Cinema Paradiso (1988)

A filmmaker recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village and forms a deep friendship with the cinema's projectionist.

Director:

Giuseppe Tornatore

Writers:

Giuseppe Tornatore (story), Giuseppe Tornatore (screenplay)

Stars:

Philippe Noiret, Enzo Cannavale, Antonella Attili

Top Rated Movies #54 | Won 1 Oscar. Another 24 wins & 31 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Antonella Attili	...	Maria Di Vita - Younger
Enzo Cannavale	...	Spaccafico
Isa Danieli	...	Anna
Leo Gullotta	...	Usher
Marco Leonardi	...	Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita - Teenager
Pupella Maggio	...	Maria Di Vita - Older
Agnese Nano	...	Elena Mendola
Leopoldo Trieste	...	Father Adelfio
Salvatore Cascio	...	Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita - Child
Tano Cimarosa	...	Blacksmith
Nicola Di Pinto	...	Village Idiot
Roberta Lena	...	Lia
Nino Terzo	...	Peppino's Father
Jacques Perrin	...	Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita - Adult
Philippe Noiret	...	Alfredo

Storyline

A boy who grew up in a native Sicilian Village returns home as a famous director after receiving news about the death of an old friend. Told in a flashback, Salvatore reminiscences about his childhood and his relationship with Alfredo, a projectionist at Cinema Paradiso. Under the fatherly influence of Alfredo, Salvatore fell in love with film making, with the duo spending many hours discussing about films and Alfredo painstakingly teaching Salvatore the skills that became a stepping stone for the young boy into the world of film making. The film brings the audience through the changes in cinema and the dying trade of traditional film making, editing and screening. It also explores a young boy's dream of leaving his little town to foray into the world outside.

---

Plot Keywords:

cinema | flashback | film projectionist | coming of age | movie theatre | 

---

Taglines:

A celebration of youth, friendship, and the everlasting magic of the movies.

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Asmik Ace [Japan] Official Facebook

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

23 February 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cinema Paradiso: The New Version

Filming Locations:

Bagheria, Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$25,899, 14 June 2002, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$11,990,401

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cristaldifilm, Les Films Ariane, Rai 3

Technical Specs

Runtime:

155 min 175 min (director's cut) 123 min (international)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character played by Brigitte Fossey was included in the first theatrical version of the film (155 minutes, released in November 1988) but then dropped in the shorter re-release (124 minutes, May 1989), which was shown internationally. Her scenes were eventually reinstated in the extended version (173 minutes).

---

Goofs

The heights of Toto and his mother change dramatically during the course of their adult lives. Jacques Perrin is much taller than Marco Leonardi and Pupella Maggio is much shorter than Antonella Attili. As a child and teenager, Toto is clearly below average height. In middle age, he is the tallest man at Alfredo's funeral by a clear head.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Maria Di Vita - Older: [in Italian]
[on the phone]
Maria Di Vita - Older: Yes, Salvatore di Vita. You mean you don't know him, Miss? That's right, and I'm his mother. I've been calling from Sicily, all day long. I understand, he's not there.

---

Alternate Versions

The footage shown during the end credits has been slightly re-cut for the US DVD version. Most notably, the shot of the adult Elena has been removed.

---

Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movies from Italy (2015)

---

Soundtracks

Maturita' - Maturity
Written by Ennio Morricone

User Reviews

Personal Favorite

Whether you are a professional or an amateur it is always wise to avoid superlatives with regard to a movie critique ... but I cannot. 'Cinema Paradiso' is simply the finest movie I have ever seen. Like many who have posted at this site before me I have seen it many many times. It reaches within me to places other movies have never reached and I have often wondered why. Perhaps it is because of it's simplicity. It contains no expensive special effects, it has no gratuitous sex or violence, it has no "multi-millon dollar per performance" actors that I know of, it is arguable whether it even has a story line, and yet it soars far above the nonsense that film makers are producing these days. It's characters are portrayed by each and every actor in award winning style and the music is not only beautiful but absolutely perfect for this film.

It is quite simply the story of a human life and it's tragedies and triumphs within the context of a vocation. A young boy matures and gradually learns the lessons of life, cultivates his passion for the cinema, and is rewarded with professional success; however, he remains unfulfilled for true love has escaped him only to return in the form of a gift of love which transcends time, space, and death to reveal at the closing of the film Toto's one true mistress.

A staggering triumph of both the cinematic art and of story telling and yet there may be found people who do not like this movie .... I tend to keep such people at arms length and maintain a wary eye fixed upon them at all times.