Rating: 
Summary: LOSES MOST OF THE MAGIC FROM THE ORIGINAL
Review: After many years of wishing to see this longer version of Cinema Paradiso, I couldn't have been more dissapointed. Whomever it was that edited this film in the first place knew exactly what he was doing as all of the "new material" does nothing but hurt the innocence of most of the main characters and ultimately eliminate it's unique magic. My guess is most fans will watch the new version once and return to the original afterwards.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost unbearably poignant
Review: This film should reach straight into the heart of every man who has loved his father or who has loved the man who stood in for his biological father who, for whatever reasons, couldn't be there. There have been many films about father-son relationships and some of those films have been great. Cinema Paradiso is one of those. It expresses in the most touching and beautiful images and with the most tender and powerfully moving music, the need of every man to find and cherish the love that lives in the deepest realms of his heart, of his soul. The final scene of this film expresses one man's discovery of this love. Along with the final scene in Alan J. Pakula's film, "To Kill A Mockingbird", Cinema Paradsio's final scene is the most profoundly meaningful and touching visual metaphor found in any film I've ever seen. A treasure. Cinema Paradiso is a masterpiece of love and affection about - and for - the whole family of human souls.
Rating: 
Summary: New version - Stories better left untold
Review: This review is for the "new version." If you are like me and absolutely have to watch the new version no matter what, then I suggest not reading the ongoing. On the other hand if you don't mind peeking into the new version before purchasing the DVD, read on. The 51 extra minutes in the new version is devoted to the rendez-vous of Toto with Elena -- Toto's first love, whom he met as a teenager -- in their later years. These scenes are inserted around the scene in which Toto converses with his mother after returning home from Rome after 30 years. In brief, Toto runs into a young lady who surprisingly resembles the young Elena; he pursues her and finds out that she is indeed the daughter of Elena. Toto meets with Elena and talks about days long past... Many minutes of the extra footage are wasted on Toto trying to find out how he and Elena missed each other on the day Toto departed for Rome. Equally if not longer minutes are spent on explaining how all that happened. It turned out that on the day of departure Elena did come to see Toto at cinema paradiso, albeit a bit too late. She greets Alfredo instead. Alfredo persuades her to allow Toto to leave. As had been portrayed in the original version, Alfredo sees a great future in Toto, and for this he asks Elena to understand. He pretends to Toto that he did not hear from Elena. I am tempted to make an intellectual argument that, by creating an additional character -- the old Elena -- important to Toto, Tornatore had made the plot of the wonderful original messy (Remember the scene where cinema paradiso gets blown up? The poignancy of that scene gets lost due to the additional footage). However I won't use this argument. I was disappointed by the fact that Alfredo had to be reduced to a liar, whereas in the original Alfredo had remained the one who cared for Toto the most, the one who believed in Toto the most. Ok, ok, I admit that I am attached to Alfredo. But if you weren't, you wouldn't be reading this to begin with, would you? There are stories better left untold. I had no concrete examples of this saying till I watched the new version. If you are like me, you'll watch the new version regardless.
Rating:
Summary: As great as movies can get. Period.
Review: First of all, there are two versions of the film on DVD, and everyone has their own opinion on which one they like. I had only seen the 2 hour version once, so while I loved the movie, I had no real sentimental attachment to that version. In my own personal opinion, once you see the "new" version, you can't go back. It answers the questions left open in the edited version - it's like seeing the original and the perfect sequel all in one. Anyhow, as one who normally enjoys action films and comedies, this film is a real change of pace for me. But anyone who doesn't love it is completely out of their minds. It sucks you in and makes you an emotional part of it. The story, coupled with an incredible score, takes you away. It will also take your date away if you choose a special someone to watch it with. The ending montage is fantastic. I have a DVD collection of about 100 movies, and this one, by far, gets the most playtime. Get it. Best money ever spent on a movie.
Rating: 
Summary: The never ending story
Review: What would possess a director to take his award winning film and add 51 meandering minutes to it? Ego? Greed? I bought this edition because I thought it included both the old and new versions (the jacket is a bit misleading...), I was sadly mistaken. By the end of this film I knew more about these people than my own family and I felt as if I'd been watching them in "real time". There were no thoughts left unspoken, no questions left unanswered, wrapped up nice and tight like an episode of "Murder She Wrote". I only hope that Quentin Tarentino doesn't decide to add an extra hour to "Pulp Fiction" to explain what was in the suitcase...
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: A story about falling in love and meeting people who change our lives forever. It tells the story of growing up and moving away from home, while never forgetting our past and where we are from. The main character (Salvatore) returns to his hometown after 30 years of being away and discovers that he was never really gone. His feelings are unchanged about the people he had affection for while growing up - mainly his first love Elena and Alfredo, the projectionist and his father figure. During his visit, he learns he must let go of some longings and desires that can never be fulfilled. The ending I will not soon forget. I was amazed and felt this is more than just a movie, it is hard to describe in words.
Rating:
Summary: No Words
Review: For me, there is no movie in existence that compares with Giuseppe Tornatore's Cinema Paradiso. It is beyond cinema; it is nothing less than pure art -- painting, music and poetry --in its most sweepingly beauteous form, the soul of which is weakened in attempt to convey here through words. Others before me have reviewed this work of genius, and from them you can take the plot, but if you want to know what this movie is really about, you must see it and only then will you be captivated and beguiled. I lived with the older, shorter version for over ten years and had no idea I would be even so much more moved with the longer, more recent, uncut version.
Rating:
Summary: Bravo Alfredo! Bravo!
Review: One magnificent cinematic piece. I first saw this movie in a film class at school and not one eye was dry at the end of the movie. The montage of the kisses at the end was truely amazing! Giuseppe Tornatore is an amazing director, using a montage of the classical end to a film (the kiss) to end this film. His other movie, Malena was great, but Cinema Paradiso takes the cake for being my all time favorite movie. I only wish I could go back and see it for the first time all over again...
Rating:
Summary: If you love movies . . . .
Review: Then this is the ultimate film for you. It is an enchanting timeless tale of one's coming of age and reflections of the past. In the center of it all is love. The story is a simple one, a middle aged-man reflecting on the small Italian village he left behind years ago. The "love" aspect the film has is a combination of two things: the love the main character lost years ago and his even greater love (it seems) for movies and the special relationship he forged with the village's movie reel operator. I can hardly describe in words the journey this film will take you on but be rest assured, it is one you will soon not forget.
Rating:
Summary: Extended version a mixed blessing
Review: Like many fans of this film, I was thrilled to hear about this version, but after seeing it, I was left with mixed feelings. Some of the additions, while visually gorgeous, don't really add to the story; and some scenes, particularly the reunion of Toto and Elena, actually change the tone of the ending of the film. If you're a fan of this film, or filmmaking in general, this is a must have. Fortunately, both versions are included on the DVD, so no matter which version you prefer, you have the pleasure of watching your favorite. I was disappointed at the total lack of supplemental material - I would have been very interested to know why the director chose to release this version - even if it was in a subtitled interview. In particular, I would have liked to know if this darker, sadder ending was what the director originally intended for the film. Personally, I think that the original film is better, and would have been better served left as is, with the additional scenes included as deleted scenes in a supplemental section of the DVD.
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