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Rated: R
Starring: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, et al.
Director: Milos Forman Review
The satirical sensibilities of writer Peter Shaffer and director Milos
Forman (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest) were ideally matched in this
Oscar-winning movie adaptation of Shaffer's hit play about the rivalry
between two composers in the court of Austrian Emperor Joseph II--official
royal composer Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham), and the younger but
superior prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce). The conceit is
absolutely delicious: Salieri secretly loathes Mozart's crude and bratty
personality, but is astounded by the beauty of his music. That's the heart
of Salieri's torment--although he's in a unique position to recognize and
cultivate both Mozart's talent and career, he's also consumed with envy
and insecurity in the face of such genius. That such magnificent music
should come from such a vulgar little creature strikes Salieri as one of
God's cruelest jokes, and it drives him insane. Amadeus creates peculiar
and delightful contrasts between the impeccably re-created details of its
lavish period setting and the jarring (but humorously refreshing and
unstuffy) modern tone of its dialogue and performances--all of which serve
to remind us that these were people before they became enshrined in
historical and artistic legend. Jeffrey Jones, best-known as Ferris
Bueller's principal, is particularly wonderful as the bumbling emperor
(with the voice of a modern midlevel businessman). The film's eight Oscars
include statuettes for Best Director Forman, Best Actor Abraham (Hulce was
also nominated), Best Screenplay, and Best Picture. --Jim Emerson
----------- Amadeus is best watched and heard on DVD. The
sound is clearer so the miraculous music is heard PERFECTLY. The picture
is more rich and colorful so you can enjoy every detail of the opulence in
Vienna, the elegant costume and opera sceneries. The story is magnificent.
Milos Forman's greatest work. We pity and feel terrified by Antonio
Salieri. We laugh along with Mozart's famous laugh. Despite the darkness
in Amadeus, there is humor. Frau Webber is comedic as Mozart's mother in
law. Particularly funny is the scene when she is scolding Wolfgang and her
increasingly annoying voice turns into the Queen of the Night's aria from
The Magic Flute. The mock opera in the "common" theatre, the Vaudeville is
very humorous as well. There are little things that make Amadeus a great
film, not excluding the greater things. There is a beauty to the music,
the showiness of the Emperor's palace, the opera houses with those blazing
chandeliers. DVD makes Amadeus more cinematic and more enjoyable. Sure..
it's an old film.. a lot of people wouldn't care for it. But still.. there
is a greatness to the film of the fall of the world's greatest composer
and the music ! "Music like has never been heard before" Sir Neville
Marriner does a glorious work in the soundtrack. The Requiem focused in
the end is a masterpiece. The scenes of Mozart's death is awe-inspiring.
See it for yourself and enjoy a classic.
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