I have not watched a DVD for the longest time. It was only in Singapore over the New Year that I went through my brother's collection and saw this title. I have heard of "Cinema Paradiso" for so long, but ironically I have not seen it yet. I am glad I finally got a chance to watch this Giuseppe Tornatore masterpiece.
The story starts in the present time with Salvatore "Toto" Di Vita, an acclaimed film director, receiving news that a certain Alfredo has passed away. From there, the movie goes into flashback mode, and recounts Salvatore's life as a child and a teenager, and the lasting influence his surrogate father Alfredo had in his life.
The first part of the flashback takes us back to Giancaldo in Sicily, and recounts how young Toto (played with so much natural charm by Salvatore Cascio) was so entranced with the movies being shown in the local movie house, the Cinema Paradiso. He constantly hung around Alfredo's (played by Phillip Noiret) projection room. Eventually, when Alfredo gets disabled in an accident, the child Toto took over the projectionist job.
The second part of the flashback recounts the teenage Salvatore (played by Marco Leonardi) still doing his film projectionist job, while beginning his fledgling career as a movie maker. A lengthy part was devoted to his ill-fated obsession with the beautiful Elena. This unsuccessful love affair makes Salvatore take Alfredo's advice to leave Giancaldo and make something out of his life in Rome.
In this Director's Cut DVD that I watched, another subplot was restored, which was cut out in the international release that won the Oscar Best Foreign Film back in 1990. This involved the older Salvatore (Jacques Perrin) going back to Giancaldo for Alfredo's funeral, and getting the chance to reunite the older Elena. This afforded a further revelation that gives another bittersweet dimension to the influence of Alfredo in Salvatore's life.
Despite the 155-minute running time of the Director's Cut and the subtitles, Cinema Paradiso is indeed a modern classic that must be seen by everyone who loves the movies. The cinematography is lush and breathtaking. The Ennio Morricone score is very romantic, haunting and memorable. And the ending that shares with us the gift bequeathed by Alfredo to Salvatore after his death is very touching yet glorious at the same time.
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