The Terrible Dogfish (Italian: Il Terribile Pescecane) is a fictional Half-Shark and Half-Dogfish sea monster, which appears as a major antagonist in Carlo Collodi's book The Adventures of Pinocchio (Le avventure di Pinocchio). It is described as being larger than a five story building, a kilometer long (not including the tail) and sporting three rows of teeth in a mouth that can easily accommodate a train. So fearsome is its reputation, that in chapter XXXIV, it is stated that the Dogfish is nicknamed "The Atilla of fish and fishermen" (L'Atilla dei pesci e dei pescatori).
Biography[]
The Dogfish is first mentioned in chapter XXIV, when Pinocchio, whilst searching for his creator Mister Geppetto, is informed by a dolphin that he has likely been swallowed by the creature which "...for some days has come to wreak extermination and desolation in our waters". The Dogfish is later mentioned in chapter XXVI by Pinocchio's school friends on the Island of the Busy Bees (Isola delle Api Industriose), who tell him that the creature has been sighted on the coast, so to coax Pinocchio away from school.
The Dogfish makes its first appearance in chapter XXXIV when Pinocchio, recently transformed from a donkey back to his puppet form, has entered the sea to escape from his former handler. The Fairy with Turquoise Hair, in the form of a mountain goat, warns Pinocchio of the Dogfish too late, and the puppet is swallowed whole, along with a tuna whom Pinocchio befriends. Pinocchio discovers his father, who reveals that he has been trapped within the Dogfish for two years, surviving on ship supplies swallowed by the creature. The Dogfish is revealed to suffer from asthma, and to sleep with its head emerged from the water. Pinocchio carries Geppetto on his back and swims out of the Dogfish's mouth. When Pinocchio's strength begins to fail, the tuna helps them reach the shore.
In other media[]
Disney[]
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Monstro, the character similar to the dogfish.
- Main article: Monstro (Disney)
In Disney's 1940 animated film adaptation of Pinocchio, the Terrible Dogfish is depicted as a giant sperm whale named Monstro, the Portuguese word for "monster".
Un burattino di nome Pinocchio[]
In Giuliano Cenci's 1972 adaptation Un burattino di nome Pinocchio, the Terrible Dogfish is portrayed very similarly to that of the book, the only difference being that it is not mentioned before its initial appearance.
The Adventures of Pinocchio[]
In Steve Barron's 1996 live action film The Adventures of Pinocchio, the Terrible Dogfish (referred to only as "the sea monster") is shown to be Mangiafuoco, who is named "Lorenzini", who also filled the role of the Coachman in the movie and played by Udo Kier, transformed after drinking the cursed water which turned children into donkeys.
MÄR[]
In the anime manga series MÄR, the Guardian ARM Fastico Galleon is a giant whale-like creature based on Monstro from the 1940 Disney movie.
Once Upon A Time[]
In ABC's Once Upon A Time, it was long speculated by fans that Monstro became Dr. Whale when the curse brought the storybook characters to the real world. This was proven false in season 2, where it was revealed that Dr. Whale was the counterpart of Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Monstro makes a brief appearance in the season 1 episode "The Stranger", fulfilling the same role as the original story. His fate after the curse is yet to be seen.
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio[]
- Main article: Terrible Dogfish (Netflix)
In Guillermo del Toro's 2022 stop-motion adaptation, the Terrible Dogfish is a vicious sea monster that emerges from the abyss every decade or so, swallowing everything and everyone unfortunate enough to cross its path. Like its book counterpart, it's an immense creature that is very deep and spacious on the inside (enough to contain a whole lighthouse inside its stomach), but personality-wise it has much more in common with Monstro, as it responds very aggressively to the heroes escaping after making it sneeze and attempts to swallow them up again until it dies when Pinocchio sets off a naval mine lodged in its throat.
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 Villains
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