Cinema Paradiso: The New Version
The Director's Cuut
This Miramax Classics presentation of Cinema Paradiso: The New Version brings you the critically acclaimed triumph as never seen before! A famous Italian filmmaker, haunted by the memories of his first love, returns to his hometown after an absence of 30 years. Upon his return, he reconnects with the community and remembers the highlights and tragedies that shaped his life and inspired him to follow his dream of becoming a filmmaker. For those who have never seen it... and those who have never forgotten it... director Giuseppe Tornatore's (Malena, the Star Maker) cherished, Academy Award-winning motion picture is now fully restored, digitally remastered and includes 51 minutes of never-before-seen footage!
Member Reviews
Vandalizes the Original - nxnw
I agree that "whoever edited the original version did the director a huge favour".
The original was a jewel. It was a movie about movies, with a clear story, vision and focus. The original story focuses on the protagonist as a child, his relationship with the local projectionist and how it inspired him to become a filmmaker. That story flows effortlessly into a great, memorable ending.
This "new version", the director's cut, is a flabby, self-indulgent, train wreck. A whole further movie — a tedious, endless soap opera — gets wedged in between the original story and ending. It smothers the great original story and sucks the poignancy out of the ending. Imagine Citizen Kane with an hour of "As the World Turns" crammed in just before the ending.
Get the original.An Improvement over the "Original" - Mud_Songs
This expanded version of the film is an improvement over the original North American release and will definitely please anyone who is already a fan. I watched about an hour of it every night for three nights, and I loved it. Today this film would probably get divided into two separate parts. The last half has a different rhythm that almost makes it feel like another film. But that’s a minor criticism of what I now realize is a great film.Beautiful - Russell1
This is a wonderful coming of age atory. The story of a man's life, from his childhood through to his late middle-age is told through the story of the cinema in a small town in Italy beginning immediately after the Second World war.
This new, longer version of the original, oofers more explanations of what happened to the young man's first love. The woman seemed to completely reject the young man. This rejection caused him to leave the life of his village and become soemthing more than the film projectionists apprentice.
The narrative line of the story flows flawlessly. The characters are realistic and completely engaging.
The film tells the story of life as a movie, life as a tragedy, life as a love story.
Really a great movie.
Member Reviews
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Vandalizes the Original - nxnw
I agree that "whoever edited the original version did the director a huge favour".
The original was a jewel. It was a movie about movies, with a clear story, vision and focus. The original story focuses on the protagonist as a child, his relationship ...An Improvement over the "Original" - Mud_Songs
This expanded version of the film is an improvement over the original North American release and will definitely please anyone who is already a fan. I watched about an hour of it every night for three nights, and I loved it. Today this film would probably ...Beautiful - Russell1
This is a wonderful coming of age atory. The story of a man's life, from his childhood through to his late middle-age is told through the story of the cinema in a small town in Italy beginning immediately after the Second World war.
This new, longer ...