Based on the life and times of the director himself, Cinema Paradiso offers a nostalgic look at films and the effect they have on a young boy who grows up in and around the title village cinema. The story begins in the present as a Sicilian mother pines for her estranged son, who left many years ago and has since become a prominent film director. He finally returns to his home village to attend the funeral of the town's former film projectionist, and, in so doing, embarks upon a journey into his boyhood just after WWII when he became the man's official son. In the dark confines of the Cinema Paradiso, the boy and the other townsfolk try to escape from the grim realities of post-war Italy. The town censor is also there to insure nothing untoward appears onscreen, invariably demanding that all kissing scenes be edited out. One day the boy saves the projectionist's life during a fire, and then becomes the new projectionist himself. A few years later he falls in love with a beautiful girl who breaks his heart after he is inducted into the military. Thirty years later he has come to say goodbye to his life-long friend, who has left him a little gift in a film can.
This is film making at its very best. It is a totally absorbing watch and not a dry eye will be seen anywhere. A lovely stroll down memory lane to a calmer less rushed world where people mattered and good things happened. The DVD release incorporates an additional 51 minutes of material that was edited from the release version. It broadens the experience considerably and adds a great deal more depth to the characters.
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