lorenzini attempted to burn all of Gepetto's puppets in a finale. "Wait til they see what I have planned for them next!" Lorenzini bragged.

Lorenzini was shocked when Pinocchio burned down his theatre, but he remained dignified despite his loss. He was furious, though, revealing his dark side when he told Volpe and Felinet "I will kill you if you don't bring me that puppet!"

Later on, Lorenzini was shown to be master of Terra Magica, the Pleasure Island, and overseeing the violence the boys committed in the park. He got delighted when Pinocchio, Lampwick and the others went on the "Big One" but he was later shown overseeing the whipping of the donkeys (cursed boys transformed into donkeys) and even discussed skinning one for a pair of boots - thus professing his desire to skin a young boy - an act of wanton cruelty.

Afterwards, the cruel Lorenzini watched in greedy anticipation when the cursed water splashed on their faces. He got enraged when Pinocchio didn't drink it fully and only got donkey ears, because he got shot by Lampwick before but, being a puppet, the shot only bore holes in him. Pinocchio then escaped with the donkeys and rallied the boys into the true nature of the island. He got Lampwick to kick Lorenzini into the Fountain, as Lampwick was now a donkey. Lorenzini, who, before had been selling as many tickets to the boys as he could to all drink the water, was arrogantly taken unawares as the Lampwick donkey kicked him into the water, causing him pain and distress as he transformed. He climbed out, but could now only breathe underwater, so he jumped back into the water leading to the ocean.

Not much was seen of Lorenzini's personality as a sea monster, but he seemed focused on vengeance of Pinocchio (which he succeeded in doing by swallowing him) and survival - he tried his best to snap Pinocchio's broken nose which lodged in his throat after spewing Pinocchio and Gepetto out into the ocean.

Trivia

 * It is never mentioned how Lorenzini was returned to his human form before the events second film.