Film and TV Review There is no separation, how can we meet again: "Cinema Paradiso" (Tornadore)

Text/Xiao Guanping

Contents:

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1. Parting and reunion

I was fortunate enough to participate in the film salon at the "84 Charing Cross Street" cafe. This was the first collective movie viewing after the resumption of work in 2020 due to the epidemic, so the theme set by the projectionist was "Farewell and Reunion".

Before watching the movie, the projectionist played a medley of classic films about "Farewell and Reunion".

Every movie should have its own theme. For example, the exclusive theme of "Inception" is "Multi-layered Dreams", but it also has some similarities with "The Matrix" and "The Truman Show" ***The same theme is Descartes’ theory of demons: How do we know that the world we live in is real?

Although I have not participated in a movie viewing event in Charing before, I was honored to attend Tornatore's "Cinema Paradiso" for the first time.

After the movie ended, the audience watched the ending credits quietly without leaving early, immersed in the romantic movie world. Watching a movie with a group of people who love movies is a great enjoyment. Although I didn't experience parting in a coffee shop, I felt like I was reunited with an old friend.

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2. Tornadore’s Time and Space Trilogy

“Cinema Paradiso” is Tornatore’s Time and Space Trilogy The first part. My favorites, in order: "Legend of Sicily", "Cinema Paradiso" and "The Pianist on the Sea".

I used to like "The Pianist" the most, but after watching "The Beautiful Legend of Sicily", I was moved by the beautiful Sicily and Italian style. The editing and photography of "Sicily" are also more mature.

"The Pianist" is the most famous in China, with a faster plot rhythm and dazzling piano performances, but it always feels like it is missing something compared to the other two. After rewatching "Cinema Paradiso", I thought, it's Italian!

Although "The Pianist" is also the experience of Italians arriving in the United States, in order to cater to Hollywood and world audiences, the entire film was completed in English and lacked the Italian flavor.

"Cinema Paradiso", with its old-fashioned tone and unspectacular story, was previously ranked at the bottom of the trilogy. But it has my favorite "movie" theme. After watching the movie this time, my love for it surpassed "The Pianist", which can be regarded as my unique tribute to the movie.

What is more powerful than being a movie projectionist is making movies.

Duoduo is the incarnation of Tornatore.

Although Duoduo grew up in the cinema, if he had not had the talent and perseverance to make movies, as well as Evert's careful guidance, he might not have become a great director that the world has noticed. .

There are so many people working in cinemas, how many can become film masters?

Duoduo started shooting short films on slaughtered cows when he was a teenager. This is what Tornatore and great directors such as Spielberg and Nolan did when they were young.

Just like Quentin Tarantino, he also read countless films in the video store where he worked, and eventually became a director. Duoduo's experience as a cinema announcer laid the foundation for him to become an international director.

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3. Competent audience

If you watch a lot of film, you will know what plot is shown, and you can also remember many movie lines. At first, I thought that only children like Duoduo, who grew up in movie theater screening rooms, had this ability because they watched too many movies.

But later I discovered that many viewers in the cinema, whether adults or children, could memorize many lines.

What impressed me most was an old man who memorized a movie from beginning to end. When the movie was being played, he always told all the lines in the movie before the actors spoke, and he even burst into tears.

This paragraph is both funny and touching. This old man is a model of a movie addict. The movies at that time were simple and unpretentious, but it was easy for the audience to immerse themselves in the plot and characters. People were attentive when watching the movie, for fear of fear. Missed something, even if I have seen it many times.

This is completely different from the current state of watching movies while playing on mobile phones.

One of them may have a heart disease. When he saw a war scene in the movie, a cannonball was shot into the audience's perspective, frightening the patient to death on the spot. For the audience at that time, the picture effect in the cinema was too realistic, even more shocking than the current 3D effect. He must have thought that the cannonball flew out of the screen.

How many movies were shown in the cinema of this film? Which movies are they?

Because they are all old black and white films, and there are many local Italian films, it is estimated that only European and American audiences can count the names of these films. I look forward to seeing such popular science articles.

When writing film reviews, don’t just write comments and insights. Sometimes, conduct some systematic and specialized research, and do something with a unique perspective, such as statistics, archeology, ranking, inventory, comparison, analysis, and association. Very interesting too.

Each film review has a different focus. You can learn different things from reading different film reviews.

If modern people were to film "Cinema Paradiso", the movies shown in the cinema might be "The Shining", "The Godfather", "E.T.", "Jaws", "Star Wars" and "Jurassic Park" "Movies like "Titanic" may make us cry even more when we watch them.

Spielberg's "Ready Player One" pays tribute to many classic old films, and the audience finds a retro and nostalgic feeling in it. The appearance of the scene in "The Shining" directly made us movie lovers cry with joy.

Most people have never watched "The Shining" in the cinema and can only watch it on DVD, TV and the Internet. However, "Ready Player One" allows us to realize our dream and be immersed in the cinema. Appreciating "The Shining", even if it is just an imitation and tribute, I feel deeply moved, as if I have returned to the era when "The Shining" was released.

I believe that classic movies like this will have the opportunity to be re-screened in cinemas in the future.

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4. Mentors and helpful friends

Duoduo looked like Cristiano Ronaldo when he was a child. I discovered it when I watched the movie for the first time. Said Duoduo It was played by Cristiano Ronaldo when he was a child, so some people may believe it.

Ronaldo is a boyish big boy, with a sunny, handsome, and naughty smile that often appears on his face. I have always felt that Ronaldo should be what he is now when he grows up. If I were the old man Evert who showed the movie, I would probably also like this boy.

Evert and Duoduo have been friends for many years. He is the one who taught Duoduo to show movies and is also his life mentor.

Most of the plot of the movie is devoted to the friendship between an old man and a young man. This is also the most touching content of the film, surpassing the love between men and women.

Evert taught Duoduo how to screen movies and reminded him to pay attention to safety and how to rescue the film in case of accidental fire. This is an important responsibility. People who truly love movies will cherish the film as their own life.

Moreover, Evert also gave a lot of advice on important life issues such as ideals and love. He was Duoduo's best listener and teacher. The cutest thing is that he gave Duoduo advice on falling in love. Even though he later became blind, he still played the role of Duoduo's strategist.

Not only that, he also gave Duoduo the best life advice, asking him to get out of the small town and see the vast world outside.

The male protagonist of "The Pianist at Sea" also faces this choice. Is he willing to leave the cruise ship that he has never left and see the open world outside?

In the end, 1900 failed to surpass himself. He trapped himself on the boat, just like the tree baron in Calvino's novel, unwilling to come down from the tree, and finally became silent and exploded along with the ferry.

However, Duoduo chose to leave the town and venture into the outside world because his life mentor had the foresight to help him plan and let him choose the right path.

When Duoduo returned home in fine clothes, he tried his best to help the small town's cinema. This was similar to the plot of "Big Fish", both of which were repaying the favor when the king returned. He shed tears while watching the mixed-edited video of a kiss scene left by his life mentor Evert. It was at that moment that the two souls merged together again.

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5. Small town and noisy Italians

The villagers in this small town are simple and kind-hearted, full of yearning for the outside world. Curious and imaginative, but accustomed to understanding the outside world by watching movies, over time, they are unwilling to go out and face the real world outside the screen.

From the movies, they saw the beauty, innocence, temptation and charm of the outside world, as well as the murder, danger, terror and suspicion. On the one hand, they were afraid of the cruelty and evil of the outside world, but on the other hand, they yearned for Huahua. A world of surprises and romance. It is in the contradiction of opposites that they complete the redemption of this complex psychology by watching movies. This is also an important reason why movie theaters have always existed.

If you study Italian culture and Italian character, and watch more Italian movies, you will find that being noisy is the characteristic of Italian people.

Not only do they like to speak loudly, but they are also prone to emotions and are used to expressing their thoughts with gestures. This is where Italians differ from other Europeans. This is something you cannot see in movies from Spain, Portugal, Greece and other southern European countries. It is even rarer in movies from Western, Central and Northern Europe. Only Italians have this noisy feature.

See the madman in the small town, making trouble everywhere when others live quietly. I was reminded of a homeless man who lived in our compound when I was a kid.

In the summer, he pulled a long piece of cloth and asked others to help him cover it (thinking about it now, the person who helped him with the cloth was also very good), and took a basin of water to bathe in the open air beside the stadium. At that time, we These kids thought it was funny when they saw it. But he had no money and was homeless. If he couldn't bathe in the open air, where could he bathe?

For those who are suffering in life or suffering from diseases, we should not laugh or look on the sidelines, but we should also leave sympathy and understanding to them.

There may be a madman like this in every place. There is a madman in "White Deer Plain" who keeps stealing the show, there is a silly girl in "Legend of the Condor Heroes", and there is a madman in "Criminal Investigation Files 3". There was also a crazy magician in the Asian murder case, and there was also a homeless man holding a sign in "2012". They always make some shocking predictions or words that people can’t understand.

The madman in "Cinema Paradiso" has always said that this town belongs to him. This paragraph may seem insignificant, but in fact, if you think about it carefully, it makes sense.

Decades later, things in the town have changed, but this lunatic is living well in the town and still insists that the town belongs to him. Thinking of those who have died and left, and looking at him again, do you still dare to say that what he said is wrong? He is filled with the memories of generations of the town, and perhaps he is the biggest winner.

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6. Movie projectionist and movie viewing mode

People who really love movies will pay a lot for it. The job of a movie projectionist It’s not as simple as imagined, let alone watching movies for free. They need certain skills and professionalism to play a movie completely and smoothly for the audience to enjoy.

This kind of professionalism is needed in the process of film creation, shooting, distribution, screening, and review, and every link should be done with all one's strength.

Projecting movies is not as simple as imagined, especially in an era of crude equipment and backward technology. Projectionists are even more physically demanding and often face danger. It was in the process of rescuing the film that an accidental fire broke out that Evert was burned by the fire and became blind.

Evert passed this job on to Duoduo, and Duoduo did not take any advantage, but took on the important responsibility of making the people of the town happy.

It was getting late at night, but the enthusiastic town residents were clamoring to continue showing the movie. This conversation was particularly interesting.

Evert asked Duoduo, do we need to make them happy?

Duoduo nodded and said, yes.

They extended the movie from the screen to the outdoor wall.

If the theater owner doesn’t allow it to be shown on the screen, then we will show it outside.

The audience said, we also need sound.

Evert asked Duoduo again, are we going to fulfill everyone’s wishes and let them watch happily?

Lots of nods.

They played the loudspeaker to Grandpa again.

An outdoor cinema was born!

Therefore, they are engaged in a profession that can entertain people, not just playing movies.

By the way, Xiao Tang from Cafe No. 84 in Charing is also an independent projectionist. Since Evert and Duoduo are senior film projectionists, it is very appropriate to screen this movie today. .

I didn’t know before that there is also the profession of film projectionist in contemporary times.

This is how open-air cinemas came to be. Later, people even took boats from the water to watch movies.

There are now drive-in movie theaters where you can watch movies in cars, or watch movies on cliffs or under the stars. In the future, there will be various ways of showing movies.

These are just forms, what really matters is the quality of the film itself. If the movie is really good, even if we watch it on TV, computer, tablet, or mobile phone, we can still get happiness from it.

However, movie theaters are the most traditional place to show movies. Even if the ways of watching movies in the future are all kinds of weird, we should never forget the laughter in the movie theater and the ritual of collective movie watching.

"Cinema Paradiso" is a movie that shows the most innocent side of movie watching. When the epidemic returns to work, it is very thoughtful for No. 84 Charing Cross Street Cafe to use this film as the beginning of a group viewing.

One detail is that two movie theaters share the same film. There is a person who rides a bicycle to deliver the film to each other. When one movie theater watches the previous episode, the other movie theater can only watch the next episode.

Those who have watched the previous episode can wait for the next one, but some people can only watch the next episode first and then the previous one.

When watching movies and TV dramas, continuity is important. Unless it is a work that has been memorized like the Four Great Classics, it is difficult to watch 20 to 40 episodes of a new drama first, and then go back and watch 1 to 20 episodes.

There was an audience member. When everyone was clamoring to watch the last episode, he proudly said: I have watched the entire movie, and I can tell you the plot!

Then he was beaten up by everyone. It seems that no matter what era, audiences don't like to be spoiled.

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7. The heroine of the trilogy and photography

Comparing the heroines of the Time and Space Trilogy, the "mysterious" seems It's their sexual nature.

Elena, the heroine of "Cinema Paradiso", and Duoduo were a little erratic and mysterious when they first met, but fortunately the two fell in love for a while.

The heroine and the hero of "The Pianist on the Sea" basically just passed each other. Although it was a romantic encounter, there were not many sparks, and the girl didn't even leave her name. Although she left a clue for the male protagonist and asked him to find her, the male protagonist still did not get off the ship and missed this good relationship.

Maybe the heroine is still at home waiting for the hero to come to her! According to the routines of ordinary film and television dramas, this is definitely the ending, but Tornatore just doesn't follow the routines.

And the heroine of "Beautiful Legend of Sicily" Marina (whose name is very similar to Elena in "Cinema Paradiso") is even more mysterious, sexy and cool, arousing the desire of others, but And cut off everyone's thoughts.

It may be that Tornatore himself has had an emotional experience of falling out of love before it even started, so he has a sympathetic mind when describing this kind of unrequited love, unable to let go, meeting by chance but unforgettable for life. So the shoot was very successful.

The scenery in Italy is beautiful, I think it is the most beautiful country in the world.

The photography of "Cinema Paradiso" is no less than that of "The Beautiful Legend of Sicily" and "The Pianist on the Sea".

The photography of "The Pianist on the Sea" is also very beautiful, but most of the time there is a depressing feeling, because the story always takes place on the ship, and it is basically shot indoors. The environment is relatively dim, unlike "The Pianist on the Sea". "Beautiful Legend of Sicily" is sunny, and it is not like the starry sky of "Cinema Paradiso".

A slightly more open scene is that when the ship first arrived in New York, people saw the Statue of Liberty and the high-rise buildings on the shore, and they all shouted with excitement. The scene where the two met by chance on the deck also had some outdoor scenes, but it was raining heavily.

"The Beautiful Legend of Sicily" takes place in a sultry summer, with not only abundant sunshine but also the smell of sweat and hormones.

"Cinema Paradiso" also has a large number of exterior scenes. The scenery is pleasant, warm and romantic, which is very suitable for young people to fall in love and easily generate creative inspiration. The whole town is ancient but not outdated, elegant but heavy, giving people a feeling of simplicity and warmth.

The shots and photography of the film are very beautiful, embodying the natural beauty of the town and the innocent beauty of the characters. Especially the scene where the heroine appears is also very beautiful under the lens of Duoduo's handheld camera. This is almost the same as the beauty of the other two films.

The heroines under Tornatore's camera are always charming, which is exactly the same as the female beauty Duoduo photographed since childhood, so this is the director's autobiography. The three films are linked together through female beauty, with clever conception and perfect artistic conception.

Let’s talk about the explosion plot in the trilogy, that is, the explosion of the cinema in this film and the explosion of the ship in "The Pianist on the Sea".

The plot of bombing a movie theater is similar to the plot of bombing a ship in "The Pianist". Things that once condensed memories are destroyed, and they are very precious to the protagonist.

When the ship is blown up, the protagonist disappears together with this behemoth full of memories; but when the movie theater is blown up, no one's life will be hurt. Because the cinema is dilapidated, the government wants to demolish it and use it for other purposes. The enthusiasm of the town residents for movies is no longer what it used to be. Like the big ship, the cinema has become an old memory.

But for Duoduo, he couldn't bear to see his childhood memories turned into ruins, so he rebuilt a new cinema. He is not only a director, but also made a great contribution to the film industry. I also like this kind ending.

In fact, "The Beautiful Legend of Sicily" can also create explosion plots: stupid citizens can bomb the heroine's house, the Nazis can bomb this beautiful town, and the Allies can also bomb the fascist military Base... If I were a director, I might shoot it like this to add another consistent image to the trilogy.

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8. Date with the Goddess

While watching the movie, I kept thinking about the part between Evert and Duoduo " What does the story "The Princess and the Soldier" mean?

Duoduo asked Evert what this story meant, but Evert couldn't tell. Maybe it itself has multiple meanings. Fortunately, Duoduo's love is not like this, and his waiting has been rewarded.

Seeing the short-lived love between the two of them, I am still happy for Duoduo, who is much luckier than 1900.

Especially when I saw the first kiss between two people in the cinema, I thought that Duoduo had watched so many kissing scenes in movies since she was a child. Now that it was my turn, the feeling must be very pure and beautiful, and it will be unforgettable for a lifetime!

When you work hard to catch up with your goddess, no matter how hard you have worked in the past, it will all be worth it. Duoduo is more proactive in courting girls. When the other party shows no expression, he still persists in his pursuit, and finally gets the beauty in his arms. That kind of joy is very fulfilling and happy.

When I saw the scenes of their first kiss, hug and romantic date, I was very happy for Duoduo and thought of being with my lover.

They ate wild salad on the grass, which looked like chicken and lettuce, accompanied by delicious fruits and a little salad dressing... When I was watching the movie, I happened to order a chicken lemon in the cafe Salad, synchronized with this plot, has a strong sense of substitution. Watching them eat, the food in their hands suddenly felt very sweet.

What we watched was the Oscar version, which is generally circulated as two hours, while the director’s cut was nearly three hours. What the director cut was Duoduo’s interaction with the heroine as an adult, and Evert obstruction to this love.

These clips better explain the disturbing aspects of the second half, but they drag out the movie very long, because the exciting plots of the movie all take place in the cinema, and the consequences of love do not seem to the audience so much. expect. Therefore, the Oscar version retains a lot of the movie theater plot and the romantic moments of Duoduo pursuing the goddess, and simplifies the subsequent emotional scenes.

We can also watch the director's cut, but it is not as crisp and clear as this version. Although some places are not explained clearly enough, it does not affect the development of the overall plot. This version is too long for me. If it could be compressed by another 10 to 20 minutes, the film might be even more perfect.

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9. Favorite kiss scene mash-up

The church people do not allow the cinema to show kiss scenes, and they ring the bell when they show them. A very deep impression.

The kissing clip that Evert later left for Duoduo was also a protest against this prohibition by the church and the priest. He and Duoduo both believe that kissing is a normal emotional exchange between men and women, it is human nature and should not be restricted or restricted.

The audience has pure and passionate expectations for beautiful love. As a romantic country in Italy, kissing and intimacy are really normal scenes. The detail of the priest ringing the bell paved the way for the emotional release of the kissing clip at the end of the film.

I also have a strong preference for watching kissing scenes.

Evert left Duoduo a collection of kissing scenes. There are dozens of kissing scenes, edited from dozens of films.

It would be a very huge project to research these movies and write out the male and female protagonists who kissed. I believe someone has done such research.

The difference between kissing and other erotic scenes is that most of the time, only men and women who truly love each other will kiss. If a man doesn't love the woman, he may want her body, but usually he doesn't want to kiss her. Women do the same to men.

Kissing is a natural behavior that occurs when a couple is deeply in love. It also shows the sincerity and purity of feelings and is the outburst of passionate emotions.

Evert’s editing of this kiss scene was so beautiful that it also left the most exciting scene in the movie.

I once posted on WeChat Moments, saying that I just love watching kissing scenes. Maybe the kiss scene will make people feel more immersed, and they can feel the happiness and sweetness of the male and female protagonists.

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10. Eternal love for movies

During the epidemic, although you cannot go to the cinema, you can still watch movies through TV, computers, tablets, mobile phones, etc. As a video carrier, I also enjoyed a lot of good movies.

Although watching movies on a 4K ultra-clear TV has higher definition and multi-language subtitles, you can fast forward, pause, and rewind. You can also record and study the details of the movie, and your posture when watching the movie is also better. It's free, but my favorite way to watch movies is to go to the cinema, just like the people in "Cinema Paradiso".

I reluctantly left the No. 84 Charing Cross Street Cafe, but I think I will come back soon to continue watching other movies with everyone. Without separation, where would there be reunion?

First draft on 2020/8/19? Revised on 2021/8/5