Amadeus (1984)

director's cut ruins the story

the thing i always loved about this movie was how tragic salieri was as a character. he spends time in prayer thanking god for the passion he's given him, only to be crushed by a moron who's seemingly effortless ability eclipses his own. he can't understand why god would give him the desire, then 'make him mute'... this passion and drive are what made him so appealing! the added scenes make him a villain, and thus, for me at least ruin his character. i really wish i had not seen this version, because it impaired my opinion of the film. the scene where costanza came to find salieri working with her sick husband only to throw salieri out seemed like she was just 'looking out for her husband and wanted him to get his rest' and by kicking out salieri he loses his one chance in life to learn from this guy. it's tragedy. it makes him a sympathetic character... the director's cut makes it clear that she throws him out because she hates him, and rightly so, but as the viewer salieri DESERVES this treatment... it ruins the moment...
salieri was so much 'deeper' in the theatrical version. i ached for him because it was so frustrating to watch someone fail against such a moronic force of nature as tom hulce's brilliant mozart... by making him an unforgivable character the movie was ruined for me. such a shame... December 12, 2008

Amadeaus

The original release of Amadeaus was great, the Director's Cut version is even better. I recommend to have the Director's Cut version, even though one might have the original release. The sound and the picture have been greatly enhanced. I personally rate 'Amadeaus' to be one the greatest movies produced so far. December 7, 2008

learned something

I've loved this movie for years and bought this dvd to replace my old vhs version. I was surprised to find only one disc and moreso to discover that it is reversible. When it came to the end of side one I wasn't sure what to do, but tried flipping it over and sure enough, there was side two. I didn't know there was such a thing and a couple of friends I asked didn't know it either. I don't buy a lot of current dvd's, maybe this is old stuff, but it was news to me..lol.. November 22, 2008

my favorite movie

This is my very favorite movie. I have seen it more than 10 times, in the cinema as well as through Netflix. It never ceases to fascinate me. The concept of seeing Mozart through the eyes of a competitor, Salieri, makes the story very poignant. Through Salieri's eyes we see and realize the magnificence of Mozart's musical creations. Highly recommended.

November 9, 2008

Excellent!

This thoroughly enjoyable, pneumatic movie tells the story of Mozart's rise-and-fall on the music scene in 18th-century Austria. Told in flashback form from the point of view of musical rival Antonio Salieri, it covers with a broad hand the more salient points of Mozart's life, and dispenses with historical accuracy for a more expressive and emotionally communicative feel.

The acting's of a very high standard, with F. Murray Abraham giving a committed, layered and impressive performance as the jealous Salieri - not overshadowed by Tom Hulce's flashy, deceptively superficial turn as Mozart - which is a big deal, considering Hulce's performance is one of those show-stopping, scene-stealing turns that you don't really see anymore. If Abraham won the Oscar for this, then Hulce, for his part, is fantastic at portraying the decadence and the fevered genius behind the screenplay's reading of Mozart's character, but also gives the man impressive depth and pathos, when necessary. These two principal actors are more than amply supported by the excellent Elizabeth Berridge as Mozart's plagued wife Constanze, Jeffrey Jones as Emperor Joseph II and a very young Simon Callow as Mozart's friend-and-colleague Emanuel Schikaneder. Also, a pre-pre-pre "Sex and the City" Cynthia Nixon does an excellent job in her tiny role as the Mozart family maid.

The behind-the-camera talents of director Milos Forman, art director Karel Cerny and cinematographer Miroslav Ondricek are the real stars of "Amadeus", though - the film's style is as operatic and fantastical as its treatment of Mozart's biography, and the tone and pacing of the sumptuous visuals lend a very palpable sense of doomed-genius-reaching-critical-mass to the film. There are no slow points, nothing is visually flat, and every detail and flourish imaginable has been crammed in - like the painted fantasies of Mozart's opera sets, "Amadeus", works beautifully as a baroque spectacle, and, 24 years after its original release, remains a testament to the creative genius of its crew. Mozart's operas are staged with a wisely underplayed sense of drama, furthering the viewer's connection with the more important driving forces behind their creation - the lives of those involved - and the visual feel of the movie is that of floating haphazardly through a chaotic swirl of decadence, art and high-octane drama.

I'm no big fan of classical music, and remain unconverted - but as an exercise in storytelling, "Amadeus" is a treat for any and all fans of solid, gripping films. It hits home runs on all the fronts it chooses to show you, and, while not an exhaustive or particularly accurate account, is a deeply engaging and thoroughly enjoyable piece of cinema. Highly recommended! October 11, 2008

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