In one of the most difficult years for cinema where many venues across the nation remain shuttered, it is important to remind ourselves of the everlasting joy of the cinema experience, and keep it alive in any way we can. That spirit is well and truly captured in Guiseppe Tornatore’s beautiful Cinema Paradiso, a celebratory love letter to the magic of the movies. Stunningly restored by Arrow Academy, the wonderful film is coming to VOD, DVD, Blu-ray and even sparkling 4K UHD.
One of the most loved films of all time, there is nothing one can say about Cinema Paradiso that hasn’t been said before. Long considered one of the finest films ever made, it is a masterpiece of world cinema that words cannot do justice to. Winner of the coveted Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd Academy Awards, Cinema Paradiso is a timeless story of love, friendship and cinema that also deals with youth, coming of age and reflections of the past. Following the life of Salvatore from boy (Salvatore Cascio) to teenager (Marco Leonardi) to man (Jacques Perrin), it is a simple story of life in a small town where the local cinema serves as the heart of the community. It is a truly beautiful and touching film that reminds us of the true power of togetherness in these dark, fractured times, packed with beautiful locations, flawless performances and one of Ennio Morricone’s finest scores that will bring a tear to the eye of the most hardened robots among you.
This gorgeous new restoration is available across all platforms but those with the equipment should seek out the 4K UHD edition which presents the original award-winning theatrical version in Dolby Vision HDR10 compatible 4K. It looks beautiful, bringing the gorgeous Italian locales to life and transporting the viewer into Salvatore’s story. The 174min Director’s Cut is not presented in 4K, along with the various special features including featurettes on the film and trailers. Fans of the film will be delighted to have the (superior) Theatrical Cut in 4K, though, and that is the main draw here. With that said, the restoration looks beautiful across all of the platforms and is certainly the definitive release of the film, which has been released on Blu-ray two times already before this!
It is not hyperbole to state that Cinema Paradiso is one of the finest films of all time. The wonderful, sweeping narrative takes the viewer on a journey back through youth, first love, the friendships that shape us and the magic of cinema. There are no words that do justice to the perfection of Cinema Paradiso, and this new release from Arrow gives the film its finest presentation to date. An essential part of any collection.
Cinema Paradiso is released on VOD, DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD from Arrow Academy on 7 December 2020.