Cinema Paradiso: A heart warming tale of life

Cinema Paradiso is a heart-warming tale, full of Mediterranean emotion, about the progression of a young boy (Toto) through life and its associated trials, joys and tribulations. It is set in a small town in the beautiful sun-drenched isle of Sicily, Italy. The focal point of the town is the local cinema. Young Toto develops a friendship with the grizzled and charming projectionist Alfredo, played wonderfully by the late Phillipe Noiret. They both share a mutual love for the cinema and much of Toto’s youth is spent cute-ishly pestering Alfredo to teach him the techniques of cinematic projection. The film recalls a somewhat romantic pre-war age, where the cinema provided a gathering point for the whole community who share their fascinations of the outside world and big-screen characters.

As Toto ages into adolescence, he takes on the role of the projectionist but the focus of his attention turns to the beautiful girl Elena. Here enter themes of love and passion, as Toto awkwardly and ineptly tries to attract the mysterious young woman. However, Toto’s life begins to dramatically change when he is drafted into army service. It is from here that the film draws on another key theme, nostalgia. Toto finds the life of a soldier difficult, and longs to go back to the community and woman he loves. In one of the most moving passages of the film, Alfredo encourages Toto to leave the village and use his creative talents to liberate himself from the constraints of small-town Sicily, and explore the world. It is extremely poignant and somewhat resonant for many young people. The film ends as it starts, with Toto, now a famous and respected figure in the film industry, returning to his beloved home town for Alfredo’s funeral. Toto finds that Alfredo has left him a present and the subsequent and concluding scene is perhaps one of the most moving in cinema. The beautiful piano-laden score, written by Ennio Morricone adds to the overall poignancy and emotion of the film.

The film is a fantastic alternative to the often sterile, monotony that appears from Hollywood, and provides a great foundation for exploring contemporary Italian and European cinema. The film focuses on numerous themes, which the audience can instantly engage with: love, regret, nostalgia, passion, friendship. It will play to all your emotional senses. It will fill you with happiness, make you laugh and I can guarantee it will make even the hardiest of souls cry.

: 22 Oct 2008 14:50 |  Tags: Feature Film Movie Review |  Comments (0) |  Report a problem