Cinema Paradiso
[quote]I like zigzagging my way through genres – Giuseppe Tornatore[/quote]
The exploration of the relationship between life and the movies is an attractive theme for film makers and has been tackled successfully by a number of directors.The Cinema paradiso explores different relationships but the central relationship between Alfredo and the young Salvatore is a non-sexual one between two males; a quasi father-son relationship.
Cinema Paradiso
The film (basically simple in structure: childhood, youth, maturity) uses two time scales – about 36 hours on one level and over 40 years on another – working through the device of flashback.
The film’s impact derives from a good script, fine acting (Salvatore Cascio as the child is hard to resist), superb camera work, editing and design and the haunting score that manipulates our emotions. On close study we note the effective use of imagery – particularly the frame and the storm – the ability to make correspondences and allusions and the elegance of the structure. There is scope too for the viewer to engage actively with the narrative.
