Episode #274

Cinema Paradiso

(1988)

Alfredo!

This jaunt down memory lane is credited with reviving the Italian film industry in the late-80s and the 90s. Giuseppe Tornatore dips into his own history in spinning a tale about a young small-town boy who falls in love with movies, falls in love-love, and then abruptly moves away to pursue his dreams as a director. Now, his childhood mentor has passed, and he’s called home to face all the ghosts he left behind. The film drips with nostalgia, even though it’s all about moving on. Bellissimo. We discuss.