Cinema Paradiso

Cinema Paradiso is a daring movie. Giuseppe Tornatore made quite some movies afterwards, Malèna was sure sexy, but Paradiso is still his best movie to date.

Ennio Morricone's musical score of this movie was haunting. It added the kind of texture to the visual of this film that made it stayed in your memory long after the movie was over.

There are 2 versions of this movie out there: the 123-minute international version and the 170 min director's cut.

Longer doesn't always mean better. I watched the 170 min version on a Tartan VHS long time ago (now it's on DVD). I like the 123 min version of Cinema Paradiso more. Thanks to the film editors, I found this version of the movie more absorbing than the long version. Some characters through the branched plot development lost their purity and becoming less likable in the extended version. Some things are better left unsaid/ unknown - if you know what I mean.

Again, it's just my personal view. Everyone has the right to view the full monty and judge it themselves.