Cinema Paradiso (1988)
8.43 /10
4657 Reviews
Rate This Movie:
A filmmaker recalls his childhood, when he fell in love with the movies at his village's theater and formed a deep friendship with the theater's projectionist.
Videos & Photos
cast
... Alfredo
... Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (adult)
... Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (teen)
... Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (child)
... Elena Mendola (teen) / Elena's daughter (in Director's cut)
User reviews
Nice comedy-drama about the youth at the small town of an Italian kid.
Director:
Release Date:
1988-11-17
Run Time:
124 min
MMPA Rating:
PG
Reviews of
Cinema Paradiso
Nice comedy-drama about the youth at the small town of an Italian kid.
**Soulful**
Why did it had to end... The movie was like a breath of fresh air.Every thing about it was so refreshing and soulful that you can never get bored of it.It's one of those movies that you can watch again and again and again...The music, the story, the acting, the direction, the editing, all of it makes this an absolutely beautiful gem of a movie. One of the best movies that i ever saw and will ever see not because it was any different from other movies or better written, directed or acted, but because it's MAGIC, it stays with you.The soul of the movie stays with you beyond the credits.It stays with you forever. I just can't stop smiling remembering the scenes, the smiles on the characters faces, the music... Everybody who wants to FEEL happiness must watch this movie.In one word it's just SOULFUL !!
When you think about cinematography, nowadays you usually think about digital cinematography. But during the early '50s, '60s, and onward, there was a use of this thing called film. Film was what they used in cameras before cameras actually saved them into memory slots digitally. Projectionists actually had to crank the film projectors early on, before the automatic film projectors started coming in, otherwise the film would catch on fire. This movie is about friendship between a projectionist in a film watcher/altar boy, and the film watcher/altar boy was young, maybe 4th grade age. This movie is great! I haven't seen foreign films, in fact, this is the first foreign film I've ever seen. But I'm glad this is the first one to be a foreign film that is a first for me. Want to know why? Because this movie is phenomenal! The little soundtrack that there is has been greatly by whoever composed it. Jacquees Perrin is a good adult version of Toto. The only bad thing I have to say about this is the lack of character development in terms of Elena's character development. I mean, she is a love interest for until Salvatore gets back to the town after his stint in the military, and then she is never heard from again. This movie is a classic, and it is also the definition of a classic. Anyone who watches movies, or plans to see a movie should watch this movie. This is a must see film for any era, and any generation of film viewers.
**Magnificent.**
I saw this movie for the first time a good few years ago, but I only decided to talk about it now, after seeing it again. For me, it is one of the best Italian films ever made. It's like a modern fairy tale, showing us the fascinating side of cinema and reminding us why we love it. Of course, everything passes, and cinema has gone through many phases, it has undergone metamorphoses, and the end of the great classic movie theaters was one of them. And now? The pandemic has shown us that cinema can learn to survive without its theaters. And if we consider the manufacture of televisions and sound systems increasingly “cinematic” and economically viable? Will the living room one day be our own private movie theater, with all the comfort and quality of the big screen?
The future is anyone's guess, and it's as wonderful as it is frightening, but let's put these digressions aside. Anyone who likes cinema should see this film. It has a good dose of nostalgia, it can move the audience (it moves me) and makes us think about life. It's a little difficult to explain, I think it's one of those films that manages to touch something personal in whoever sees it, and that's not easy to translate onto paper because no two lives are alike. It is also worth going to see the various films that appear on the screens of Paradise, and which are very fair tributes to several well-known films.
The cast has very strong names. It is one of the best films of Phillippe Noiret's career, which offers us such a good job that he could well have been nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor that year. Young Salvatore Cascio also does an excellent job and is believable in his role. Enzo Cannavale and Marco Leonardi also do an excellent job. Tornatore's steering is virtually flawless.
Technically, the film is equally remarkable: in addition to accurately recreating the times in which everything takes place, it perfectly shows the technical evolution of cinema, and the way in which the place itself – Giancaldo – changes over time. The choice of filming locations was careful, all the work with props, costumes and sets was meticulous, and the cinematography is very beautiful. The edition does not deserve any repairs, especially if we are talking about the extended version of the film. Ennio Morricone, with his work in this film, gives us one of the best soundtracks of his career, every melody is worth listening to.
Cast & Crew of
Cinema Paradiso
Cast
... Alfredo
... Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (adult)
... Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (teen)
... Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (child)
... Elena Mendola (teen) / Elena's daughter (in Director's cut)
... Maria Di Vita (young)
... Maria Di Vita (aged)
... Spaccafico
... Anna
... Ignazio, usher
... Father Adelfio
... Fabbro, blacksmith
... Village idiot
... Lia
... Peppino's Father
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
... Projectionist (uncredited)
Crew
... Director
... Producer
... Original Music Composer
... Director of Photography
... Screenplay
... Producer
... Editor
... Sound Mixer
... Writer
... Special Effects Coordinator
... Additional Soundtrack
... Stunts
... Assistant Editor
... Makeup Artist
... Assistant Costume Designer
... Animation
... Hairstylist
... Special Effects
... Production Design
... Assistant Director
... Camera Operator
... Sound Effects Editor
... Supervising Sound Editor
... Costume Design
... Story
... Musician
Videos & Photos of
Cinema Paradiso
Videos (2)
Photos 27
Similar Movies To
Cinema Paradiso
Colette (2018)
6.873/10
After marrying a successful Parisian writer known commonly as Willy, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. She pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation. After its success, Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris and their adventures inspire additional Claudine novels.
Release: 2018-09-21
Day for Night (1973)
7.8/10
A committed film director struggles to complete his movie while coping with a myriad of crises, personal and professional, among the cast and crew.
Release: 1973-05-24
Custody (2018)
7.484/10
Miriam and Antoine have recently separated. While she’s willing to permit their 17-year-old daughter Josephine to decide living arrangements for herself, Miriam is desperate to keep her youngest, 11-year-old Julien, away from his father. But the magistrate rules in favour of joint custody, and suddenly the boy is thrown directly into the middle of an escalating parental conflict, where it seems inevitable that sides must be chosen.
Release: 2018-02-07
Pastor's Kid (2024)
0/10
In this raw true story of faith and redemption, college student, Riley, runs from her painful past of abuse and religious hypocrisy. However, God has other plans for Riley when an unforeseen circumstance compels her to confront the very source of her anguish – her estranged mother. As she unravels the layers of her painful childhood, Riley discovers the transformative power of forgiveness and the strength to break free from the chains of her past.
Release: 2024-03-15
Forrest Gump (1994)
8.463/10
A man with a low IQ has accomplished great things in his life and been present during significant historic events—in each case, far exceeding what anyone imagined he could do. But despite all he has achieved, his one true love eludes him.
Release: 1994-06-23
American Beauty (1999)
8.003/10
Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation with his daughter's attractive friend.
Release: 1999-09-15
Mates (2023)
4.35/10
Connor is on a hike with friends when he meets Adam who tries to seduce him. Connor finds he is less sure about his sexuality and masculinity than he previously thought.
Release: 2023-08-11
Time Freak (2018)
6.698/10
Stillman, a heartbroken physics student, builds a time machine when his girlfriend breaks up with him. Going back in time, he attempts to save their relationship by fixing every mistake he made—while dragging his best friend along in the process.
Release: 2018-11-09
8 Mile (2002)
7.143/10
For Jimmy Smith, Jr., life is a daily fight just to keep hope alive. Feeding his dreams in Detroit's vibrant music scene, Jimmy wages an extraordinary personal struggle to find his own voice - and earn a place in a world where rhymes rule, legends are born and every moment… is another chance.
Release: 2002-11-08
Dirty Dancing (1987)
7.3/10
Expecting the usual tedium that accompanies a summer in the Catskills with her family, 17-year-old Frances 'Baby' Houseman is surprised to find herself stepping into the shoes of a professional hoofer—and unexpectedly falling in love.
Release: 1987-08-21
Gladiator (2000)
8.221/10
After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, his devious son takes power and demotes Maximus, one of Rome's most capable generals who Marcus preferred. Eventually, Maximus is forced to become a gladiator and battle to the death against other men for the amusement of paying audiences.
Release: 2000-05-04
Italian for Beginners (2000)
6.4/10
Several lonely hearts in a semi-provincial suburb of a town in Denmark use a beginner's course in Italian as the platform to meet the romance of their lives. The film, which unspools the connections and family drama shared between the students, complies with several aesthetic principles of Dogme 95 movement.
Release: 2000-12-07
Groundhog Day (1993)
7.618/10
A narcissistic TV weatherman, along with his attractive-but-distant producer, and his mawkish cameraman, is sent to report on Groundhog Day in the small town of Punxsutawney, where he finds himself repeating the same day over and over.
Release: 1993-02-11
Bad Education (2004)
7.354/10
An examination on the effect of Franco-era religious schooling and sexual abuse on the lives of two longtime friends.
Release: 2004-03-19
Donnie Darko (2001)
7.767/10
After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
Release: 2001-01-19
The 400 Blows (1959)
8.023/10
For young Parisian boy Antoine Doinel, life is one difficult situation after another. Surrounded by inconsiderate adults, including his neglectful parents, Antoine spends his days with his best friend, Rene, trying to plan for a better life. When one of their schemes goes awry, Antoine ends up in trouble with the law, leading to even more conflicts with unsympathetic authority figures.
Release: 1959-06-03
The Bourne Identity (2002)
7.47/10
Wounded to the brink of death and suffering from amnesia, Jason Bourne is rescued at sea by a fisherman. With nothing to go on but a Swiss bank account number, he starts to reconstruct his life, but finds that many people he encounters want him dead. However, Bourne realizes that he has the combat and mental skills of a world-class spy—but who does he work for?
Release: 2002-06-14
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
7.433/10
Bourne is brought out of hiding once again by reporter Simon Ross who is trying to unveil Operation Blackbriar, an upgrade to Project Treadstone, in a series of newspaper columns. Information from the reporter stirs a new set of memories, and Bourne must finally uncover his dark past while dodging The Company's best efforts to eradicate him.
Release: 2007-08-03
The Tender Age (1968)
8/10
Twenty-year-old Henri Rebecque wants to make his dream come true: to bring Benjamin Constant's Adolphe to the screen in amateur format. Armed with a sixteen-millimeter camera and a team of friends, Henri embarks on this adventure, playing the role of Adolphe himself. Despite all the warnings, he lived through the passion and ordeal of the novel's hero, right to the end. Different times and circumstances will not change this.
Release: 1968-06-03
Spanglish (2004)
6/10
Mexican immigrant and single mother Flor Moreno finds housekeeping work with Deborah and John Clasky, a well-off couple with two children of their own. When Flor admits she can't handle the schedule because of her daughter, Cristina, Deborah decides they should move into the Clasky home. Cultures clash and tensions run high as Flor and the Claskys struggle to share space while raising their children on their own, and very different, terms.
Release: 2004-12-17