Stand and Deliver: Production and Film Review

                The movie Stand and Deliver from Warner Bros. Production Company is one of the most iconic inspirational films of the 1980s.  Released in 1988 this film is a Drama about a high school calculus professor who goes the extra mile to give his inner city kids a chance to be more than criminals and maids in the future.  Director Ramón Menéndez does an excellent job of bringing this story to life and inspiring everyone with his masterpiece.  The 103 minute movie is rated PG and features such prominent actors as; Edward James Olmos, Estelle Harris and Mark Phelan.  This is a great movie for all those who enjoy a true inspirational drama with a strong message.  This movie is also a perfect example of what good production can do for a film and I give it a 9.5/10 rating and think recommend everyone watch it.

                Stand and Deliver is based on the true story of high school teacher Jaime Escalante, portrayed brilliantly by Edward James Olmos, a teacher from Garfield High School in Los Angeles, California.  The film follows Escalante as he quits his job as a computer engineer to become a computers high school professor in an east LA high school in one of the worst neighborhoods in the city.  Escalante is taken by surprise when he finds himself teaching math instead because the school has no funds to buy computers.  After much struggling with his students, department and even some parents he realizes how much he can do for the kids in the school who are heading down a path that can only find them in bad jobs, jail or even worst.  After Escalante has built a group of students he does the impossible to start a calculus course in one of the worst schools in the city to help his students believe in themselves and make something out of them.  Through many problems ranging from bad moods, to low budgets to gangs Escalante takes his students to take their AP Calculus course where it will be determined if all of his students efforts were worth it, this test will make them or break them.

                This film is a true gem of history and to this day retains its value being shown in many schools across the country to inspire students.  Many things make this movie no one things jumps out so overall the production of the film is what captivates its viewers.  The pre-production of the film is magnificent in its outcome making the story and locations come to life.  The script of the film is the result of countless revisions until it was perfect, not only is the dialogue inspiring but the use of authentic slang from the time and location are what transports the audience.  With words such as “kimo” an shortened version of “kimosabe” a Hispanic slang for a know it all and Escalante’s nickname from his students may seem made up to some, but to most people familiar with the culture it is a connection with the diegetic world of the film.  Part of this preproduction is also the search for different locations for the film, and here the Director outdid himself by filming at two locations; 1) Roosevelt high school in LA, 2) the very same Garfield high school where Escalante taught.  This combination of script and locations really exemplifies how much detail went into this movie before they even began filming.  The production of this film is even more amazing in this sense, with a low budget the director and his crew managed to turn out an amazing movie.  The cinematography uses very simple camera shots in order to augment the meaning of the film such as when Escalante is in the car with Pancho talking about choices in life, by focusing on the two passengers the camera is able to mimic how Pancho doesn’t see how the choices he makes affect his future.   The true genius of the production however is in the amount of detail given to the movement of the actors and the camera.  The amount of performer and actor blocking in this film must have been immense because every shot is a work of art with even scenes such as Angel acting like Jesus on the cross is perfectly set.  Finally the costumes and props are so well picked that they transport you to an inner city, low income school in the middle of LA’s most poor Hispanic neighborhood where the film is set.  The final step in the production of the film and what makes any movie shine is the post-production which includes editing and sound.  Post-production for Stand and Deliver was also an arduous step with lots of attention to detail.  The cutting between scenes in the film is almost flawless and achieves a fluidity that can be missed in some movies.  Apart from this the scene sequences set up a timeline that is neither too crowded nor missing parts; we can see a natural progression from the beginning of the film to the end.  The sound editing and music in the film is not a major part of what makes it such an icon but it aides in many ways, specially the sound effects we see in the more intense scenes.  These effects are not always obvious but the small things such as Angel’s grandmothers cough help set the mood.  Overal the production of Stand and Deliver is top notch and has helped this film become and stay an icon of cinema.

                Many of the actors in this film deserve recognition for their roles and their performance, but none as much as Edward James Olmos who plays Jaime Escalante.  Olmos, who received a nomination for best actor in the 61^st academy awards thanks to this role, leaves his heart on the screen when he plays the real life teacher.  The emotion he puts behind the role is not what you see in every film and it takes a very special actor to portray.  It is my opinion that Olmos’ Mexican decent (Born in the U.S. to a Mexican father and a Mexican/American mother) had a lot to do with his role in the film and how much passion was behind it.  Edward James Olmos should have won the Best Actor Academy Award for the role of Jaime Escalante but was bested by Dustin Hoffman for his role in Rain Man.

                This film is an absolute work of art and has the best production of its time which can hold up to any modern movie.  Everything from the script to the acting is absolutely magnificent and the plot even carries an uplifting message.  It is not a question of how good the film is or who liked it at this point, it is a question of who has and has not seen the film and when will they fall in love with everything in it.  Because of it pretty much everything in it, but still keeping my reservations about a few minor things in the film I give Stand and Deliver a 9.5/10 rating and recommend that anyone who has not had the pleasure of seeing this film get their hands on a copy.  

Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism Film Review

                The film Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism (here on referred to just as Outfoxed) by Carolina productions is a Documentary expose film on the Right winged propaganda that is Fox News.  The 2004 film directed by Robert Greenwald uses interviews, clips and narration in order to take us through Fox News past and present and to expose Rupert Murdoch’s use of the news station in order to air right winged extremist propaganda and biased news.  The unrated (UR) documentary features prominent figures such as; Douglas Cheek (Narrator), Walter Cronkite and Roger Ailes (as themselves)  the last two of which were active members of Fox News and came out to speak out against it in later years.  These individuals along with many more who were part of the Fox News history come out to air the dirty laundry of the news station and shed some light on what many can see but very few have experienced the fact that Fox News encourages a culture that is right winged extremist and eliminates any opposition to this within its walls.  This documentary has an extremely controversial subject matter and does a great job of exposing Murdoch’s control over Fox News as well as using interviews as supporting material.  However as a film Outfoxed is edited with fast cuts and so becomes hard to follow at points.  Because of this I give the film a 7.5/10 rating, it is definitely a great documentary but not easy to follow.

                Outfoxed is a documentary exposé that analysis how Fox News Channel (FNC), one of many news stations owned by Rupert Murdoch, has a Right winged slant in their reporting.  The film compares FNC’s famous trademark slogan “Fair and Balanced” with their actual reporting of the news both by looking at what reaches the air as well as their inner office politics.  Through interviews of personnel that no longer works in Fox News, such as journalist Walter Cronkite, along with office memos that they provided Outfoxed makes a strong case for the fact that FNC is not “fair and balanced” and instead pushes a right winged agenda through selective news coverage and anti-democratic views.  The film also takes a closer view at the direct and indirect influence that Rupert Murdoch imposes on FNC in order to create this right winged slant in the channel through means of executives and even direct phone calls to producers telling them what they should air.  Outfoxed also takes a crack at Bill O’Riley one of fox’s most famous talk show hosts and place his abrasive interviewing style under a magnifying glass to give a direct example of the biased in FNC. 

                As a documentary Outfoxed does a great job of exposing Fox News as biased and not “Fair and Balanced” through the use of interviews (both of expert witnesses and retired fox employees), documents and clips.  The topic is well researched and the people who appear in the film are credible sources of information either because of their educational background or because of their work experience within the Fox Network.  The claims of the individuals that are interviewed are also well supported with clips of from actual Fox broadcastings as well as internal memos which work together to form a picture of the different subjects (such as Jeremy Glick’s interview with Bill O’Riley).  The editing of the sequences that connect these interviews and clips together is somewhat fast paced at points however, which makes the film a bit hard to follow.  The film being a documentary the cinematography is not of much note with most of the shots being medium shots of the individuals being interviewed.  The only point of note with cinematography in this film is the different shots of phone or recordings when playing audio (with altered voices) of anonymous individuals.  Some may say that the use of these anonymous contributors take away from the validity of the film but I believe that it helps shine a light on the control that fox has on its staff even after they are no longer under contract.  Some of the graphics in the film are not as impressive as they could have been for a 2004 film but with a budget of only $200,000 this is not a big problem and takes very little away from the film. 

                The purpose of making this film was clearly to expose the biased reporting that is done by Fox News and to show how Rupert Murdoch uses his money and influence to control public opinion through media rather than reporting fact.  The director of Outfoxed definitely accomplishes this in great lengths by showing his audience the inner workings of the Fox Network and the right winged culture that is not only present in fox but also very actively enforced.  The filmmaker made this film during a time when the validity of Fox News was (and continues to be) questioned by a vast majority of the public.  The skewed views of fox have always been a subject of debate and public question but until this film a solid concrete case for it had never been presented.  Outfoxed is among the first pieces of media that came out with solid facts against the major news channel and allowed viewers to make a decision.  The film sets up a sort of timeline of the history and policies of FNC in order to take the viewer through a structured journey providing scenario after scenario where Fox has been guilty of intentionally providing unbalanced coverage.  This film was clearly a way to give media audiences everywhere a view on how FNC really works and allow them to make up their own minds from there whether this is a media source they really want to trust to deliver their daily news. 

                Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism is one of the last great exposé documentaries of its time.  It puts a face not only on the corruption of the media market but also on the use of Fox News Channel as a way to manipulate the masses through misinformation.  The film provides great solid facts and uses; interviews, statistics, clips and documents to drive its point.  The film is solid in its content however lacks in ways of editing and graphics which does not reduce its validity but makes it slightly less appealing to  the general public.  As an exposé documentary Outfoxed is a great success but as a film it lacks in various areas, because of this I give this film a 7.5/10 rating but highly encourage any educated person to watch it and decide for themselves whether Fox News is in fact “Fair and Balanced”.   

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… Spring: A Film, Cinematography and Sound/Music Review

     Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…Spring is one of the most unique films I have ever seen.  A 2003 South Korean drama by director Kim Ki-Duk, this film follows the seasons of the life of a Buddhist monk and his apprentice and shows how these seasons cycle.  This film was produced by the following companies and got an R rating; Korea Pictures, LJ Film, Pandora Filmproduktion, Cineclick Asia, Cinesoul, Mirae Asset Capital, Muhan Investment.  For the 103 minutes of this film there is very little dialogue but the cinematography and sound make sure the audience is enchanted for the whole duration.  This film is great for those who like a good drama and deep thought, but if your thing is action, adventure and explosions I would recommend you pass on this one.  With a cast including Oh Yeong-su, Kim Jogn-ho and the director himself Kim Ki-Duk the acting is spectacular even with its low amount of dialogue.  I give this movie a rating of 7.5/10 because even though it is a masterpiece, it is not for everybody. 

     This film follows the life of an old Buddhist monk (Oh Yeong-Su) living on a floating temple in the middle of a lake accompanied by a young boy, his apprentice.  The film uses the story of these two in order to outline the seasons of life and its cycle.  We begin with the spring of life (the beginning) where the young boy (Kim Jong-ho) is living with in the temple with his master.  The child seems full of innocence until an incident including a fish, a frog and a snake show us that here might be a deeper torment to the child than we can see.  After this incident the movie fast forward a few years into the summer of life when the boy turns into a young man (Seo Jae-Kyeong).  We see a young woman who comes to live at the temple due to sickness, she is the first human contact the young monk has had other than his master; by extension she is the first woman the young monk has ever seen.  After battling his faith and sexuality the monk finally seems to reach a decision and so love ensues.  When the girl is finally cured and has to leave the temple the young monk has a decision to make whether to leave or stay.  After his decision we move on to the fall of life where we meet the adult monk (Kim Young-min).  This stage is named appropriately since a horrible decision made by the apprentice has brought him back to the temple in a run.  He is taken in by the old master and made to repent through Buddhist teaching; however he cannot escape his punishment.  Soon two detectives (Ji Dae-Han and Choi Min) come to take him away, but not without allowing him to finish his atonement first.  Upon the end of fall we see the end of the cycle when the old master reaching the end of his life starts his own funeral rights as if it was the most natural thing in the world.  The scene is peaceful yet morbid and we are left with no human inhabitants in the temple and so winter begins.  During the winter of life we meet the old monk who (Kim Ki-Duk) who has come back to the temple after serving his time.  He now takes the place of his old master and pays his respects to him.  At the end of winter we see a horrid scene as a child is abandoned at the temple by his mother, who does not meet a happy end in the film.  This child is not left as an apprentice to the old monk and so the new spring start and the cycle of life finally start back up. 

     This film is definitely simplistic in terms of aesthetics and production; however it is very deep when it comes to meaning and philosophy.  Even though most of the movie is masterfully made what most stands out to help its deep meaning are the use of sound and cinematography.  The cinematography of this film, Headed by Baek Dong-Hyeon, was expertly used to not only show the comparison between humans and nature but also to show us the inner workings of the minds of the characters with very little dialogue.  Different shots such as long shots, aerial shots and scenic shots are used to show us the location of the film which seems like a dreamland detached from the horrors of modern society.  These shots, when they include people, make the vastness of nature engulf the characters which highlights their small role in the greater scheme of nature.  Cinematography is also used to supplement the low amount of dialogue in the film by helping emphasize the inner thoughts of the characters.  Often close ups, reaction shots and Point of View (POV) shots are used to emphasize surprise, horror and even sorrow.  These moments, such as the use of a POV shot when the mother is abandoning the baby, transports the viewer into that moment of sadness and horror by immersing us into the film.  In a similar fashion sound in the film (along with what little music there is) is used in order to emphasize feeling and help set the mood for the different scenes.  Even though the film has little dialogue there is never an awkward silence due to the expertly mixed ambient sounds; these are exceptional in realism with attention to detail where the wind is louder on top of a hill than it is in the forest.  These sounds along with a few chosen music scores remind us of the location of the scene and also set a mood with a silent winter becoming very ominous or a loud river adding to the excitement of young love.  The sound production headed by Konken Stephen and Ku Bon-Seung was spectacular and help made the movie such a hit.  These things made the film but other aspects surely helped.  The lack of dialogue present in Kim Ki-Duk’s film would normally hurt most pieces; however it is used here in order to enhance the more insightful aspects of the film.  The costumes in the film are also brilliantly simple and reflect the state of the characters.  The costume for the monks and those in the temple are simple and show the peace and simplicity of life, however for those touched by the outside world the clothes are more complex.  Finally the props used in the film when there are any help situate the viewer and tell the story.  Props like the stone on the child help visualize the weight on the heart because of what he did to the animals while other props such as the different pets serve more practical purposes such as visualizing the passage of time by the changing of animals.  These different aspects help make the film a hit even though its plot and nature make it specific to certain audiences.

     The actors in this work do a great job of expressing the film as well as providing fluidity.  Even though the apprentice monk is played by four different actors in different stages of life, they do an amazing job of providing a fluid character that changes with the years but remains easily identified.  On the other side Oh Yeong-Su who plays the old master plays the old archetype of the wise mentor to the T.  His acting provides a constant throughout the changing times and his demeanor is unfazed at every change in situation.  The acting in this film is superb and touches upon the deepest feelings in human nature.

     Overall this film is excellent in quality and composition; it exhibits what is expected of a top rank film in both sound and cinematography.  However due to the nature of both the film and the plot it is not a film that will be appreciated by everyone.  It possesses a very limited audience which is dwindling in our current age where people look for more entertainment than substance in film.  Because of this I have to give Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… Spring a rating of 7.5/10.  

Some Like It Hot (1959): A Film and Music/Sound Review

              Some Like It Hot might be an appropriate title for this 1959 comedy from Ashton Productions and The Mirisch Corporation.  With the heated chases, steamy romances and hot comedy director Billy Wilder does an excellent job of keeping his audience laughing it up throughout the 120 minutes of the movie.  The film features some big name actors such as Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon as the main characters.  The film does wonders in the area of narrative and music making it an amusing piece for the whole family to watch.  It contains cheap laughs and exquisite puns for all ages; however it also contains deep sociopolitical undertones which were especially progressive for the time period.  The film does lack in the acting of some of the secondary characters but this does little to dampen the quality of the film.  This film deserves a high rating for its music/sound and its narrative/dialogue however its lack of any impressing cinematography in combination with the unimpressive acting by some of the secondary characters leads me to give the film a rating of 8/10.  This film was not rated and can be watched in both its original black and white version or in a more modern colorized version.

              

               In Some like it hot a couple of musicians who are down on their luck during the tough times of the prohibition become hunted by the local mafia when they bear witness to a crime.  In need to get away from the city but also completely broke, the duo decides to dress up as ladies and join an all women band in route to Miami, FL.  In their long journey the two will learn that it is not easy being a woman in a man’s world.  When their trip gets more and more complicated the two friends are placed in countless situations where comedy is not lacking, and neither are the wondering hands.  Will they finally escape the mob? Will they be able to return to being men? And most importantly, how do they walk on those heels? To answer those questions you will have to watch this film which is all about the laughs, the awkward moments and the excitement.

                Like every film this one is a mixture of various things from cinematography to acting; however what comes through the most out of this film is its music and sound effects, but let’s leave those for last.  There are a few things that are part of this film but are either not of note or sincerely just not very good.  The most prominent disappointment of the film is the lack of acting ability in part of a handful of the secondary actors.  The most blatant example of this is the scene where toothpick Charlie is “rubbed out”, in this reviewers opinion his death is less than believable and a little over dramatic.  On the other hand the acting from the main characters is spectacular, they make you laugh until you drop and at points you even forget Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon are actually men.  The cinematography on this film is average, which is to be expected since it is not the main focus.  There are a few above average uses of the camera such as the use of a low angle right before the two broke musicians go betting being switched to a high angle when they lose everything; apart for a few of those however the cinematography is nothing of note.  Along with this most of the lighting in the film is natural light (usually from the sun) so again there is nothing to note there.  Where the film really starts to get interesting is when we start to look into the costumes and props.  You have to admit that making two full grown men into convincing women is a feat to be admired even with today’s amazing makeup, so imagine doing it in 1959.  With just the use of dresses, wigs, hats, jewelry and what I’m guessing was a truckload of waxing wax, the wardrobe department for the movie (headed by Bert Henrikson) manages two turn these two actors into very convincing women.  Costumes however are not the only thing that make the movie; let’s shift our focus into the true component that makes this such a good movie, the music and sound.

                The sound department headed by Fred Lau and the music by Adolph Deutsch are what truly place this film in its above average rating.  Most of the sound effects in this film are synchronous with the action in the frame and have a top quality mixing.  These sounds are often ambient noises that are part of the scene but are obviously added post production.  However, these ambient noises do serve a purpose other than to fill in silence; this film is very adept at using the ambient noise to remind us where we are.  There are various scenes in the film where we are in modes of transportation that resemble regular rooms very closely, such as the train and the yacht, and if it weren’t for the adept use of ambient noises such as the wheels of the train or the waves hitting the yacht we might forget exactly where he scene takes place.  Sound also have other more obvious uses in this film that add to its cinematography and to the comedy.  Often noises are used as sound bridges between scenes, now this is very normal of films but in Some Like It Hot the scenes are more so connected through the use of noise mimicking such as when Jerry repeats “I’m a girl, I’m a girl….” This slowly fades into the rhythm of the train and then Segway us into the next scene.  Sound is also used to very adeptly enhance the comedic effect of some scenes.  The best example of this is when Jerry says to Joe “I think I’m going to be sick…” and right at this point he goes out of shot and we hear what sound like someone throwing up, but when the camera pans out we see it is actually the gasoline tank overflowing.  Moments like this show a true mastery of the use of sound in the part of the sound department and a collaboration with the cinematography department.  The music in this film is also of top quality which is shown through many factors.  Firstly the music is very appropriate for the era, something that is sometimes lost when a film has a diegetic score written specifically for the movie.  The use of the music is also expertly done when the score is non-diegetic, the music helps us get a better image of the situation when there is no dialogue (such as the fast, hectic music when Joe changes from a women to a man) but it fades out and does not overpower the dialogue when this one begins.  The best use of music in the film however happens when the score is diegetic and the main characters are the source.  Whether it contains lyrics or not the music is a medium for the feeling of the character to be projected onto the audience.  The best example of this happens toward the end of the film when we see Sugar singing “I’m Thorough with Love” after she has had her heartbroken, and we can truly feel her sorrow from the melody.  This great use of music as a medium for emotions is what puts Some Like It Hot into a special place in film history.

                The three main actors in this film all truly deserve a special mention in this review.  Marilyn Monroe, a well-known star, who plays Sugar Kane does an amazing job of bringing her character to life.  Everything from her dialogue to her mannerisms convince us that Sugar is no more than this naïve and innocent girl who is just trying to keep her head above water in such a crazy world.  Monroe in my opinion plays the perfect innocent blonde girl and for that she is to be applauded.  Tony Curtis (Joe) and Jack Lemmon (jerry) on the other hand are the perfect comedic duo.  Curtis plays a perfect devious and strong cheapskate while Lemmon is perfect at playing the wacky and spineless sidekick.  Between their witty banter that carries this natural chemistry and their amazingly hilarious facial expressions these two can make a church mouse die of laughter in the middle of a service. 

                Because of its amazing use of sound and music along with it’s incredible acting by the main characters I give Some Like It Hot  an 8/10 rating.  This movie will make you cry from laughter or from the pain we feel coming from Sugar singing about her broken heart.  The amazing work with the costumes for such an early movie just puts this one over the top giving it that realism that we seek in all films.  Overall I highly recommend watching this film with the family so everyone can enjoy its comedy.  

Cinema Paradiso (1988): A Film and Cinematography Review

              Cinema Paradiso is a 1988 Italian drama film by director Giuseppe Tornatore.  The film is the story about a Film Director recalling his life from his childhood forward, and all the different events that led him to this point of his life.  The film includes a number of classic stars from the time period such as; Phillipe Noiret, Enzo Cannavale and Antonella Atilli.  The film being a classic from the eighties is simple in its effects and editing, however the quality of the cinematography, script and acting makes this film memorable and full of emotion.  From a scale of ten stars I give this film a score of nine which it deserves due to the emotion it is able to convey with the mere use of a camera.

                A big time director receives a message from his mother, after many tries, that an old friend from his childhood has recently passed away and that his funeral will be the following day.  The story does not take place in recent time but instead is told in a flashback format with Salvatore (the main character) lying in his bed at night.  The story is that of his life and his relationship with Alfredo (the recently diseased friend) who was his inspiration to get into the art of filmmaking.  The film follows their interaction from the time that Salvatore is a little squirt who bugs Alfredo all day and gets into trouble, to the time when they become friends and Alfredo teaches him how to run the projection booth and even into Salvatore’s teenage years when he leaves the small town and upon returning his old friend urges him to chase his dreams and make something of himself.  Cinema Paradiso is a highly emotional story of how one person can influence our lives at a deeper level than we are even aware of.

                This film is full of things that make it great; from the script to the score of the music and even the acting is far beyond reproach.  However there is one thing that makes Cinema Paradiso rise above all other films of the time and that is its simple use of cinematography in order to drive what the viewer sees, thinks and feels in the two hours of the film.  The film relies in the use of the camera in order to guide the viewer through the story instead of cheesy effects, which in the eighties were not as advance as today. Though the angle, movement and even omission of things in the frame of the shot the film creates an atmosphere where the audience can sense all the feelings of the scene even without dialogue.  One of the things that is apparent from the begging of this film is the introduction of new characters to the plot through the slow zooming out of the camera, we can hear the voices of the characters before we can actually see them.  This is used from the beginning when Salvatore’s mother is trying to call him and we slowly zoom out from the view of the window, we get to hear the age and strain of this woman’s voice long before we get to see her, but we can conclude what kind of character she really is because of this.  The film also does a magnificent job of using close up shots in order to let us see into what is going on in a character’s mind.  When Salvatore first hears of the death of Alfredo the camera slowly zooms in into his face.  Even though there is no dialogue in this scene, we can catch small things in his facial expression due to the closeness of the camera.  This way we can conclude from his shifting eyes and grim expression that Salvatore is deep in thought and sadness when thinking about this person from his past who we are yet to meet and so we can conclude that Alfredo was very important to him.  Even though the camera is instrumental to the audience learning what is going on inside a character it is also used for other purposes, often during the time where the main character is a child it is used to show the relationships of power in the town.  Very often strong characters such as the priest, his mother, the teacher and even Alfredo will be shown from a low angle and over the shoulder or from the point of view of Salvatore.  These shots get the audience into the point of view of the protagonist and show the relations that he has with these other people and how, to him, they seem to hold a lot more power than he does.  Finally during the duration of the film the cinematography is essential to contrast the feeling of the surroundings with those of the protagonist.  During much of the film long shots and narrow focus are used in order to get us to pay attention to a harsh contrast.  For example during the new year’s scene we get a shot of Salvatore who is looking rather grimm however as this slowly zooms out into a long shot of the street we start to see people celebrating and fireworks going up into the air, this comparison of happiness and sadness makes us feel even more for the main character and his current pain.  Because of these and other reasons cinematography is an essential part of Cinema Paradiso which makes it stand out among the films of its time.

                The stars of Cinema Paradiso really do a great job or working with the cameras and the director to convey the feeling of the film.  Their acting is far beyond reproach and they can convey feelings to the audience without the use of words and instead rely heavily on their expressions and the use of the camera.  Out of all of the actors and actresses Philippe Noiret deserves a special mention.  His role as Alfredo is not only touching and completely convincing, but he stands out in the minds of all the viewers as that role model that we all have or want.  Noiret does a great job of being that old, scruffy man that everyone in the neighborhood finds just a bit strange but at the same time draw us into his character and makes us love Alfredo because in the inside he is just an old romantic with a soft spot for the protagonist who we can even see as being his son.  For his role Noiret deserves a special mention in this review.

                In my overall opinion of Cinema Paradiso I must say that I normally do have difficulty watching older films because, like most of us born into the age of technology, I expect good effects and the latest CGI.  However this film was not hard to watch at all, instead it was hard to look away from.  The brilliant use of the camera, the amazing acting and the decision to stay away from cheesy effects that at the time were the hot thing makes this film timeless.  It is easy to watch because the story and camera ability don’ have a time period and will be forever appreciated by audiences of all ages.  Cinema Paradiso in my book gets an nine out of ten rating for captivating an audience even after twenty six years on the screens.