(aka 'Nuovo cinema Paradiso' )

directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
Italy 1988

A successful movie director in his 40s, Salvatore returns home to Sicily after hearing of the death of Alfredo, ex-projectionist at the eponymous village cinema. The greater part of Tornatore's film is a flashback to Salvatore's WWII childhood and adolescence when, obsessed by movies, he is befriended by the wise and gruffly benevolent Alfredo (Noiret), the local priest censors kissing scenes, the whole village is wowed by Rome, Open City, a fire caused by nitrate stock blinds Alfredo, and just as Salvatore is shooting his first home movie he falls in love. Warmly nostalgic without (for the most part) falling foul of Felliniesque caricature, the film is too emotionally manipulative for its own good, Noiret's typically professional performance notwithstanding. Alfredo's mystic sagacity is implausible, and the infant Salvatore (Cascio) is too cutely precocious by half. The politics and history, too, are simplified (partly, perhaps, by a 30 minute pruning for export release). But the final montage of censored clips, hoarded by the boy and rediscovered in adult life, is a sweet hymn to the romance of cinema.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE

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DVD Comparison:

Umbrella Entertainment Region 0 - PAL vs. HBO - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Buena Vista  - Director's / Theatrical cuts - Region 1 - NTSC

Big thanks to Andrey Diment for the R2/4 - PAL Screen Caps!

(Umbrella Entertainment Region 0-PAL -LEFT vs. HBO Home Video R1 - NTSC-MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista-Director's Cut-NTSC-RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
 

Distribution

Umbrella Entertainment (Australia)

Region 0  - PAL

HBO

Region 1  - NTSC

Buena Vista 
Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime 2:47:25 (Director's Cut) 2:03:44 2:53:24 - Director's cut / 2:03:52 - Theatrical version
Video 1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.13 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.64 mb/s

NTSC 960 X 540 29.97 f/s

1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.82 Directors / 7.52 - Theatrical
NTSC 960 X 540 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

Umbrella

 

Bitrate:

HBO

.

Bitrate:

Buena Vista

Director's Cut

Bitrate:

Buena Vista Theatrical Version (short)

Audio Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (Dubbed) (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)

Italian (Digital Dolby 5.1) in Directors Cut

Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo) in 1990 Theatrical Version

Subtitles English, and none English, Spanish, French, Italian and none English, and none on Director's Cut / English, English Close Captioned and none in 1990 Theatrical Version
Features Release Information:
Studio: Umbrella Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: February 23, 1990

Aspect Ratios:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.66:1

Discographic Information:
DVD Encoding: Region 0 - PAL

Edition Details:
 

  • Profiles text screens - one screen each (limited data only) on 4 of the cast and crew members,
  • a Soundtrack text screen - very limited information other than details of the soundtrack album credits, and
  • an Awards text screen - info on the awards this film won at the British Academy Awards of 1990.


DVD Release Date: 2002
Click  Case

Chapters 25

Release Information:
Studio: HBO Studios
Theatrical Release Date: February 23, 1990

Aspect Ratios:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.66:1

Discographic Information:
DVD Encoding: Region 1

Edition Details:
• Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
• Color, Closed-captioned, HiFi Sound, Widescreen
• Production notes
• Original Theatrical Trailer - anamorphic  - 1:35
• Widescreen anamorphic format

 

DVD Release Date: March 13, 2001
Snap Case

Chapters 38

Release Information:
Studio: Buena Vista Home Video
Theatrical Release Date: February 23, 1990

Aspect Ratios:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.66:1

Discographic Information:
DVD Encoding: Region 1

Edition Details:
• Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
• Color, Widescreen, Dolby
• Theatrical trailer - Pan and Scan - 1:24
Sneak Peeks
Malena - Pan and Scan - 1:27
The Star Maker - Pan and Scan - 1:14
Amelie - Pan and Scan - 1:09
• Contains the 2002 173-minute version (Digital Dolby 5.1) and the original 123-minute version (Dolby 2.0 Surround & French language track)
• Widescreen anamorphic format

 

DVD Release Date: February 18, 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 38 in Director's Cut / 35 in 1990 Theatrical version

Comments: NOTE: The New Buena Vista version is vertically cropped. It can be seen in every image capture. This is even more prevalent when compared to the Umbrella Region 0 PAL release. I wonder why they need to crop the vertical images of the picture?

The image quality of the Region 1 Director's Cut and Theatrical Cut in the Buena Vista release are the same and the HBO Region 1 release in not far behind (only slightly less sharp and less vibrant - see 'bicycle" capture below to see most obvious differences)). The Region 0 PAL is the weakest of the three but they all have solid transfers with a soft palette but the Umbrella version has had some contrast boosting affecting the color balance (skin tones are too red). The biggest differences are in the extras department. Obviously the Buena Vista release with both versions is the one to get, but they should have included the original soundtrack as an option in the Director's release. The HBO version has a widescreen anamorphic trailer and the Buena Vista has a pan and scan with three other trailers (also all pan and scan). The Buena Vista DVD is super though and highly recommended.  

- Gary W. Tooze 





DVD Menus

(Umbrella Entertainment Region 0-PAL -LEFT vs.
HBO Home Video R1 - NTSC-MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista-Director's Cut-NTSC-RIGHT)


 

Theatrical Version ( Buena Vista ) Menu

 


Screen Captures

 

(Umbrella Entertainment Region 0-PAL -TOP vs. HBO Home Video R1 - NTSC-MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista-Director's Cut-NTSC-BOTTOM)



(Umbrella Entertainment Region 0-PAL -TOP vs. HBO Home Video R1 - NTSC-MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista-Director's Cut-NTSC-BOTTOM)


(Umbrella Entertainment Region 0-PAL -TOP vs. HBO Home Video R1 - NTSC-MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista-Director's Cut-NTSC-BOTTOM)


(Umbrella Entertainment Region 0-PAL -TOP vs. HBO Home Video R1 - NTSC-MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista-Director's Cut-NTSC-BOTTOM)


(Umbrella Entertainment Region 0-PAL -TOP vs. HBO Home Video R1 - NTSC-MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista-Director's Cut-NTSC-BOTTOM)


(Umbrella Entertainment Region 0-PAL -TOP vs. HBO Home Video R1 - NTSC-MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista-Director's Cut-NTSC-BOTTOM)

 

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Report Card:

 

Image:

Buena Vista / Miramax

Sound:

Buena Vista / Miramax

Extras: HBO
Menu: Buena Vista / Miramax

 

DVD Box Covers
 

Distribution

Umbrella Entertainment (Australia)

Region 0  - PAL

HBO

Region 1  - NTSC

Buena Vista 
Region 1 - NTSC





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gary Tooze