MovieChat Forums > Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1990) Discussion > Director's Cut? You can keep it!!

Director's Cut? You can keep it!!

posted 12 years ago by orangelion03
29 replies | jump to latest

Had not watched the movie in years, but my 78 year old mama was visiting us so we ordered it from Netflix. It's an old family favorite (yes, it's flawed, but we are a sentimental old bunch, and my mother and father saw many of the movies shown at the "Paradiso" when they were growing up in Argentina). Turns out we were sent the directors cut. Boy, were we pissed off after watching it. The whole thing with the "old" Elena at the end was horrid. And the scenes where we find out Alfredo lied to both of them? SCREW THAT!!! Really, the original version left a lot to the imagination with that over-credits scene where he spots her in a crowd. Sometimes, you just have to leave things alone.

[–] xINTJx 12 years ago

Completely disagree , the scene with Elena at the end is amazing.

[–] JTGleason 12 years ago

I completely agree. I studied film in school, and thought that the released version was done perfectly for the movie's point, emotionally and cinematically. The movie was about the Cinema Paradiso. Elena was a first love, and lost love... for the story, it was enough for any hopeless romantics that love film.

When I saw the director's cut version, I was dumbfounded. Ironically, the cut scenes looked like they were added footage! They showed Alfredo's back as he lied to Elena as if he was a stand-in actor. Instead of the Toto, Alfredo, and "Cinema Paradiso" story, it became about Toto and Elena after to which she was already long gone. This made no sense!

These scenes that were requested cut by the distributers were for good reason, but not because they knew what the end product would be. The irony was that the originally released version was superior to the D.Cut. It changed the whole dynamic of the story, but for the better.

I had put "Cinema Paradiso" in top ten lists before, but because the second version causes confusion, I stopped. Others can keep it!

[–] FeelingSoSad 12 years ago

"Cinema Paradiso" (the shorter 124 minute theatrical version) was one of the first foreign films I'd ever seen as a teenager (oh so long ago!). To this day it's still a spellbinding experience for me to watch and I still rank it among my top 20. I'm one of the rare few who are personally not partial to the longer 'Director's 173 min version'. The longer cut came as a bit of an unexpected shock. I was highly uncomfortable watching the sexuality in this film - a teenage Toto losing his virginity to the prostitute and in his later years when re-discovering Elena, having a bit of an adulterous snog with Elena. Also as mentioned above I was bit saddened by Alfredo's deception that caused the divide between Toto and Elena. For me, this was a rare case where I actually do enjoyed the 'shorter version' as opposed to the 'Director's cut'. When I bought a DVD version of this, I made it a point to buy a version that had just the 120+ minutes and not the 170+ minutes version.

[–] alessiacapittini 12 years ago

Agree totally with FeelingSoSad.

I had sent my parents to see this film on a date, back in 1989. It brought them back to the innocence of their youth in Sicily. They loved it.

Other of Tornatore's films show a harsher version of Sicily (The Star maker, Malena)

This one had the innocence that reminded me of my dad's tales from childhood.

[–] learrcat 10 years ago

Agree; This is one of the few films that I prefer the theatrical cut as opposed to the director's / fanedit cut. It is a spellbinding experience to watch and it is in my top 5. Always look at it as why I love this genre.

[–] cockeye991 12 years ago

Totally disagree. The DC is vastly superior and the scene with Elena near the lighthouse is among my favorites. I have the 4 disc special edition dvd with both versions and i never watched the theatrical cut more than once. The DC is the way this movie should be seen.

" I've come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubble gum "

[–] preppy-3 11 years ago

I loved the original cut but always thought it was missing something. There was no real ending to the love story and Elena disappeared completely. The DC is 100 times better! It explained what happened between them and that final meeting was just perfect. It was about his love for movies AND Elena. People seem to be missing that point. Also the DC had me breaking down multiple times because it was so romantic and sad. I was dry eyed throughout the original version. So I agree...the DC is perfect.

[–] Balboasaurus 8 years ago

I have only watched the DC of this movie. How does the theatrical release end? Someone mentioned above that Toto sees Elena in the crowd. Is it the old Elena, or the young (daughter) Elena? I loved this movie. It is in my top 10.

-----
You'll Never Walk Alone

[–] Frodozhobbit 12 years ago

Exactly. I love movies that cut the crap and don't have the storybook ending.

[–] marklunt 11 years ago

Completely agree with you. I loved the original version and saw it a few times. I wouldn't watch the DC again. Is the original film available on DVD or Bluray?

[–] ben101-1 11 years ago

Yes ,i got bluray as xmas prezzie a few years ago.

[–] FranLovesBetteD 11 years ago

I have to agree with the OP.

I've always been intrigued by the existence of a director's cut of this movie, since it's one of my most favorites of all time. Well, last night, I finally got around to watch it, and I must confess it totally disappointed me. I mean, it was nice to get some responses to open questions in the theatrical version, just out of curiosity, but now that I've seen both, I think I prefer it that way. Now I can understand the reason of the removed footage. I, for one, don't think they add anything valuable to the shorter version.

Theatrical version = 10/10.

Director's cut: 7,5/10.

Animal crackers in my soup
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop

[–] mike-ricketts-1 11 years ago

Saw the DC again last night, in the rain!, at "Kew The Movies".
Your score, either way, will depend whether you are a good Buddhist (there is only the "Now"), or a Nostalgic of the "Blue Remembered Hills" School.
TC: 7/10;
DC: 10/10...!

[–] Cathz 11 years ago

I just watched Cinema Paradiso for the very first time - I saw the Director's Cut & I have to say I have never sobbed so much while watching a film! I haven't seen the Theatrical version but from the above comments it sounds like it would not have moved me as much. It was a cathartic experience for me & I'm very glad to have stuck it out for the longer version!

[–] estacionesenelsol-musica 10 years ago

The truth is that the longer version is not a "Director's cut". The final version that Tornatore wanted as the final cut is the theatrical version, when he realized the Elena story would deviate the film from its real meaning: A tribute to cinema and old street theaters through a loving friendship of two men. The added footage was a gimmick to seel more DVDs, but NEVER what the Director intended. For a love story check Jack and Rose in the Titanic.

[–] hopscotch6671 10 years ago

I agree with the OP - the longer cut makes Alfredo a villain. Forget all the 'Alfredo did this so Toto could find his true love - the cinema'...

At the very end, Toto sees all the cut "romantic" scenes spliced into films. So what he's unfortunately told Toto is you can film and make movies that show "acted" and fake love, but FORGET love in real life.

What a bunch of B.S.

Alfredo went from paternal figure to villain by keeping them away from each other. Who's not to say that if Toto and Elena broke up, that Toto could then use THAT experience to make great films? Instead Alfredo meddles in a relationship he had no business being a part of....

[–] hhmind_inc 10 years ago

Who's not to say that if Toto and Elena broke up, that Toto could then use THAT experience to make great films?

When the fire from such an intense love dies down, you fall with it.

Fire always turns to ashes, and he cannot build upon that. He would have regretted it all, being left with no past and no present.

[–] OceanRacoon 10 years ago

Alfredo essentially made Toto leave his hometown and NEVER come back, I don't even know if or how much he's seen his family, and if he hasn't seen them it's because of Alfredo and so is his successful film career.

Sabotaging Elena and Toto's relationship is perfectly in keeping with his character and adds a really interesting dynamic to the film, changing your view of the characters and their lives. Everyone here saying they don't like the Director's Cut are pretty much saying they don't like the ambiguity of Alfredo's actions and how sad this ending made them feel.

And it's perfectly reasonable for Alfredo to do such a thing; Elena and Toto are just kids at the time, Alfredo at his age probably would not regard it as particularly serious and believe that Toto's potential future in film and achieving his dream as more important.

[–] adamosiadam 9 years ago

just for the records, your comment is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE! Truth is that Tornatore likes both versions but initially he made the director's cut and then producers told him to make it shorter because it was a failure. You can look for it online, there is a huffingtonpost interview that clears this issue. If anything, he is for the longer version.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] RbDeraj 9 years ago

I just finished watching the original cut for the first time and thought it was excellent. Afterwards I read the synopsis of the extended version on wikipedia. It sounds like a horrible ruination to me. I will definitely not watch that.