I saw this film when it was first released in the US in a theatre so small, and with so few people attending what was a matinee show mid-week, that in the darkness, as the story unfolded, I could hear each person in the audience alternative laughing or weeping, the experience adding a level of perspective I will always treasure -> an audience of strangers became intimately connected by the shared experience. The central storyline in the American theatrical release, from my perspective, is this: Alfredo is a Christ-like figure who has one joy in his life, Toto (Salvatore), and Alfredo knowingly pushes away that joy, forever, so that Salvatore might live. Alfredo died -- gave up 30 years of the relationship that mattered most to him -- so Salvatore could live. The imagery of the film shows this theme often -- when fire consumes the original cinema, the last thing we see burned are Alfredo and a statue of the Virgin Mary. I strongly recommend seeing the director's cut and think you will appreciate it more having seem the American theatrical release first. The director's cut is not simply adding a lot more minutes, though it does that. It has a massively important storyline that was taken out of the theatrical release, a storyline that changes what we think of characters and their motivations. I've seen a lot of movies. Thousands. Cinema Paradiso remains my favorite. Another point: The film is set in a small town in Sicily (which you can visit), and at the start, the war (WW II) is already over, a point you understandably missed with all the emotional scenes (Toto asks his mother, if the war is over, why isn't his father back). So the escapism you noted is not from the war but from the hardship of poverty, a common condition throughout Southern Italy. I know life in a small, poor, Southern Italian town -- my wife was born in one and we have visited; each time, more and more homes and shops are boarded up. The church, school and the cinema were places where communities came together.
OMG! Someone finally had the sense to watch and react to this wonderful film. I think you are the first reactor to do so. Thank you Kai Oda! ❤ Looking forward to the rest of your IMBD journey.
So pleased to see someone react to this beautiful movie. It's been one of my favourites for over 30 years. It's a shame that you didn't watch the director's cut, although, you'd have cried a lot more if you had.
Thank you so much for this reaction. Cinema Paradiso means so much to me - I wish more movie lovers could come to appreciate it. It will have a special place their heart too. 💜
What makes this movie memorable & appealing is the combination of Ennio Morricone’s music and the love stories in this film. There are at least 3 levels of love story in this film - the love between a foster father & a boy , boy’s love of movies , young man first love of a girl. Every human being can relate one or more of love themes in their own life. This is the reason many people have watched this film more than once to appreciate the many levels of love themes that can be found in this memorable film.
The director's cut of this movie isn't as bad as people often say. Honestly, in my opinion, the director's cut conveys the story in its entirety. However, people do not like impurity interfering with pure nostalgia. Even though that impurity is closer to the truth of life. After watching the director's cut, you will truly understand what the ending of this movie means. Like the priest who deleted the kissing scenes, Alfred also exercised the power to edit Toto's life. Therefore, Toto's tears at the end are not pure nostalgia, but regret mixed with resentment.
Bbefore I watched this movie, everybody told me I was gonna cry, and I'm very good crier so I was ready. The I was watching the film and I was like "is beautiful, but I'm not crying" and then the last scene with all the kisses happened, and I was bawling my eyes out!
hello i am from Sicily and i watched your video because i was curious to see the reaction and perception from your side since you are a foreigner, first of all let's do some context the movie in the first part is set in the years after the war, the Anglo-Americans had recently left sicily and the church had a relevant role in the local culture, in contrast to this you can see how in reality the sicily of those years was living the American dream precisely because it wanted to forget the war and the 20 years that will officially end on April 25, 1945 reason why until 1954 illiteracy was still widespread here is explained why alfredo takes the diploma, as it was necessary for him not only for culture but to continue working. One aspect i want to underline is that this film abroad is perceived as an italian film, in reality this film is purely Sicilian. From this film you can learn how a Sicilian expresses himself, how a Sicilian thinks and also the Sicilian sense of humor which is made up of gestures and expressions, expressions that the subtitles cannot fully represent, which is why you may have found unclear moments in the dialogues. All these elements that i have described to you have remained unchanged over time. the explanation of the love story between Salvatore and Elena: beware there is a spoiler here: the love story is explained and developed in the director's cut the two meet as adults when salvatore returns for alfredo's funeral and in a very poetic dialogue with wonderful editing they retrace their love story. SPOiLER in reality both had never stopped loving each other and writing to each other but Alfredo prevented them from receiving each other's letters making them both believe that the other had forgotten her forever. You must find the scene to see how powerful it is the square guy it's a veteran who got mad because of the war so he is the mad of the village explanation of the Neapolitan citizen in Sicily: in reality at the time it could have been a normal fact imagine that up to 100 years before Naples and all the lands up to Sicily were a united, sovereign and independent state so it was not difficult for them to find themselves there. it's a film that talks about love, about the sense of family, a patriotic film intended as Sicilian patriotism curiosity: for a few years now, a small film festival has been held at the location of the film i hope with this comment i have answered some unanswered questions and satisfied some of your curiosity and not offended anyone's sensibilities. thank you, greetings from Sicily.
I've become addicted to reactions. Just out of curiosity I typed "Cinema Paradiso reaction" doubting very much that there would be one. And I was ecstatic when yours popped up, I believe the only one, as of August 8, '24. I did enjoy it a lot, it's one of my personal top 5 movies ever. HOWEVER. dang, boy.... Shut the heck up! Man, did you chatter way too much. I realize we're not here to watch the whole thing This is reportedly Matthew McConaughey 's most favorite film. I would also like to recommend another one of my top 5, "Like Water for Chocolate", from Mexico. Oddly enough it also features Italian actor Marco Leonardi (teenage Toto here on Cinema Paradiso) playing a Mexican man and speaking Spanish very well. I will check out more of your reactions. 👍🏼🎥
Finally someone who reacts to this masterpiece. I suggest you the longest version (even better) where he meet her again in the second part and clarifies why they had not met years before along with other sequences.
I couldn't ever get into Italian film. Tried pasolini and fellaini and always felt cold, so I put this one off for years. Had a free day and tried it and ended watching it 3 times that same day. Twice the directors cut and finally the cinema release. Wonderful film.
One of the most beautifull and funny and heart fealing movie I ever wath! Ilove it ! Please try A vita e bella and french movies such as A very long engagement and Amelie Poulain
The neapolitan man actually "made eleven" ("ho fatto undici!") at Totocalcio. It's a gambling game where you try to predict the results of soccer games. If you get right all eleven matches you win a decent amount of money - proportional to the number of people who got it right, so the more upsets ad unexpected match results, the better. Not exactly like winning a big lottery, but it could've changed the life of a poor person back then. I guess they've translated it as "pools" 'cause it's very similar to the pools british gambling game, where they also bet on soccer.
Naples is on the mainland. Toto lives on the island of Sicily. Toto’s friend is helping take reels of the film to a different theatre in a different town, since the shipment of the title got messed up. Each film had several reels and the projectionist had to show the reels, adding the next one so the audience doesn’t experience a delay.
Because of this series, I've rented the director's cut on UA-cam, so consider yourself successful! That version adds almost an extra hour, spent throughout the film but mostly on [whoops! you're avoiding spoilers], adding even more bittersweet energy to the film. It doesn't include the bits where it cuts back to old Toto in his bed, though. I'm not the kind of person who usually watches movies like this, frankly I'm not the kind of person who usually watches movies just in general, but the film was very good. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen for most of it, and I really appreciate how skillfully the film implies as well as shows its story.
Yes. 4K UHD, Blu-Rays do exist but be sure to get the one which fits your country’s format- some are only meant for non-US markets, some have both types.
Never ever watch the extended directors cut. There are reasons why these scenes were cut. 1. It focuses more on the relationship with Elena and that storyline is already the weakest part of the film. 2. It turns Alfredo a bit into a villain and (for myself) ruins why I love this movie. The theatrical cut is perfect as is.
Toto still sees his Mom-but pays for her to go to Rome. Listen again to the beginning when Toto’s girlfriend is talking to him. He just does not go back to Sicily, and his mom prefers to live there rather than move to Rome.
I've Watch this movie oneumdreed times, but i'm crying with you. I suggest you another big beautifil italian film: "La vita è bella" by Roberto Benigni (win Oscar too)
I saw this film when it was first released in the US in a theatre so small, and with so few people attending what was a matinee show mid-week, that in the darkness, as the story unfolded, I could hear each person in the audience alternative laughing or weeping, the experience adding a level of perspective I will always treasure -> an audience of strangers became intimately connected by the shared experience.
The central storyline in the American theatrical release, from my perspective, is this: Alfredo is a Christ-like figure who has one joy in his life, Toto (Salvatore), and Alfredo knowingly pushes away that joy, forever, so that Salvatore might live. Alfredo died -- gave up 30 years of the relationship that mattered most to him -- so Salvatore could live. The imagery of the film shows this theme often -- when fire consumes the original cinema, the last thing we see burned are Alfredo and a statue of the Virgin Mary.
I strongly recommend seeing the director's cut and think you will appreciate it more having seem the American theatrical release first. The director's cut is not simply adding a lot more minutes, though it does that. It has a massively important storyline that was taken out of the theatrical release, a storyline that changes what we think of characters and their motivations.
I've seen a lot of movies. Thousands. Cinema Paradiso remains my favorite.
Another point: The film is set in a small town in Sicily (which you can visit), and at the start, the war (WW II) is already over, a point you understandably missed with all the emotional scenes (Toto asks his mother, if the war is over, why isn't his father back). So the escapism you noted is not from the war but from the hardship of poverty, a common condition throughout Southern Italy. I know life in a small, poor, Southern Italian town -- my wife was born in one and we have visited; each time, more and more homes and shops are boarded up. The church, school and the cinema were places where communities came together.
It's the music that really gets you. The movie is great, very emotional, but the music sends you over the edge 😢
OMG! Someone finally had the sense to watch and react to this wonderful film. I think you are the first reactor to do so. Thank you Kai Oda! ❤ Looking forward to the rest of your IMBD journey.
Haha yes I've been waiting for someone to react to this wonderful film too, can't believe nearly everybody ignores it.
So pleased to see someone react to this beautiful movie. It's been one of my favourites for over 30 years. It's a shame that you didn't watch the director's cut, although, you'd have cried a lot more if you had.
Thank you so much for this reaction.
Cinema Paradiso means so much to me - I wish more movie lovers could come to appreciate it. It will have a special place their heart too. 💜
What makes this movie memorable & appealing is the combination of Ennio Morricone’s music and the love stories in this film. There are at least 3 levels of love story in this film - the love between a foster father & a boy , boy’s love of movies , young man first love of a girl. Every human being can relate one or more of love themes in their own life. This is the reason many people have watched this film more than once to appreciate the many levels of love themes that can be found in this memorable film.
The director's cut of this movie isn't as bad as people often say. Honestly, in my opinion, the director's cut conveys the story in its entirety. However, people do not like impurity interfering with pure nostalgia. Even though that impurity is closer to the truth of life. After watching the director's cut, you will truly understand what the ending of this movie means. Like the priest who deleted the kissing scenes, Alfred also exercised the power to edit Toto's life. Therefore, Toto's tears at the end are not pure nostalgia, but regret mixed with resentment.
Prefiero la versión más breve, con huecos en la historia. La versión extendida explica demasiado, y no es necesario creo.
Beautiful movie. Beautiful reaction, too. The IMDB Top 100 is a great idea.
One of the most powerful endings in cinema
Bbefore I watched this movie, everybody told me I was gonna cry, and I'm very good crier so I was ready. The I was watching the film and I was like "is beautiful, but I'm not crying" and then the last scene with all the kisses happened, and I was bawling my eyes out!
It’s arguably the finest film ever made
It was the crazy guy that ran around the square and won the lottery that paid for the new Cinema.
Este filme me emociona sempre, a trilha sonora me faz chorar sempre❤ Ennio Morricone é um gênio
I’ve been wanting film reactors to watch this for so long, in part because it’s just so fitting given the subject. Thank you.
You need an ENTIRE box of tissues for this. I saw it first run in Scottsdale. Men were openly sobbing in the theatre.
hello i am from Sicily and i watched your video because i was curious to see the reaction and perception from your side since you are a foreigner, first of all let's do some context the movie in the first part is set in the years after the war, the Anglo-Americans had recently left sicily and the church had a relevant role in the local culture, in contrast to this you can see how in reality the sicily of those years was living the American dream precisely because it wanted to forget the war and the 20 years that will officially end on April 25, 1945 reason why until 1954 illiteracy was still widespread here is explained why alfredo takes the diploma, as it was necessary for him not only for culture but to continue working.
One aspect i want to underline is that this film abroad is perceived as an italian film, in reality this film is purely Sicilian. From this film you can learn how a Sicilian expresses himself, how a Sicilian thinks and also the Sicilian sense of humor which is made up of gestures and expressions, expressions that the subtitles cannot fully represent, which is why you may have found unclear moments in the dialogues. All these elements that i have described to you have remained unchanged over time.
the explanation of the love story between Salvatore and Elena:
beware there is a spoiler here: the love story is explained and developed in the director's cut
the two meet as adults when salvatore returns for alfredo's funeral and in a very poetic dialogue with wonderful editing they retrace their love story.
SPOiLER in reality both had never stopped loving each other and writing to each other but Alfredo prevented them from receiving each other's letters making them both believe that the other had forgotten her forever. You must find the scene to see how powerful it is
the square guy it's a veteran who got mad because of the war so he is the mad of the village
explanation of the Neapolitan citizen in Sicily: in reality at the time it could have been a normal fact imagine that up to 100 years before Naples and all the lands up to Sicily were a united, sovereign and independent state so it was not difficult for them to find themselves there.
it's a film that talks about love, about the sense of family, a patriotic film intended as Sicilian patriotism
curiosity: for a few years now, a small film festival has been held at the location of the film
i hope with this comment i have answered some unanswered questions and satisfied some of your curiosity and not offended anyone's sensibilities.
thank you, greetings from Sicily.
I've become addicted to reactions. Just out of curiosity I typed "Cinema Paradiso reaction" doubting very much that there would be one. And I was ecstatic when yours popped up, I believe the only one, as of August 8, '24. I did enjoy it a lot, it's one of my personal top 5 movies ever. HOWEVER. dang, boy.... Shut the heck up! Man, did you chatter way too much. I realize we're not here to watch the whole thing
This is reportedly Matthew McConaughey 's most favorite film.
I would also like to recommend another one of my top 5, "Like Water for Chocolate", from Mexico. Oddly enough it also features Italian actor Marco Leonardi (teenage Toto here on Cinema Paradiso) playing a Mexican man and speaking Spanish very well.
I will check out more of your reactions.
👍🏼🎥
Finally someone who reacts to this masterpiece. I suggest you the longest version (even better) where he meet her again in the second part and clarifies why they had not met years before along with other sequences.
I couldn't ever get into Italian film. Tried pasolini and fellaini and always felt cold, so I put this one off for years. Had a free day and tried it and ended watching it 3 times that same day. Twice the directors cut and finally the cinema release. Wonderful film.
fellini and pasolini are probably 10-20% of what italian cinema has to offer
One of the most beautifull and funny and heart fealing movie I ever wath! Ilove it ! Please try A vita e bella and french movies such as A very long engagement and Amelie Poulain
This is the film version, cut; there is a long version where he finds her as an adult who tells her the truth
The neapolitan man actually "made eleven" ("ho fatto undici!") at Totocalcio. It's a gambling game where you try to predict the results of soccer games. If you get right all eleven matches you win a decent amount of money - proportional to the number of people who got it right, so the more upsets ad unexpected match results, the better. Not exactly like winning a big lottery, but it could've changed the life of a poor person back then. I guess they've translated it as "pools" 'cause it's very similar to the pools british gambling game, where they also bet on soccer.
Naples is on the mainland. Toto lives on the island of Sicily. Toto’s friend is helping take reels of the film to a different theatre in a different town, since the shipment of the title got messed up. Each film had several reels and the projectionist had to show the reels, adding the next one so the audience doesn’t experience a delay.
Because of this series, I've rented the director's cut on UA-cam, so consider yourself successful! That version adds almost an extra hour, spent throughout the film but mostly on [whoops! you're avoiding spoilers], adding even more bittersweet energy to the film. It doesn't include the bits where it cuts back to old Toto in his bed, though. I'm not the kind of person who usually watches movies like this, frankly I'm not the kind of person who usually watches movies just in general, but the film was very good. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen for most of it, and I really appreciate how skillfully the film implies as well as shows its story.
You made me cry
Yes. 4K UHD, Blu-Rays do exist but be sure to get the one which fits your country’s format- some are only meant for non-US markets, some have both types.
Never ever watch the extended directors cut. There are reasons why these scenes were cut.
1. It focuses more on the relationship with Elena and that storyline is already the weakest part of the film. 2. It turns Alfredo a bit into a villain and (for myself) ruins why I love this movie. The theatrical cut is perfect as is.
Coincido. En este caso, menos es más.
It's equally sad no-one seems to react to this beautiful movie and also nice for me to keep it more personal
Maybe the best finale in movie history!
Toto still sees his Mom-but pays for her to go to Rome. Listen again to the beginning when Toto’s girlfriend is talking to him. He just does not go back to Sicily, and his mom prefers to live there rather than move to Rome.
I've Watch this movie oneumdreed times, but i'm crying with you. I suggest you another big beautifil italian film: "La vita è bella" by Roberto Benigni (win Oscar too)
I have seen Cinema Paradiso multiple times. I haven't seen Star Wars. I was 13 when it came out- just never interested me.
The guy who won the lottery used his money to rebuild the new theatre.
😢❤
You're at the beginning of the movie still, and you're already crying. You're never going to make it! 😂