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Cinema Paradiso Details

1989 DVD Certificate PG.gif
  • Rated:
  • 80
  • from 21,419 members

In this delightful Academy Award-winning film, a young boy (Marco Leonardi) in a small Italian village is overjoyed when the local movie projectionist (Philippe Noiret) reveals to him the mysteries of moviemaking, beginning his lifelong love affair with cinema. Read more

Starring Philippe Noiret, Jacques Perrin, Agnes Nano, Salvatore Cascio
Director Giuseppe Tornatore
Genres Drama, World Cinema

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Cinema Paradiso

In this delightful Academy Award-winning film, a young boy (Marco Leonardi) in a small Italian village is overjoyed when the local movie projectionist (Philippe Noiret) reveals to him the mysteries of moviemaking, beginning his lifelong love affair with cinema.

Starring Philippe Noiret, Jacques Perrin, Agnes Nano, Salvatore Cascio
Director Giuseppe Tornatore
Studio ARROW FILMS
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 50 mins
Blu-ray: 1 hr 58 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate PG.gif
Collections Ezio's Top 10
Genres Drama, World Cinema
Language Italian
Subtitles English
Released DVD: 21 May 2001
Blu-ray: 11 Jan 2010
Production year: 1989
Format DVD

Cinema Paradiso (2 discs) (1989)

Or you can rent each disc individually:

  • Sign up Cinema Paradiso - Theatrical Version

  • Sign up Cinema Paradiso - Director's Cut

  • Critics' reviews (4) of Cinema Paradiso

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  • 5 stars out of 5

    Winner of the Oscar for best foreign language film, this is both an unashamedly sentimental rite-of-passage picture and a charming reminder of the lost magic of cinema-going. The undoubted stars are projectionist Philippe Noiret and his adorable young assistant, Salvatore Cascio. Yet it's the patrons of the village cinema in Sicily who give the film its irresistible flavour, entering into the spirit of each and every movie, and treating the cinema as a part of life, not just an escape from it. The 1994 director's cut contains 32 minutes that were removed from Giuseppe Tornatore's original following a lukewarm domestic response, making it even more of a wonderfully nostalgic experience.

    • Radio Times
  • 4 stars out of 4

    Nostalgic in its celebration of the cinema, beautifully detailed in its enjoyment of the rituals of small-town life with, underneath it all, a toughness in its depiction of a child's growth to maturity.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • Most helpful member's review of Cinema Paradiso

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  • 50 out of 52 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    My favourite foreign film

    This has to be my favourite foreign film of all time, however, that refers to the director's cut rather than the shorter original release.

    It was the director's cut I saw at the cinema first, and it was that version of the film I love. I feel the original shorter release of the film has too much cut out to complete the story.

    If you like this film and haven't seen the director's cut, I strongly recommend you get your hands on a copy.

      • A customer from Manchester, UK
  • Most recent members' review of Cinema Paradiso

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Why didn't I watch this sooner?

    I speak Italian and all my italian friends told me to see this ages ago. Because I've seen the TV shows they rate I've always put it off but now I've seen it...I'm sorry I didn't get it sooner!!

    The acting was fantastic, especially the boy, and I'm glad I ordered the longer directors cut. I was moved to tears but I also laughed along with Alfredo and Salvatore. I'm going to buy this for my collection now....without a doubt! This really is the true classic I'd been told about.

      • A customer from Suffolk
  • News and features

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    La Haine - HD DVD Version

    Voters select top foreign film

    • 11 May 2007

    A poll to find the most popular foreign-language films of all time has put touching drama Cinema Paradiso at number one. The survey conducted by and reported in the Guardian puts the Italian/French movie - which was originally released in 1989 - at the top, being the story of a film director who revisits his hometown and reminisces about a girl he fell in love with as a young man. French romantic comedy Amelie followed in second place, starring The Da Vinci Code actress Audrey Tautou as the... Read more

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Rating breakdown

21,419 Member ratings
  • 100
5,279
  • 90
3,472
  • 80
4,634
  • 70
2,991
  • 60
1,943
  • 50
1,174
  • 40
595
  • 30
517
  • 20
539
  • 10
275

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Average rating: 4.50   90% from 1 member

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    • Cinema Paradiso - BLU-RAY Version
      A nostalgic look at a young boy's coming-of-age in postwar Italy and his fascination with a small local cinema, CINEMA PARADISO from director Giuseppe Tornatore is a famed and beloved classic.

      'Alfredo is dying'... those words jolt the successful filmmaker Salvatore (played as a child by ...

    • Cinema Paradiso
      In this delightful Academy Award-winning film, a young boy (Marco Leonardi) in a small Italian village is overjoyed when the local movie projectionist (Philippe Noiret) reveals to him the mysteries of moviemaking, beginning his lifelong love affair with cinema....