Rent Cinema Paradiso on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Giuseppe Tornatore (story, screenplay), and Vanna Paoli (collaborating writer)
Directed by: Giuseppe Tornatore
Starring: Philippe Noiret, Jacques Perrin, Antonella Attili,Pupella Maggio, Salvatore Cascio
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer
Plot
Salvatore, a famous film director, returns to his hometown for the funeral of the local theater's film projectionist, Alfredo. He reminisces about his life as a young boy falling in love with cinema.
Verdict
It almost feels like a memoir with a man looking back at significant moments in his life. This is very sentimental, but it explores how so many small moments can affect your future. An unlikely friendship shapes Salvatore's future. Now he's looking back with the wisdom of time. He has to reconcile how his life did unfold with how it could have unfolded. Would he change things? The biggest influence on his life was a friend that sent him away, ensuring his success but disrupting their friendship.
Watch It.
Review
There are a few cuts of this film. I watched the longer director's cut which adds scenes after the funeral with adult Salvatore meeting his long lost love Elena. I watched this years ago and absolutely loved it. I still think it's a great film, but my feelings aren't as strong. It's too sentimental, bordering on emotionally manipulative. I do like how Salvatore is left wondering what could have been. It's easy to be successful and wish to change the past. You can't always have it both ways.
Adult Salvatore (Jacques Perrin) is told someone from his hometown has passed, the movie projectionist. While he hasn't been back in thirty years, that theater is where Salvatore developed his love for movies. We delve into his memories when he was just a precocious kid that couldn't stay out of trouble. He loved going to the cinema and annoying the projectionist Alfredo (Philippe Noiret). Soon they become friends, kindred spirits that love film as Alfredo affectionately calls the boy Toto. Young Salvatore (Salvatore Cascio) wants to be a projectionist, but Alfredo tells him it's no easy job.
 |
| Salvatore Cascio, Philippe Noiret play Salvatore, Alfredo |
I suspect for Salvatore, the projector was some kind of magic. For Alfredo, he has no kids, and this young boy is someone that needs the guidance. Salvatore strikes a deal with Alfredo to learn to be a projectionist. It's a cute story, this friendship between an unlikely pair.
The cinema unites the town, a spot where everyone gathers to watch movies. It's a collective escape. Through a series of unfortunate events the cinema burns down but is rebuilt. Salvatore becomes the new projectionist. He considers quitting school to pursue it full time, but Alfredo tells him he has more important things to do. It's not a glamorous job.
Salvatore (Marco Leonardi) has graduated to making his own home movies. He's also fallen for a girl. The wise Alfredo only wants what's best for Salvatore, pushing him to leave the city. I'm sure Alfredo would prefer he stay, but he loves him more than that. Salvatore will achieve more leaving the town. Alfredo sends him away, but Salvatore later realizes what he's been given.
 |
| Philippe Noiret, Marco Leonardi play Alfredo, Salvatore |
All these years later Salvatore returns for the first time in decades. The town is a reflection of the choices he did and didn't make. The world changed, and life moved on without the town. Salvatore goes back to this theater that was integral to his life. It's now abandoned. You can never truly go back, but even the small moments affected Salvatore. The best thing you can do for someone may seem counterintuitive. Alfredo sent him away but never stopped following his work. Salvatore moved on to better things, but the town didn't.
Part of this movie is a middle aged man looking back at his life, wondering if he made the right choices. As much as I liked it when I first saw it, you'd think I'd like it even more now approaching that age. Not to say this isn't a great film, it just didn't have the same impact. I'm not sure what cut I saw, but I don't remember the girlfriend in the past or present. When I saw this years ago, I thought it was one of the best movies I'd seen. It's still really good.
No comments :
Post a Comment