Sunday, March 12, 2017

Screening Report 4: Italy: Cinema Paradiso

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.
            In class, we discussed the Italian cinema and the Italian culture. The country is known for once having a Fascist dictatorship under Bentio Mussonlini, but the alliance with Nazi Germany caused them to lose World War II. Due to the defeat, the Italian government and economy changed, making life harder for Italy. The film does reflect the difficulty of leaving in Italy during that time, but it also shows the possibility for a better future.  
2)  Find a related article and summarize the content.  (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) You can use the library or the internet.  Cite the article and copy the link to your journal entry. Summarize in your own words the related article but do not plagiarize any content.  Make sure your link is a true hyperlink that will connect to the article you are referencing.
            The article discusses the meaning of the film and its importance in film history. It believes that the film’s message is about dreams and how going to the cinema helps to find a dream because you can forget the outside world for a brief time. Toto could find his dream through film even though his country’s economics made it harder. The film also makes the audience feel nostalgic because it pays homage to classic Hollywood films and replicates the feeling of seeing those films again on the big screen. Although the age of DVD and television is on the raise, people still go to the movies because the experience is worth it.
3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.   How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?
            The article gives the film more meaning by emphasizing the importance of dreams and how going to the cinema helps accomplish that. Films are the best source to find a dream, and the film encourages viewers to follow it. We may be able to find new sources to watch entertainment the movie theater is still a place people go on a Friday night to watch a new movie.  Just like in Cinema Paradiso all ages find joy and grow up to watching movies new and old, that sentiment never changes.
4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.  I am less interested in whether you liked or disliked a film, (although that can be part of this) than I am in your understanding of its place in film history or the contributions of the director.
            Cinema Paradiso does a fantastic job of telling a coming of age story, it’s fluid and the audience follows Toto every step of the way. The best part of the story is Toto’s personality staying strong throughout his life. As a child, he is mischievous and craves to learn more, he is also determined to get his way. As a teenager, he is still curious, but now his curiosity has moved to love. He craves a future with his lover and is content with working in the Cinema Paradiso, which would cause him to stay stuck forever in a teenage mentality. However, with encouragement by Alfredo he can move on a become a successful adult.
            What also makes the film great is the relationship between Alfredo and Toto. Without a father, Toto struggles to behave and causes his mother stress from his lies. He needed a male figure to round him out, and that is what Alfredo provided. He gives him advice and mentoring, and when he passes away Toto realizes what his old friend was trying to do and thus becomes a true man. Their relationship is the heart of the film, so when Toto watches Alfredo’s film the audience feels emotional because they may never had said a final goodbye it was evident that they loved each other. They had an irreplaceable bond and they created it without saying a single I love you to each other.
References
Barnett, L. (2013, December 02). Salvatore Cascio: 'Cinema Paradiso is about the power of dreams' Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/dec/02/cinema-paradiso-25th-anniversary-salvatore-cascio
CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1) ( X ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( X ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( X ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( X ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( X ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( X ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( X ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) (  X) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.



Name: Melanie Flores______________________________________  Date: ________3-13-17____________________

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