CINEMA PARADISO
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1997 Ben Hoffman
Anyone who loves films and film-making will want to see Cinema Paradiso. Loosely based on the life of its director, it captures his love for films when, at about 9 years old, he begins to visit the projection room of the Paradiso Cinema in his small town in Sicily. Philippe Noiret (it's a joint Italian-French film) is the projectionist who teaches the young Toto how to run a projection machine.
Paramount to the story and belly-laughing funny, are the film previews by the priest who sits in the otherwise empty theater to censor any "pornography." Anytime anyone on screen kisses, he rings the bell he holds in his hand so that the projectionist can excise that part of the film.
All the flavor of this small town is brought out, as is the people's love for the cinema, the town's only entertainment. The villagers sometimes know the words by heart, having seen the film over and over, frequently in one sitting.
Clips of old films abound in this movie; from Valentino thru Gary Cooper and Clark Gable...and Ingrid Bergman, Greta Garbo, and Jean Arthur.
A very satisfying and charming film starring Philippe Noiret, Jacques Perrin, Salvatore Cascio and Marco Leonardi.
Winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Film of 1989.
In Italian with English subtitles.
Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore.
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Ben Hoffman
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