MovieChat Forums > Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1990) Discussion > What is the 155 minute version?

What is the 155 minute version?

posted 10 years ago by treccles
1 reply | jump to latest

The info for the movie shows:

Runtime: 155 min | 173 min (Europa Cinema Festival) | 124 min (cut theatrical)

I gather that the director's cut (and the true "original" version of the movie) is 173 minutes, and the version originally released in the US is 124 minutes.

Last night, in a theater in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I saw the 155-minute version. Which "version" is that? What does it have that the 124-minute one doesn't? (I saw the 124-minute one when first released, so I don't remember.)

One thing I noticed was that in the version last night, there is mention made of a secret that Toto's mother must never tell, and only from reading here did I find out that the reason Elena and Toto didn't get together was that Alfredo interfered in the relationship between Toto and Elena.

I thought it was odd that I left the theater having no idea why Elena didn't show up, but I'm usually okay with that sort of uncertainty. However, now that I know, and know that it was directly alluded to, I have to wonder who was responsible for the 155-minute version, and why something that was so clearly not answered in this version was left in, instead of just leaving the whole thing uncertain.

[–] treach33 10 years ago

The 155 min version was the actual first theatrical release and the real vision of this film that the Director originally intended. That is also why IMDB lists that version, they're usually pretty good at displaying the right version for a film.

He was forced to cut it down to 124 at the request of studio execs. The 173 version has some extra added stuff that was most likely left on the cutting room floor from the 155 original version or possibly stuff that had to be taken out in order to secure a proper rating.

The 155 min cut is regarded as the true DC cut and original film but that being said people are free to prefer less or more detail. Personally, I tend to go with the Director's original vision for a film and judge it by that standard.

Here is the link to the Director explaining all this in his own words...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-simon/giuseppe-tornatore-rememb_b_6 136350.html

This wouldn't be the first time that they messed with his work. Malena would be another example, the forced editing in that version completely ruined his vision and the Director's cut would be the correct version for that film.

Cinema Paradiso is one of my all time favorite films and generally regarded as Tornatore's masterpiece!

~What if this is as good as it gets?!~