I so wanted to be engrossed by a film about a filmmakers romance with his villages movie theater and their projectionist. I wanted it to validate my own love of escapism, so wonderfully woven by incredibly directors who take us to such wonderful places that even our imagination couldn't have dreamed of. With such a grandiose name, the (lack of) family, village square, theater and boorish patrons fell short of endearing and, at times, fell short on many levels. Meaningful bits went on too long carried to 1970's made for TV levels by a overindulgent soundtrack. The actors played their parts, but with such inconsistent overdubbing, I felt for none of them. Yes the boy and projectionist bit was sweet, but not enough to carry the film. The older Totos' added no depth to the little boy. Conceptually nice and the scenes reenacting the crowds reaction to the theater and its limitations worked even if they were crude, but did we find a way to connect to movies as a character. I don't believe it was introduced until the final scene evidenced the character shunned from them by the church and I just couldn't relate, just like the film
Review of Cinema Paradiso
