"Buon giorno, Extra!" Tom greeted us in the picturesque Italian port of Venice, as he put the city on the water on Cruise control as the latest stop on his high-flying, globetrotting European tour to tout "Collateral."

Venetian fans were saying "amore!" to Tom -- and it's a mutual love affair "Every time I come here I can't believe it," Tom exclaimed.

And Tom's only the latest Super A-Lister to deliver glitz and glam to the 61st Annual Venice Film Festival, at which 250 films will be screened. Also heating up the lido are Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, Scarlett Johannsen and John Travolta.

"It" girl Scarlett co-stars with John in his edgy new film, "A Love Song For Bobby Long." Travolta shocked the crowd with his new role as a down and out drunk -- and John also goes gray.

Tom was planning to say "ciao" to Italy after tonight, but his next stop, Russia, has become a mission terminated. Out of sensitivity to the dramatic events there, Tom has cancelled the Moscow premiere of "Collateral."

But the top gun could probably use a break: earlier this week in London, he mingled with thousands of fans and signed autographs for three hours.