Questions on Cinema Paradiso
FDU 2014春季英语选修课程“英语视听说”课程作业——
1. How does this film remind you of your movie experience?
First of all, some clips of movies showed by Alfredo and Toto were just the movies I have watched before such as La grande illusion and Roma, città aperta. So it is a fantastic experience for me when I encountered the familiar scenes of movies. What’s more, the audience’s way of movie watching in Cinema Paradiso is just the typical one: following the development of plot closely, laughing or crying with the character, watching their favorite movies over and over again until they could recite every dialogue. This is the same way for me, too. When I was watching a movie, I would be fully obsessed with the plot and the destiny of the main character. Even after watching, I would still think over the details and wonderful bridges in the movie and try to find out more information about both the movie and the actor, the actress and the director.
2. How does the film celebrate the history of movie?
It used a way of “movie within a movie” to salute the history of movie. In every period there will be several representative movies, such as The knockout(1914), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde(1941), Ulysses(1954),etc., and we can recognize them by Alfredo and Toto’s showing. What’s more, through the posters of big stars and movies we can also catch a glimpse of movie fashion in different time. Another example about movie fashion is that the boss of the new cinema told the disappointed audience the cinema would show the latest western film tomorrow, this scene reflects the popularity in different times. From the evolution of movie, we can also find the way to celebrate, such as the improvement of projection technic.
3. In what sense do you think this film is a traditional coming-of-age drama?
① The director used a “A-B-A” structure to tell the growth story of Toto. At the beginning of the movie, the middle-aged Toto got the news about Alfredo’s death, this reminded him of his childhood with Alfredo. Then the movie moved on to the early years of Toto, and this is the main part of the movie. At the end of the movie, Toto returned home and this part reveals the theme of the movie.
② In most coming-of-age movies, there always has a part which can be called “Rebellion stage”. Once the hero or the heroine was tired of the humdrum life in small town or suffered of some sorrow like lovesick, leaving away home became the only choice of them. This rebellion also can be found in Toto’s growth process.
4. What is the importance of The Screen Kiss to Cinema Paradiso?
In Toto’s childhood, the priest forbad to show the scene of kiss. Although little Toto had seen some of them when Alfredo was cutting the films under the instruction of the priest, he was too young to know the meaning of kiss. When Toto fell in love with Elena, Alfredo told him a story of the soldier and the princess, but Toto didn’t understand it. Many years later, after Toto had experienced a lot, he finally knew the true meaning of love. The film with the once prohibited screen kiss is as a gift of growth for Toto, and it is just the way Alfredo loved Toto.
5. What do you think of the Director’s Cut?
①The director’s cut shows more about the mother’s love for Toto. In the international edition, we can clearly see the fatherly love of Alfredo, but the character of mother is not so distinct. While in the director’s edition, the mother’s character is clearer and better-developed.
② It gives the audience an explanation of the separation between Toto and Elena. In the international edition, the sudden vanishment of Elena is abrupt and this makes the plot incoherent to some extent. While in the director’s edition, we’ll know the reason more clearly.
③ Although the director’s edition offers us more details, it leaves less imaginary space for audience, as we have a consensus that imperfect is more beautiful.
6. What do you think of Alfredo’s decision to protect Toto from everything that may interfere his career?
When Toto decided to leave away from home, Alfredo said to him: “Don’t come back. Don’t think about us. Don’t look back. Forget us all. If you do and come back, don’t come to see me.” It seems unreasonable and ruthless. But just as Alfredo once said to Toto, “Lift isn’t like in the movies. Life is much harder.” Alfredo knew that Toto didn’t belong to the small town and he deserved a wider world. But there would be a long way for Toto to achieve success and be the man he expected, so he didn’t want to be a barrier or burden of Toto. Another aspect about Alfredo’s “ruthless” is that he separated the young lovers with a lie. But I think this action just includes his whole love for Toto, because he knew that Toto would lose the determination to leave and he feared that the love between the young couple would finally kill Toto’s dream.