Cinema Paradiso (1988)
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Writers: Giuseppe Tornatore, Vanna Paoli
Actors: Philippe Noiret, Enzo Cannavale, Antonella Attili, Marco Leonardi, Pupella Maggio, Salvatore Cascio
Cinema Paradiso has eluded me for quite a while. Whenever I go through my watch-list it never really pops out among the hundreds of films in my backlog waiting to be seen. Even as I am scouring the internet for lists of films to see, I don’t really find Cinema Paradiso as a prevalent feature on most blogs. Regardless, as quarantine is still ongoing due to COVID-19, I’ve had much more time to skim through my backlog. As the list kept getting thinner it gave way to films that I would have never noticed prior. Although I have tried to watch many of the films that I have been meaning to get to for quite a while, I always try to get in a few obscure titles every once in a while. Cinema Paradiso is obviously not an obscure title, but as I previously mentioned it was nowhere near my top priority. So why am I talking about my process in choosing films? Well that to me is some of the magic of cinema, seeing all the endless pictures that have yet to be watched and imagining how many of those unseen films will end up in your favorites; or maybe a great classic that you ultimately hate for some reason. Nevertheless, the act of picking a film and not knowing what you are going into is a magical feeling and one that hasn’t faded away in the 10 years that I have been watching movies seriously. Cinema Paradiso may not be one of the best films I have seen this year, but it perfectly captures that magical feeling that cinema brings to people, and for that I truly appreciate it.
One of the strongest aspects of this film is how it makes you feel and react to certain aspects. It somehow gives you a nostalgic feeling even if you personally did not experience anything close to what is shown. As it has been over 5 months since I have been to a theater, watching the first half of this film unfold gave me such a warm feeling in my heart. That social aspect of cinema is encapsulated beautifully in that small theater in an even smaller Sicillian Town. The way the townsfolk dress up and commune all together in that one place to forget about the struggles of life and just enjoy the magic of theater. Even though I never lived that particular cinema-going experience, it still hit a soft place in my heart as I remembered how special it felt to go to the theater as a child. When each movie felt like a mystery and anything can be possible. That is what made me fall in love with that first half. Not only that, but the sense that you could truly find yourself in one of the townspeople in the theater.
The nostalgic feeling was not the only thing that the first half did well, it also had a very simple yet compelling story. The tale of Toto and Alfredo is Cinema Paradiso’s greatest asset. You could feel how genuine their relationship is as if they were actual people. This is a testament to the brilliant acting of Salvatore Cascio who played the young version of Toto. His presence filled the screen every time he was on, and it really made this film memorable. I also appreciated the theme of constantly pursuing your dreams even if everything around you seems to show that it may not work out. Toto had a vision in mind and he was never letting it go, and it was inspirational to watch.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this film, I wasn’t too keen on the film as Toto started to age. If the first half of the film is a tight orchestra with precise rhythms and harmonies throughout, the second half slowly devolved into a loose ensemble that did not fit all together. It is not to say that the second half dipped in quality all that much, on the contrary, all of the individual pieces were still great, yet they did not fit well as whole. The first half of the film focused heavily on Toto’s relationship with Alfredo and cinema. The second half however, started to build up this story arch between Toto and Elena but it does not quite pan out. It felt like we were led down a certain path but there was no set destination to go to. After having finished the movie I realized there was a longer directors cut of the film that apparently had some closure for Toto and Elena’s story. However, after watching the extra scenes I am even more convinced that the entire story-line between both characters was not handled well. It broke down the entire pacing the first half tried to setup.
Cinema Paradiso is a great film in showing the wondrous effects of cinema. It doesn’t explicitly talk about what makes cinema great, it merely gives us this story that feels so natural and right that we instantly gravitate towards it. Even though I had many issues with the latter half of this film, I would still recommend it to anyone who loves cinema and movies in general. It is a simple yet heartwarming story about perseverance and living for your passions. I hope one day I am able to be as brave as Toto and live my life for my passions and dreams.
