Directed by:
Miloš FormanCinematography:
Miroslav OndříčekCast:
F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice, Simon Callow, Christine Ebersole, Jeffrey Jones, Charles Kay, Kenneth McMillan, Kenny Baker (more)VOD (3)
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In a lavish 18th century parlor in Austria, an elderly man is found, by his servant, with his throat slashed. The wound is self-inflicted, and the man is the little-known composer Salieri (F. Murray Abraham), contemporary and adversary of the now-famed, but once reviled, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce). Later, from his cell in an insane asylum, Salieri tells a priest (Herman Meckler) the story of his association with Mozart, confessing that he actually killed the brilliantly gifted but troubled young man. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (9)
The clash of genius and mediocrity in a thrilling narrative whirlwind of emotions. Forman's film is sometimes accused of historical inaccuracies, but unfairly so. Amadeus is not a biopic, but a film about the clash of two different worlds – the world of gifted talent and the world of stubborn striving – and about the toll that an incredibly gifted man must pay to be "the one on top". Tom Hulce overacts quite a bit as Mozart, but I can't imagine any other actor in the role, and F.M. Abraham as Salieri is simply stunning, it's a shame he didn't get any other big roles. It's no wonder that sales of Mozart records increased by 50 percent in the U.S. after the film's premiere. Summary: Well deserved 8 Oscars and in my opinion, Forman’s best film.
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The first film by Miloš Forman that didn’t make me bite my nails out of boredom. Amadeus may seem too long, boring, and distant as a period drama to some people, but it is exactly the opposite. The enthusiasm for the subject matter is immense, and the whole film is filled with emotions. The Oscar-winning F. Murray Abraham excels the most in the role of Salieri, but Tom Hulce is not bad either, although his character was much more complex. I expected clumsy dialogues and the typical sterile camera work, but I was surprised here as well. Everything works brilliantly, even the enormous running time is not a problem. Throughout the entire 180 minutes (Director's cut), you have your hands full trying to keep up. The highlights of the film are undoubtedly the scenes from the opera performances and, of course, Mozart composing music and playing the piano. Hulce's improvisation is unbelievable, and Forman's directorial ideas (combining music, thoughts, and images) are often phenomenal. It is a pleasant surprise and a significantly above-average rating is a given.
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It's good, but it pales in comparison to Whom the Gods Love or the birth of Viennese opera through the eyes of one demanding night. It's important to remember that this is an adaptation of a play, not a serious biography. Peter Shaffer (and ultimately Miloš Forman) preferred a dramatic arc over anything else. It's still a great experience even after years, though the impact on the Mozart renaissance is somewhat debatable.
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If this were Mozart's biography, Amadeus would have failed, but Forman was interested in something quite different from a historically based picture from the life of a genius. His Amadeus is a riveting story of a conflict of exceptionalism and mediocrity, the perfect typology of such a conflict, which unfortunately always takes place in a similar way, regardless of time and place. Tom Hulce's performance is one of the greatest acting performances that has ever taken place before my eyes, but acting generally works in Amadeus as in few other films. A huge compliment goes out to Forman for the perfect connection between music and storylines, the scenes with the conducting Amadeus are magnificent, not to mention the "Requiem", which Mozart dictates in a fever to the incomprehensive Salieri (Confutatis Maledictis... that scene always fills me with a lot of emotion!). This is a moment that fulfills the meaning of the word "drama". The new director’s version may slow the film down a bit, but at least the character Constance deserved more space. Miloš Forman – a brilliant composer of form and content!
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Lo and behold. America provided Miloš Forman with the honor of filming the story of probably the most famous composer of all times, and he made up his mind that he wouldn’t do it anywhere else but in his homeland. That’s how it came to be that the film takes place on the streets of Prague or in the Estates Theatre in the middle of the worst times of the communist oppression in the 1980s. Hats off. I, however, naturally mustn’t forget about the fact that everything about this movie is perfect. Perfect! I’m curious – how many movies do you know about which you could say the same?
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Gallery (65)
Photo © Filmarchiv Austria
![Amadeus - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/168/214/168214809_643b7j.jpg)
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