Review of Cinema Paradiso (1988) by Roswell C — 07 Dec 2009
Tornatore has created a modern epic viewed from the eyes of a male protagonist over the course of significant moments from his life time circa the 1950s Italy. the film weaves together many themes such as nostalgia, modernization and youth but the film is ultimately a celebration of the human experience and the gift of life.
Watching salvatore grow up before our eyes and become so engaged with his experiences reminds us that we also have people in our own lives who see us with just as much amazement. and like salvator, we are oblivious to those people as we often take them for granted.
On another level, watching salvatore's hometown grow and change but still maintain a measure of it's identity throughout the film is a metaphor for salvator. as the town experiences "modernization" and ages and "matures" into a modern city, salvatore also "modernizes" and ages and "matures".
However, his dissatisfaction and emptiness with his successes teaches us that adulthood - like progress and modernization can dilute the simple joys in life. a cinematic masterpiece, highly recommended.
This review of Cinema Paradiso (1988) was written by Roswell C on 07 Dec 2009.
Cinema Paradiso has generally received very positive reviews.
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