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CINEMA PARADISO ****
There are two different versions of Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso available today. There is the original 1988 release that Harvey Weinstein, CEO of Miramax, trimmed nearly an hour of, then there is the more recently released Director’s cut. The DVD has both versions on it and I watched both of them last night. Many critics agree that the edited version is the better of the two, but I think it all depends on what mood you are in when you sit down to watch it. The shorter version is a more uplifting film about a boy and his surrogate father who creates a love of movies in the boy. In that version the boy has two loves: film and his surrogate father. The longer version is also a love story. As the boy grows, he meets the only girl he will ever love, and that changes the entire dynamic of the film. Now the boy has three loves: film, surrogate father, and the girl. The longer version is a sweeter and sadder tale, because it focuses a lot more on the love affair. I really enjoyed both.
The first act of Cinema Paradiso is set in Sicily at the end of WWII. Alfredo (Philippe Noiret) works at the local Cinema Paradiso as a projectionist. When he’s not splicing the films on loan to the theater to edit out all the scenes the local priest deems unworthy (kissing scenes mainly), he is fighting with young Salvatore (Salvatore Cascio) who routinely bothers him in the booth. In time Alfredo comes to accept Salvatore and takes him under his wing. Salvatore is completely obsessed with movies, as is the entire township, and wants Alfredo to teach him how to run the projector. I’m reluctant to give away too much of the first act, because to know too much would rob you of its charm.
The second act consists of a teen-age Salvatore (Marco Leonardi) and his growing relationship with Alfredo. He also meets Elena (Agnese Nano), and quickly falls in love with her. Here is one of the glaring differences between the two versions. The shorter version treats this segment as an unimportant tidbit in comparison to the longer version, and doesn’t put too much emphasis on the importance of this love affair in relation to how Salvatore turns out later in life.
The third act is the bulk of the difference between the two versions. In the shorter version, 90% of this act is gone. It consists of the grown Salvatore (Jacques Perrin) and his visit home after an absence of 30 years. I don’t want to give away any of this segment, because it is one powerful part of the movie, and having unasked questions answered are what makes this act so powerful. If you stick with the edited version, you’ll miss pretty much all of this part.
Either version you choose, you cannot miss. This is truly a beautiful tale, regardless of which you choose too watch. My advice would be to watch the original 1988 theater release first, then watch the Director’s cut. There is a certain magical appeal to the original version that may be impossible to ever regain if you watch the longer cut first. There will be answers that you will want answered after watching it and that’s where the Director’s cut comes to the rescue. Either way, you will be enchanted by this beautiful story.
CINEMA PARADISO **** There are two different versions of Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso available today. There is the original 1988 release that Harvey Weinstein, CEO of Miramax, trimmed nearly an hour of, then there is the more recently released Director’s cut. The DVD has both versions on it and I watched both of them last night. Many critics agree that the edited version is the better of the two, but I think it all depends on what mood you are in when you sit down to watch it. The shorter version is a more uplifting film about a boy and his surrogate father who creates a love of movies in the boy. In that version the boy has two loves: film and his surrogate father. The longer version is also a love story. As the boy grows, he meets the only girl he will ever love, and that changes the entire dynamic of the film. Now the boy has three loves: film, surrogate father, and the girl. The longer version is a sweeter and sadder tale, because it focuses a lot more on the love affair. I really enjoyed both.
The first act of Cinema Paradiso is set in Sicily at the end of WWII. Alfredo (Philippe Noiret) works at the local Cinema Paradiso as a projectionist. When he’s not splicing the films on loan to the theater to edit out all the scenes the local priest deems unworthy (kissing scenes mainly), he is fighting with young Salvatore (Salvatore Cascio) who routinely bothers him in the booth. In time Alfredo comes to accept Salvatore and takes him under his wing. Salvatore is completely obsessed with movies, as is the entire township, and wants Alfredo to teach him how to run the projector. I’m reluctant to give away too much of the first act, because to know too much would rob you of its charm.
The second act consists of a teen-age Salvatore (Marco Leonardi) and his growing relationship with Alfredo. He also meets Elena (Agnese Nano), and quickly falls in love with her. Here is one of the glaring differences between the two versions. The shorter version treats this segment as an unimportant tidbit in comparison to the longer version, and doesn’t put too much emphasis on the importance of this love affair in relation to how Salvatore turns out later in life.
The third act is the bulk of the difference between the two versions. In the shorter version, 90% of this act is gone. It consists of the grown Salvatore (Jacques Perrin) and his visit home after an absence of 30 years. I don’t want to give away any of this segment, because it is one powerful part of the movie, and having unasked questions answered are what makes this act so powerful. If you stick with the edited version, you’ll miss pretty much all of this part.
Either version you choose, you cannot miss. This is truly a beautiful tale, regardless of which you choose too watch. My advice would be to watch the original 1988 theater release first, then watch the Director’s cut. There is a certain magical appeal to the original version that may be impossible to ever regain if you watch the longer cut first. There will be answers that you will want answered after watching it and that’s where the Director’s cut comes to the rescue. Either way, you will be enchanted by this beautiful story.