Amadeus Reviews

To be honest, it has been a while since I have seen this movie and I should definitely re-watch it at some point. First of all, I’m pretty sure that most people would think that ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest’ has been the best movie directed by Milos Forman but, the more I think about it, the more I believe that this movie might be actually slightly overrated (in fact, I need to re-watch this movie as well). In fact, in my opinion, this classic, which was released almost 10 years after ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest’ and which also managed to win the Best Picture Academy Award, was even better and I believe it is in fact the Magnum Opus of this director. Indeed, it is easily one of the most fascinating and original biopics ever made and, even though Forman would be making almost only biopics during the rest of his career (‘The People vs. Larry Flynt’, ‘Man on the Moon’, ‘Goya's Ghosts’), none of them would manage to reach the level of this masterpiece. Anyway, to conclude, I really loved the damned thing and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre. 

In real life, Antonio Salieri was an accomplished musician, many of whose works remain in print. His stuff fell out of favor -- but Vivaldi predated Mozart and Salieri, and his music was barely heard after his death until the 20th century! Musical tastes change with the times; How many discotheques are open in the 21st century? Not as many as in the 1970s, I warrant. There are ample implications in the historical record that Salieri and Mozart got along quite well. So the story inside the beautiful decor is a libelous fiction -- in fact, it's a lot of spin and inventive storytelling. But when have novels or films cared for historical fact over a cracking good story? And it's probably more correct to call it a parable.
Mozart and Salieri aren't really meant to be embodiments of their real-life counterparts. Salieri is an archetype.

All the performances are wonderful, especially in the Emperor's court. Charles Kay is superb, Jonathan Moore is the epitome of sincerity, and Jeffrey Jones expresses more by his extreme underplaying than many more notable actors do in several movies of bluster. Sometimes you wonder if someone ought to take Jones' pulse, but you're always aware of what the Emperor is thinking.
The costumes perfect, the beautiful ornate locations shown in all their splendor, all effortlessly combined in a dazzling array of bewitchment and enlightenment.
We the audience begin to formulate what will happen and how plotting from madness and hatred begins to surface. When the souls of the music leap forth from the pages, when genius turns to betrayal and madness you know you have a masterpiece of grandeur and wonderment.
Amadeus is a legendary masterpiece of epic proportions.

Amadeus is a film that bears numerous adjectives with self-confidence: this film is stunning, beautiful, wonderful, powerful, amazing, incredible - and anything stemming off from these words. It's a tremendously rare event when a masterpiece like Amadeus is made; a remarkable movie of jealousy and envy that conveys the biographical story of an extraordinary individual. This film has been a critical success as both a play and a movie. It went on to win several Oscars and it still gathers tremendous acclaim during the contemporary era of cinema.

Amadeus is the story of two composers who lived throughout the 18th century. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Hulce) is regarded as the best composer of all time. This film chronicles the period of his prime when his greatest work was composed: a time when Mozart's outstanding imagination allowed him to simply write music as if it was dictation. The film is also concerned with a second composer: a man named Antonio Salieri (Abraham). Salieri is a court composer for the current emperor (Jones). Salieri has aspirations of becoming a flourishing composer since his childhood. However his imperfect abilities are highlighted by the works of the young Mozart whose music is divine. He believes that God is mocking his mediocrity through Mozart's music, and Salieri cannot understand how God could favour such an uncouth individual as his instrument. Driven by rage and jealousy, Salieri instigates a scheme to bring about the fall of Mozart. The film is told in flashback as Salieri is now confined to a mental asylum. Now aging and slowly going insane, he tells the story of how he caused the failure of Mozart; how he gained Mozart's trust that he later betrayed.

One must remember that Amadeus is based on a play, not on history. The film indicates that the character of Salieri was involved in the eventual death of Mozart. In history there is barely any indication at all - instead his death was recognised as a combination of alcoholism and depression. If you're expecting an elaborate film based solely on fact you may be disappointed. This is the film's single flaw.

Amadeus is a film that never grows dreary. Although at a length of about 150 minutes you will never feel bored. Every aspect of the production is faultless. The sound and music are truly sublime; the collaboration of acting and directing is outstanding; cinematography and editing are wonderful; with costumes and art direction that are generally terrific. In short: this is almost a definitive example of crafting a faultless movie. It's long but far from overlong. Every member of the cast and crew did their job to perfection; never is a false note struck.

The powerhouse performances are truly incredible to behold. F. Murray Abraham was correctly presented with an Oscar for 'Best Actor in a Leading Role' (actor Tom Hulce was also nominated in the same category) for his fascinating characterisation of a man fuelled by envy and antagonism. Tom Hulce as Mozart is yet another magnificent decision of the casting department. He nails the role of the multi-faceted tragic composer. No-one would ever have an image like this of Mozart in their head: Hulce displays the raw childish nature of the man. His mannerisms, inappropriate sentences, irritating laugh - all played to perfection by an actor who excels at his profession. The whole cast perfectly capture the emotional depth of the character they are portraying. Astonishing work!

Visually, Amadeus is perfectly created. The film features sets and costumes that feel like a photograph of its period. Never is there a lack of focus in any part of the creative team. The directing in particular is absolutely breathtaking. Never is there a lapse in concentration for any shot. From start to finish, the film is exquisitely filmed and a pleasure to view. For a film that runs for 150 minutes this aspect is vital.

Amadeus is truly a masterpiece of marvellous magnitude. A beautiful piece of art! Winner of several Oscars including Best Picture.