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      Cinema Paradiso

      PG Released Feb 23, 1988 2 hr. 3 min. Drama List
      90% 84 Reviews Tomatometer 96% 50,000+ Ratings Audience Score Young Salvatore Di Vita (Salvatore Cascio) discovers the perfect escape from life in his war-torn Sicilian village: the Cinema Paradiso movie house, where projectionist Alfredo (Philippe Noiret) instills in the boy a deep love of films. When Salvatore grows up, falls in love with a beautiful local girl (Agnese Nano) and takes over as the Paradiso's projectionist, Alfredo must convince Salvatore to leave his small town and pursue his passion for filmmaking. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Mar 13 Buy Now

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      Cinema Paradiso

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      Cinema Paradiso

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      Critics Consensus

      Cinema Paradiso is a life-affirming ode to the power of youth, nostalgia, and the the movies themselves.

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      Audience Reviews

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      lisa f best movie i’ve seen in 20 years! loved it! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/27/23 Full Review Alcapp Cinema Paradiso us a wonderful heart warming film. Youll laugh youll cry youll reflect. The ending is magical. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/02/22 Full Review David C The score is amazing! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/26/24 Full Review Lars N It's effective at pulling at your heartstrings but it drags towards the end and leaves too many unresolved questions. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/15/24 Full Review Kyle M If there's a strong cinematic advocation for moviegoing experiences through a narrative, Giuseppe Tornatore's Italian masterpiece "Cinema Paradiso" at the time celebrated the gathering events, only to age finely in eternalizing the commemoration. Though haven't seen Tornatore's prior nor sequential works, why this certain film has been raised by critical acclaim to the top as one of the greatest films of all time, plus frequently seen as a love letter to the movies, generated intrigue above others – besides symbolized as Italian cinema's revitalization that paved way for contemporary classics. Compelled through that entry, the wondrous fascination of the cinema it empathizes with is partially the main theme, however further enriched when branched between how it connects the community and nurtures growth upon witnessing the picture. The proclaimed nostalgia seems to have spoken amid the middle of societal distancing before contrast to the current state when back then it gathers and unites than just facial passersby. The story is told in flashback when filmmaker Salvatore Di Vita receives news from his mother that his friend/mentor Alfredo passed away. He recalls his childhood taken place in a war-torn Sicilian village whereas he discovered escapism just by going to the local movie palace during any free time. His distractive obsession would disappoint his mother and sometimes bother projectionist Alfedo, who would eventually not only teach him the importance of his task but also how it planted his love for film. Young Salvatore grown with further newfound passion for film, eventually taking over the position, with wondrously innovative ideas, and tend to capture moments by camera in interacting with the form, leading him to fall in love with a beautiful girl. The pair's conflictive social status gets complicates and pulls him from his passion, so Alfredo must convince him to leave beyond the small town's limits to pursue filmmaking and explore storytelling by integrating ideas he established during his time as projectionist. Writer-director Tornatore reasonably prophesized the sort of impact cinema arguably still possesses, therefore verifying how much of a timelessly thoughtful classic this acclaimed excellence turned out to be. There are concrete connections evoked through both growth and community towards the cinema as specialized instance observed through Alfredo's hefty background evolved onto his bond with Salvatore, especially when he's aware of the societal limitations that doesn't offer opportunities to further pursue, horizontally expand the passionately inspired potential. Salvatore reluctantly does that in the third act, found opportunities to share his nurtured gifts, and his love for cinema expressed in his pictures meeting critical acclaim with similar results Alfredo witnessed in the projection booth in uniting the audience. These moments ideally resonate in enjoying the little things manifested from youthful wonder to community's welcomed quirky corners, also taking place whenever in the auditorium immersed by the moving picture joining in the collective entertainment while examining different types of moviegoers. The nostalgia here lies in that collective discovery before technological platforms dissected those interests by reductions into certain categories accommodating differential entertainment. While the meaningful takeaway from this is the overarching theme, it was certainly strengthened. Remarkable performances from the cast, especially Philippe Noiret as Alfredo with a definitive standard that seemingly pioneered the term "cinephile" while sharing nice dynamics with both Salvatore Cascio and Marco Leonardi portraying Salvatore as he grows and connects then innovates forward. Both characters display relatability amidst their interaction towards the theme. Both Cascio and Leonardi built the character so well, with Jacques Perrin seamlessly picking up where they developmentally left off. Their scenes are powered by Ennio Morricone's typically mesmerizing score at one of his finest, exceptionally emphasizing feelings, in adjacent to the imprinted set pieces underlying reminiscently and replicating the directorially prompted assignment. His second son Andrea followed by providing a lovely score in one delicately embracing scene between Leonardi's Salvatore and Agnese Nano's Elena. To describe how much Tornatore cares about the quality of his storytelling, what he's trying to communicate by achievement and what's best for the characters with satisfying resolutions, there are two versions to this. The original, which I haven't seen, has a straight-forward focus that can be deciphered in the other version being the extended Director's Cut. In the latter version, after Salvatore paid his respect to Alfredo, he reunites with his lost romance. Honestly, the film dragged on at that point, but it shows how much Tornatore respects his stories to the fullest, wanting to resolve the romantic plot point that was prevented and not leave anything unanswered. Roger Ebert praised the original version as superior, which I agree with as I noticed the direction the film was heading and how it transitions differently under proper buildup. Nonetheless, the longer you find yourself in "Cinema Paradiso", the more you'll appreciate what it stands for under a fantastical vision, which is something worth seeing on the big screen that just might enhance the moviegoing routine. (A-) Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/01/24 Full Review שלום דוד × The love story with Helena and Toto was not good. How from saying to him that she don't have feelings to him they kiss and became together? I loved Alfredo and the music is fine but the ending what the he'll? Because he had to cut the kisses scenes from the movie because it was not allowed to saw kisses in movies from some reasons he cries and saw the all kisses scene and I'm just watch this and say to my self what the he'll? Anyway this movie is medium for me Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 12/06/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Cinema Paradiso

      Jacques Perrin and Brigitte Fossey in Giuseppe Tornatore's CINEMA PARADISO. View more photos

      Critics Reviews

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      Tim Pulleine Guardian The skill of Cinema Paradiso happily manages to suggest that such a legacy has not entirely evaporated. At any rate, I find the experience it offers an enchanting one. Jul 26, 2022 Full Review Tim Pulleine Sight & Sound Cinema Paradiso itself possesses enough command and self-conviction to demonstrate that movies can still manage to manifest an alternative universe. Jan 11, 2020 Full Review Adam Mars-Jones Independent (UK) Giuseppe Tornatore, writer and director of Cinema Paradiso, knows that the way to make shameless wallowing palatable is to make no great claims for what you are resurrecting. Dec 6, 2018 Full Review Terry Francis Southern Voice (Atlanta) The story is drawn from the director Giuseppe Tornatore's childhood memories, presented here as a series of loosely-linked episodes commemorating the importance of movies -- of art -- in the lives of people forced to manage on very little. Rated: 3/4 May 9, 2023 Full Review Michael Clark Epoch Times The theatrical cut left a major sub-plot thread dangling, which didn’t seem to bother many other viewers or critics. After seeing the original cut on Blu-ray, I can say without trepidation or hesitation that it is absolutely the best version of the film. Rated: 4/5 Jan 10, 2023 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) Never has the love for cinema been so clearly expressed, without tricks or artificiality, within a film. [Full review in Spanish] Dec 6, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Young Salvatore Di Vita (Salvatore Cascio) discovers the perfect escape from life in his war-torn Sicilian village: the Cinema Paradiso movie house, where projectionist Alfredo (Philippe Noiret) instills in the boy a deep love of films. When Salvatore grows up, falls in love with a beautiful local girl (Agnese Nano) and takes over as the Paradiso's projectionist, Alfredo must convince Salvatore to leave his small town and pursue his passion for filmmaking.
      Director
      Giuseppe Tornatore
      Screenwriter
      Giuseppe Tornatore
      Distributor
      Miramax Films, HBO
      Production Co
      Cristaldi Film
      Rating
      PG
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      Italian
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Feb 23, 1988, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Oct 1, 2016
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $9.1M
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