Jon Hamm on Cinema Paradiso
Jon Hamm on Cinema Paradiso
A deep dive into Guiseppe Tornatore's 1988 ode to cinema.
Jon Hamm is not just another pretty face. He is a smart, witty, insightful man who understands the romantic glory of a film like Cinema Paradiso. I was not shocked to find that Don Draper has the soul of an artist. It was amazing to deconstruct a film with him that is a testament to the power of cinema, a soaring example of the musical magic of Ennio Morricone, all wrapped in a sentimental love letter to Italy. Bellissimo! - JC
A guest who needs no introduction, Jon Hamm recalls the 1988 Italian film, Cinema Paradiso, directed by Guiseppe Tornatore. The film begins when Salvatore di Vita, a superstar filmmaker in Rome, remembers his childhood in a small Sicilian village during the aftermath of World War II. With his father lost at war, young Salvatore forms a deep friendship with Alberto, the projectionist at the local cinema, and falls in love with the magic of film.
As a teenager growing up in St. Louis, Jon’s moviegoing was primarily fueled by his burning desire to escape the house. Nevertheless, Cinema Paradiso captured his imagination and has continued to resonate with him throughout his life. We also learn how Silence of the Lambs left a bloody impression, and the Cub Scout lesson that fuels his stratospheric career.
About the Film
In this 1988 film by Guiseppe Tornatore, a filmmaker recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village in Sicily and forms a deep friendship with the cinema’s projectionist. The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Writers: Giuseppe Tornatore, Vanna Paoli
Primary Cast
Phillippe Noiret (Alfredo)
Salvatore Cascio (Salvatore - Child)
Marco Leonardi (Salvatore - Teenager)
Jacques Perrin (Salvatore - Adult)
Score by Ennio Morricone
Cinematography by Blasco Giurato