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.

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama

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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

When Salvatore returns to his home and looks at the room his mother prepared for him, there's a picture on the wall from the movie The White Sheik (1952), a Federico Fellini movie starring Leopoldo Trieste, who plays Father Adelfio in this movie.

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Goofs

Toto as a child is shown to be left-handed during the school examination sequence, but as a young man he is right-handed as he marks off the days on the calendar. In addition, when in the army, he fires the rifle right-handed.

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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.

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Alternate Versions

The 170 minute version was made available on limited release at U.S. theaters in 2002.

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Connections

References Modern Times (1936)

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Soundtracks

Ripensandola - While Thinking About Her Again
Written by Ennio Morricone

User Reviews

Every Filmmaker's Favorite Film

Giuseppe Tornatore's Nuovo cinema Paradiso (Cinema Paradiso) is everything good about the movies. It is a story about love. The love between a Father and Son, an Individual and his home, and the love for the movies. Even if this is not your favorite film, if you are a filmmaker, you have no choice but to say this is your all time favorite film (if not one of the greatest films ever made). If only for the movie's ending, this is a great film. The ending answers all of your questions and completes the story. The missing love from a Man's life. The missing pieces to all the stories (movies) found and made into a whole. The final message from beyond the grave, the ending is perfect. If the musical score doesn't put you in tears, the amazing visuals will push you over the edge. This is what all movies should be about. Terrific.