He comes across as an American brat, which is a choice that will alienate a lot of people. I appreciate it because it's of my social class and time. He played that particularly role very well, and it's partly why the movie is so memorable.
@starryian007 The intent was to illustrate the disjoint between Mozart's personality and that of the "elite". Again, no opinion regarding historical accuracy. My take is that this goal was well met, and I enjoyed his performance, even though I find his performance a bit jarring at times. I would be more than interested to see how another might have played it.
Whoever the Mozart wife was…gawd every time she speaks I wanted to vomit. TERRIBLE acting. And I own this movie and regularly watch it. And consider it one of the best all time films. Cannot stand her flat monotone no talent performance. Not enough notes in her voice. What the heck was the director doing allowing this when he was getting genius elsewhere.
The film makers took a lot of liberty in their portrayal of salieri.. it has been established that salieri was not the man the movie portrayed.. and certainly did not poison mozart..
I'd go even further. The whole casting was phenomenal. Leopold Mozart was scary, Constanze the faithful, struggling wife with a dissolute husband, the King's vapid insouicance were all artfully displayed. Certainly one of the reasons it won Best Film.
I saw this movie as a senior Medical Student- -it had a PROFOUND effect on me re:mediocrity & it’s repulsive nature; NOT born of envy but on improving one’s self & choosing the right speciality.
My thoughts: Mozart wasn't just Salieri's rival, he was his childhood and lifetime hero. Deep down, Salieri never stopped admiring Mozart. Everyone else saw him as a burnt-out child prodigy, but Salieri's gift to appreciate music perfectly equaled Mozart's gift to create it--Salieri was the only one in his time to realize the extent of Mozart's genius when everyone else saw him as a gimmick at best. I really felt for Mozart's financial and creative struggles, despite his obnoxious demeanor--credit to Tom Hulce's fantastically endearing and nuanced performance. And I'm frustrated that Salieri speaks in a way that makes me fall in love with music, but only uses his gift to fuel his own wrath. I love the scene near the end where he dictates Mozart's Requiem in D, the way they work together, the way Salieri gets a front seat to his hero's creative process and can't help but be captivated, the poignant moment where Mozart admits he thought Salieri didn't care for his work all those years. I am in love with this movie and all the layers it offers to it's audience.
What I really love about this movie is that in the end, Salieri receives exactly what he wished for. In the beginning, he asks to be gods vessel, so that god through him can bring music to the world. And in the end, when Mozart is dying and instructing Salieri, Salieri indeed becomes this vessel. From god, through Mozart, to Salieri, who writes down gods music. This is even hinted at (slightly) in the middle of the movie: "That was god laughing at me through that obscene giggle". Just like it was god instructing him in the end.
His life ends in the " crazy house " as they called the Mental hospitals in those days - so he gets his punishment at the end. Also history had forgot his music - but Mozart 's music will live for ever. That is enough punishment for him.
As silly as it may seems, I found a little difficulty in reading your comment, it's the capital letter for the word God. Once I manage, I enjoyed it and see it's a great insight that resumes the whole movie.
I took it as Sallieri’s flaw was praying for his own immortality instead of truly wanting to praise god. His intentions weren’t pure. Mozart focused on music, where Sallieri focused on his own status.
If I'm a fervent Mozartmaniac today it's because of this movie. "Amadeus", single-handedly, turned a beloved composer into a pop culture icon and a mega-star.
When I watched this movie for the first time, I got obsessed!!!!!! After that, I used to watch it everyday for two weeks straight. I still watch it here and then , I also got the vinyl soundtrack. It makes me cry every time.
He lost his childhood, much like Michael Jackson, he was made to be what he became because of an over ambitious father and always wanted to be a kid, or so history has told.
Amadeus is my top 3 movie of all time behind The Godfather and Lawrence of Arabia. I adore this film and have introduced many friends and family members to it’s epic story, acting and music.
One of my favorite scenes and it has been one of my favorite scenes since my first viewing is when Mozart first meets the Emperor and the court and Salari composes a musical piece welcoming Mozart to Venice. How Mozart takes the piece and literally re-writes and improves on the spot is quite extraordinary. The humiliation that F Murray Abraham is able to convey through his facial expressions is a fine testament to his great acting ability. The side eyes from the emperorplaying Salari'si
Ive still yet to see a movie that captures the joy of music and the creative process as well as this. Sadly most movies about a musician or composer seem to be based on the one semester of Music Appreciation. Milos Forman goes soooooo much deeper on this and captures the spirit of Mozart. Masterpiece
My wife had never seen this, her being an American, which astounded me a bit. Saw it available on Netflix and I exclaimed "oh you're gonna love this!" Once the movie finished she mentioned wanting to see it again someday. Pretty dope movie indeed.
4:54 to be fair, lol, though I guess the video might not really be saying otherwise, to be fair, the whole "no ballet in opera"-thing, while truly a rule, is only used to hinder Mozart, lol...if they didn't hate him, they would let him do it...they were looking for a way to attack Mozart, lol, it's not really that they were concerned with whether he was following those rules or not...Salieri was looking for something to attack the opera with, lol...so, it's not Mozart being a challenge to the establishment with new music...even his choice of the play would not have been a problem, they brought it to the attention of the emperor to get him in trouble, to hinder him...I mean, lol...
What I realized after many viewings was that not only did Mozart have what Salieri coveted, Salieri actually had what Mozart coveted: the adulation of a grateful society which recognizes his (Mozart's) talent (the film makes clear that this is probably a substitute for the love he does not feel from his father). One of the most emotional moments in the film is actually the brief line "why didn't they come?" when talking about the audience for The Marriage of Figaro. He has spoken in an almost angry way about being spurned over what he is sure is the "best opera yet written," but the way Hulce delivers it is so open and child-like in its disappointment that it provides a penetrating view into Mozart's emotional life, as imagined in this story. Then there is a great shot later at the comic opera where Mozart, sitting in a box, pulls back the curtain and sees the energetic enjoyment of the audience and realizes that is the place for him.
Whether or not the movie portrayal of Mozart is accurate, you can hear a kind of playfulness in his music. In a way, it's like progressive rock. He's so damn good and he knows it, so he can't help indulging himself and showing off a little. And I think that mastery and playfulness exerted an enormous influence on the composers who came after him.
This film is my all-time-favorite-film. I dragged everybody I know into the cinema. I don't care that some of the scenes had nothing to do with reality. I saw it like an opera by Mozart and it is just as impressive. And it has brought many people to Mozart who did not know his music (and to the music of Salieri that I never heard of before - his music, by the way, is not nearly as bad as it was shown here. His music is not Mozart, but it is good.) The only thing I did not like about this film was that they did not mention my personal favorite opera: Cosi fan tutte. And: Mozart is not one of the greatest but THE greatest composer of all times.
This movie made me a lifelong lover of classical music, since early teen years. It opened my eyes to a beauty I never knew existed, and I have held it in appropriately grateful reverence ever since. Love Hulce in this role.
As a musician let me provide some more context. I believe the reason why this movie is great only scratched the surface level. I will list out points and then conclude to tie it all in neatly. - Musicianship. There is a scene where the wife of Mozart brings the music sheet to Salieri. She says to him that doesn't make copies. Need I remind you that genius level of musicianship? No copies. No edits. No changes. No alterations. The music simply flows from his head and is written down on paper. All perfect. All nothing short of Mastery. All which would take years of studying music to appreciate what came out from his head in mere seconds. I won't go deep into his genius but this small aspect is what musicians spend their entire lives changing. Heck, even Hendrix. Picks his guitar music flows. "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze", "Little Wing", "Wind cries Mary". Music that simply came easily to them. Like Salieri, I hide myself in Music Theory. Ashamed and Insecure. Sometimes it slips even though I contain myself to all my humane effort to criticize genius's music. "Oh that is off tone", "That riff you played has a diminished note", "That doesn't sit well with the theme of the song", "Lyrically you need to add structure". Just cold hearted criticism when we all know music is beyond such structure of forms, this realization only comes to Geniuses. They are above reason, statistics, numbers, scales, harmonies, structures, tonal structure, motifs. Even now, you listen to Mozart its so "Heavenly". There is even a saying that goes "God whispered and Mozart made its music", "The only music yet written that would not sound out of place in the mouth of God.", and by age of 35 this was known about him during his time - " God whispered straight into Mozart's ear." - Career/Dream. I picked up the guitar in my late teens. It was an easy choice for me. Music over everything. I spent hours getting better, becoming better, stepping everyday through patience and discipline towards mastery. Sacrificed easily everything easily I tell you easily friends, possible dates, grades, develop relatives, social life; easily and still do it too. Then you begin to notice and realize some have it so easy and take their gifts for granted. I got over it. Made peace with it. But it still doesn't change the reality that your efforts is nothing compared to a genius. Mind you people say that there aren't much geniuses but there are. In any field you will find these outliers and they change, they change the entire field you are in. Check out the contemporary musician - Jacob Collier. He had it all. Parents who were musicians themselves, raised in a musical family, has "Perfect Pitch" which you can guess the note by hearing it instantly. Years of childhood training to improve his technique, Lastly to add insult - Good looks. Here I am constantly criticizing my own music, every little inflections considered trash, second guessing my techniques, dying to even compose one great material. Make it worse an Asian at that. Conclusion: Salieri showed us where the path of envy will lead us. Even though he calls himself "Patron Saint of Mediocrity" the deed he did is Evil and wrong. Call it what you maybe "Will to Power" from Nietzsche. Still he crossed the line. I believe he indirectly tells us we can live differently and there is some satisfaction, some pride to take when you produce or create anything in life that included all your efforts paying up. And admire Geniuses when they come along. Yes it will be hard but we can pave way for them so they can influence the world. As painful it may sound, giving a chance to future Mozarts geniuses, affects and influence the industry and the world as a whole. Everyone knows and loves Mozarts music and countless are influenced by him, not to mention Music in itself. Some thing I envy about Salieri is how his sight reading is top class, his efforts of training payed off when he looks at music sheets and imagines the music. That is a skill learnt through hardwork. So appreciate and allow geniuses to pave their way and change the world, know that in whatever field you are - you will come out short no matter how hard you try. Make peace and learn a thing or two from them if you can. Add less suffering to the people who inhabit after you.
IMHO, this is one of the best movies of all time. I agree that it can easily be classified as a musical. The casting, the music, the costumes, the script and the themes are all outstanding. I agree that we all have at least one person in life that we are envious of. Be it their position, their abilities, their wealth, health, etc. F. Murray Abraham was outstanding, and Tom Hulce really brought the character of Mozart to life like no one before him. I like the policy that Peter Schaffer had in making the music for this movie. He told everyone involved that he would refuse to make this movie if even one note of Mozart's music would be altered. That made a statement right from the start ... ! Milos Forman is one of the most brilliant directors of all time and Saul Zanitz is right up there with him on the production side. I love the opening scene with the candelabra, the horses, the music, the dancing and the snow. I will never tire of watching this movie.
A beautifully crafted movie that at its essence is a super hero movie. We crave the alliance with excellence and this movie delivers it. The hero here succeeds, not with brawn, but with brains and this movie is adept at lifting us all up in Mozart's brilliance.
One of the most lasting effects of the film for me was it changed the way I listened to music. That brilliant sequence at the end where the film deconstructs the Confutatis from Mozart's Requiem, allowing the audience to hear the individual elements, led me to listen to other music with that same idea, of looking at how parts of composition combine into a whole. This is like bringing Salieri to the doorstep of Mozart's talent, but Salieri still cannot see how everything goes together, and it becomes clear there is a gulf there he cannot cross. An excellent visual score accompaniment for that scene is given here: ua-cam.com/video/UMwaiA581AQ/v-deo.html
Within a few years of Salieri's death in 1825, Alexander Pushkin wrote his "little tragedy" Mozart and Salieri (1831), as a dramatic study of the sin of envy. In 1898, Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov adapted Pushkin's play, Mozart and Salieri (1831), as an opera of the same name. A hugely popular yet heavily fictionalized perpetuation of the story came in Peter Shaffer's play Amadeus.
This is one of the greatest movies of all time because we’re talking about one of the greatest composers of all time, but the movie itself how it transcends the historical figure of Mozart. I can watch this again and again.
I saw this movie in high school for music appreciation and it had that stigma. Now, as someone who's into films, I have seen how much more it is. It is a work of art.
The cast of Amadeus is consistently excellent. Tom Hulce, of course, was wonderfully convincing, but do not, for example overlook Elizabeth Berridge whose role took her through a whole range of emotions. She was marvelous. However, F.Murray Abraham was the actor's actor. His performance was so subtle, so realistic I needed to watch it the movie again to appreciate the incredible craft he brought to his really difficult role.
That scene where Solieri is taking dictation for Confutatis Maledictis, (sp I know) is one of my favorite scenes of any movie ever, and is one of the most accurate portrayals of what it feels like to compose something that truly excites you that I’ve ever seen on film.
I saw "Amadeus" seventeen times in the initial release. I LOVE IT. Just a note: The "harem" is the setting of "The Abduction from the Seraglio," "The Marriage of Figaro" takes place outside Seville.
I would say that all Salieri can do at the end is laugh, because none of his plans worked out and he was unable to prevent what he was trying to prevent, even though he thought he had a foolproof plan. I love that moment near the end when, after we just witnessed Mozart's beggar's funeral (not the grand showcase Salieri imagined), and the film cuts back to the framing story, with the exhausted and incredulous priest overwhelmed and in tears... and then Salieri just laughs, even through his bitterness, because what else can we do when we see an inevitable outcome and the futility of trying to fight God? By the way, the care they took on the framing story to show that Salieri's recounting lasted from one day, through the night, to the next day, with subtle shifts of lighting, lent an almost subliminal weight to the film's narrative arc.
It’s a movie about the sin of PRIDE. Though Salieri was jealous of Mozart, he was simultaneously the only one with the full capacity to appreciate Mozart’s true genius. We are all mediocre is a subtitle - get used to that reality is the message. Your commentary video is excellent
yes, that's right. If I said Singer, that's a mistake, and thank you for the correction. Peter Singer is the philosopher who wrote a great introductory book on Hegel, among other things of course.
I loved this movie, I play violin in a civic orchestra and this movie inspired me to do research on Mozart to see how his life was really like historically. It was fun to talk to my conductor about Mozart more and understand him more so I could interpret the music from my view and inspired me to play better in our civic group. I love your insight with this movie thank you 😊
Just rewatched it after a long time. It is a masterpiece. So many layers of meeting, so much good humor, love and drama. I love at the end how Mozart thinks that Salieri is his only friend XD. Also as many true genius artists, doesn't give an f about the divine subjects, high art, but rather would create operas about silly comic subjects.
My all time favourite film of all time, just watched it again yesterday in a cinema that shows classic films. The acting , the music , the opera scenes and the script makes an amazing film. The thing with Milos Foreman's films, even the minor roles stand out.
A few months ago, we had our teen kids watch this movie. They loved it (my boy wrote a symphony piece since he was so inspired). It is one of the movies that are now heavy in rotation for our movie watching.
BEST movie. Has constantly entertained me and made me laugh throughout the seasons of my life. Introducing this movie to someone who has never seen it is a gift in so many ways.
It’s my favorite movie of all time, i watch it at like 8 when it came out, and looooved it ever since, tried many times with my kids but they never really fell for it!! What was it that my 8 years old self loved so much that it stuck for my entire life, i don’t quite know, but just the images has been a remedy during trouble times!! 💜💜💜💜
mozart was perhaps the most natural super creative genius of all time. for salieri or anybody else to compare themselves to Mozart, is just absurd. salieri was wasting his time and energy being jealous of Mozart. he should have instead appreciated the fact that he recognized just how great Mozart's music was. even the best of musicians need audiences in order to survive. i myself know that as much as i like great music, that i will never write music of Mozart's quality. meanwhile, though, i can enjoy listening and appreciating Mozart's music
salieri at least envied the greatest. almost everybody envies some small-time person, the local leader, an authority figure, someone with a little bit of money. Same horrible problem but on a pathetically smaller scale.
that is why one of the Ten Commandments is to not envy other people. and in fact, according to Jewish tradition, that Tenth Commandment is said to override all the others, in the sense that it really includes all of the other nine commandments. in other words, at the root of almost all evil done, is done from the motivation of jealousy. the Five Books of Moses is filled with incidents of one episode of jealousy after another, each resulting in tremendous damage to our world
I was introduced to this movie in 1993, at age 12. Immediately, it captivated me. I purchased the VHS version at a flea market for a couple bucks and watched the tapes (two-part) regularly. In '08, Warner Bros released the DVD, which I purchased, no doubt. This DVD (currently on my 3rd day of having it running around the clock in my bedroom "for the dogs") is one of my prized possessions. Haha. Absolutely NO ONE cares about it, but much like Salieri, I love it so much, I'm disillusioned (though aware, thank God!). Thank you for your thoughts on this movie. It moves me in regards to so many topics (jealousy, exploitation, religion, greed, tragedy, etc.). Out of curiosity, I decided to take to UA-cam and see if there were others who appreciate the film as much as I. Have a lovely day :)
thank you. That DVD probably has the original release, which most here have said they preferred better. The scene where Salieri exploits Constanze isn't necessary, I think, and the Director's Cut is a bit too long. (Too many notes!)
We are about the same age... I saw this when I was 5 and my parents say I was obsessed and wanted to watch it every day. None of the adults could understand why I was picking this over Disney movies 😆
As a retired high school music teacher, I can say that, for my purposes, this was one of the great tools I had. As a musician in general, it was one of my favorites! I love Mozart’s music. I taught a general music class, which was required for students to graduate. So, it was always populated by a captive audience of students who did not usually choose music, ie athletes, cheerleaders, goths, etc. in other words all students, minus band and choir students, lol. I wrote the curriculum for that class, with my goal to expose those students to the beauty, history and creativity of music. They learned to read and write the basic language of music, and a general overview of the history of the eras of music, from ancient to present day, tracing the roots of what they listen to today. That’s where Amadeus came in. Providing a disclaimer that much of the movie was typically Hollywood- overdone and twisted, I would show them the movie, Amadeus. It exposed them to Mozart, which they might never had chosen on their own. I had a study guide of questions to answer and things to notice, and all the while they were hearing the sweetness of Mozart, knowing this might be the only time for them to hear it. And wonder of wonders! All of my classes loved it!!! Many students began to listen to Mozart, and wanted to know more. Amadeus was a tremendous teaching tool for me! Great presentation! Keep up your good work! 🎉
i enjoyed your commentary on this and you hit the nail on the head. one main thing I have often told people is that the facts "about" mozart's abilities and things he wrote etc.. are factual. he did in fact meet salieri, but this movie is litereally an 80 ish year old senile old man telling the whole story from his old and senile and jealous point of view. and i have also said the music in this movie is essentially a main character. but one thing for sure, the people who wrote the lines and murray abrahams's delivery of those lines, described music more beatufiully than any way i have ever heard in my life.
Even though I'm an actor & script writer honestly I can't describe my feelings about the movie!! (directing, acting etc.) I watched Amadeus 73 times I swear to God if I have time I will watch again & again, till now I feel I didn't have enough Thank you for everything God bless you all🙏🌹
The main character is the music. I love this film. Saw it as a teen with little to no knowledge of Mozart and loved it for what it was. Now as a middle-aged adult I love it more for how it honors his musical legacy and for its brilliant craft. Great video review btw
The theatrical version is better. Not only is it a tighter film, it cuts out scenes that make Salieri come across as truly evil. In the theatrical cut he is just a failure whom you can sympathize with. The theatrical cut is the first version I watched when I was 12 and the one I prefer.
Timeless masterpiece. No matter how many times I watch, I’m still captivated. If you get a chance, buy the two disk special edition Director’s Cut. It has a disk devoted to how the film was made. Fascinating story. I personally met the director, Milos Forman, back in 1975, when I was dating his attorney, and we all had lunch together. At the time, I had never heard of Milos Forman. Then I went to see One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which he had just finished directing. I was completely blown away. Amadeus had the same impact on me. I just sat there stunned, when it ended. There aren’t many films that can move you in that way. Bravo, Milos Forman, bravo!
Not knowing any of the history of these composers, I watched this movie thinking it was factual. I was so disappointed and confused as to why anyone would make a movie about real historical figures in genuine historical settings and wardrobe, yet make the plot completely fiction! It would have made more sense to me if they had invented two fictional composers as well for the story. That being said, I love the movie very much and it will always be one of my favorites. It was so well done with brilliant actors and superb writing and photography. Even before seeing this film, there had been many times where I'd be listening to a classical piece and, like, Salieri, think that that the music had come straight from God himself! I still think that. I also feel that the game, chess, was created by God for men. There are just some things that seem impossible to have come from the mind of a mere mortal man. I feel that way about the Bible, too!
Hi, there is at least one music in the soundtrack of this movie that is not by Mozart: the last part (Quando Corpus Morientur) of Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi.
It’s about salieri anger towards god for giving him the desire to reach the greatness and talent of Mozart and most important for giving him the knowledge that he will never attain that greatness.
A commenter below said that Mozart was like a rock star and I totally agree. His compositions truly were "new". However, we had a Mozart/Salieri concert actually narrated by F. Murray Abraham. They played a piece by Salieri paired up with a lesser known work by Mozart. I'm pretty familiar with Mozart's sound, but I wasn't able to identify which was the Mozart piece. Apparently not every Mozart composition has the signs of his obvious genius.
Hello, I am like you with this movie. I loved it from the first viewing until the present day. I have owned the soundtrack in the album, cassette, and CD. I also own the movie in Blu-ray and just recently watched the Director's Cut. After every viewing, I see something I did not notice in prior viewings. A great timeless flick that I will come back again and again for additional viewings. Thanks for this video.
Really enjoy this movie & it's aged well. Historical issues aside yes it seems to be about people & relationships & the human experience for better or worse...with great music. Nice analysis. Now if we could just get a blu ray or 4k of the theatrical cut not the inferior directors cut only.
true in a general sense. Though few of us will have elite talent that we get to use in elite social circles, while comparing that talent to the world-class genius who will become a top-3 contributor to his field ever.
I love the movie, and i love W.A. Mozart's musik! I have a nice CD collection of his musik, including his operas.I thank God for the musical gift He gave Mozart.
I took my German-born & raised mother in law (b. 1928) to this when it was in theaters, and she cried through most of it, claiming "Americans just don't appreciate real music. These are the sounds I was raised with in Europe." She absolutely loved the movie & taking her to see this was my privilege (she died of cancer in 1984). Such a great film.
Mozart was so brilliant, he was a boat rocker and, was brashly young. The establishment could not stop his talent but, they sought to control it…at which point Mozart should have realized that no matter how hard he bashed his head against their wall, the wall wasn’t going to budge, even for his unmatched talent. He should have pulled up stakes and gone to where he would be truly appreciated…and could make a good living. He stuck it out to his demise.
Great film. Great performances. Great review. Thank you for this. One correction…the harem is in Abduction of the Seraglio, not Marriage of Figaro. And please use ‘is’ and ‘are’ correctly.
No, I’m sorry, you cannot consider this a “musical.” Aren’t any chorus numbers, no choreography. You could get away with referring to it as a Singspiel. Examples are Die Entführung aus dem Serai (Abduction From Seraglia) or Die Zauberflöte (Magic Flute). The latter opera being accurately portrayed as occurring in a Viennese music hall, rather than the grand opera house. Thank you.
There's one other subtext to the movie, represented by the casting choice of a very over-the-top American actor to play the role of a man who rarely left Austria in his entire life. Amadeus tells the story of revolutionary America. Not coincidentally, Mozart's active period coincided entirely within the American Revolutionary years. The movie gives you an impression of the revolutionary Americans, through Mozart's character - rowdy, impudent, freemasonic, naive, brilliant, impulsive, irreverent - and, ultimately, defeated by debt and vice. Great movie on so many levels!!!
I use to own this video in VHS, I think this films more about Salerie and his jealousy of Mozart. The relationship between Salerie and Mozart in real life history is totally different compared to the film: Amadeus - It's not accurate, but still a great movie. ❤
My opinion: this movie is great entertainment all the way, never a wasted moment, intelligent writing, 1-derful performances, masterful direction, the only weak thing was the music, I would eliminate it. Just kidding !!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Apologies if this sounds too philistine and common, but when the Emperor and the "cabal" tell Mozart (after ...Seraglio) that there were "too many notes," I always think of the late Stephen Sondheim, who - at various points in his career - also had this complaint levied at him (as well as non-hummable tunes ...as if!)
The historical accuracy thing is overblown, since the film uses a framing device with a completely unreliable narrator. I've always found the film to be a contrast between Salieri's envy & hatred toward God and Mozart's arrogance & irresponsibility. Both are deeply flawed. Mozart went out of his way to make his own life difficult. Rather than using some diplomacy to win over the Italian "cabal," he finds ways to insult them at every opportunity. Then when he is asked for samples of his work so he can be considered for the Royal appointment, he refuses. For all we know, Salieri would have bad-mouthed him to the emperor anyway, but Mozart didn't make it easy for himself. At the end of the movie, though, Mozart is the one asking Salieri for forgiveness. Prideful & envious Salieri makes no such request of the priest. Salieri's sins truly corrupt the soul, while Mozart's are redeemable: Salieri is Cain, Mozart is Abel. This is one of my favorite movies of all time, and I love it and see something new on every viewing.
Tom Hulce deserves just as much praise as F. Murray Abraham. He's outstanding.
He comes across as an American brat, which is a choice that will alienate a lot of people. I appreciate it because it's of my social class and time. He played that particularly role very well, and it's partly why the movie is so memorable.
@starryian007 made me think, you're right!
@starryian007 The intent was to illustrate the disjoint between Mozart's personality and that of the "elite". Again, no opinion regarding historical accuracy. My take is that this goal was well met, and I enjoyed his performance, even though I find his performance a bit jarring at times. I would be more than interested to see how another might have played it.
Hulse’s choice to do that nails on chalkboard cackle laugh ruins every scene. Just utterly stupid of the director to allow it.
Whoever the Mozart wife was…gawd every time she speaks I wanted to vomit. TERRIBLE acting. And I own this movie and regularly watch it. And consider it one of the best all time films. Cannot stand her flat monotone no talent performance. Not enough notes in her voice. What the heck was the director doing allowing this when he was getting genius elsewhere.
I mean who doesn't like Amadeus, come on? It's perfect!!
well, except the overly long director's cut. I would like to see the theatrical version once again.
I prefer Bach, to be honest... I respect Mozart's music a lot, but I don't listen to it constantly... unlike Bach
prvesh lava, "who doesn't like amadeus"? anotnio Saleiri that's who
@@LearningaboutMovies Ive seen it a few times, and honestly it flows by
@@Johnadams20760 he did like Mozart, actually. The portrayal of the rivalry is blown out of proporción in the film.
Just saw this film and was shocked and speechless at the end. It was a cinematic experience. It is a musical epic!
yes!
The film makers took a lot of liberty in their portrayal of salieri.. it has been established that salieri was not the man the movie portrayed.. and certainly did not poison mozart..
Ryan Muneer Tapodoc That’s perhaps the very reason that makes this film stand out. Historical Fiction at its finest
We watched this in 7th grade music class. Still one of my favorite movies. I wrote my high school research paper on Mozart.
Can we just give credit to the priest in the movie?!...his gestures, his emotions seen on his face is phenomenal!!
I'd go even further. The whole casting was phenomenal. Leopold Mozart was scary, Constanze the faithful, struggling wife with a dissolute husband, the King's vapid insouicance were all artfully displayed. Certainly one of the reasons it won Best Film.
I'm 51 years old. I'm a career classical musician and an avid cinephile. Amadeus has been my number one for 40 years.
Mine too!!
I saw this movie as a senior Medical Student- -it had a PROFOUND effect on me re:mediocrity & it’s repulsive nature; NOT born of envy but on improving one’s self & choosing the right speciality.
My thoughts: Mozart wasn't just Salieri's rival, he was his childhood and lifetime hero. Deep down, Salieri never stopped admiring Mozart. Everyone else saw him as a burnt-out child prodigy, but Salieri's gift to appreciate music perfectly equaled Mozart's gift to create it--Salieri was the only one in his time to realize the extent of Mozart's genius when everyone else saw him as a gimmick at best. I really felt for Mozart's financial and creative struggles, despite his obnoxious demeanor--credit to Tom Hulce's fantastically endearing and nuanced performance. And I'm frustrated that Salieri speaks in a way that makes me fall in love with music, but only uses his gift to fuel his own wrath. I love the scene near the end where he dictates Mozart's Requiem in D, the way they work together, the way Salieri gets a front seat to his hero's creative process and can't help but be captivated, the poignant moment where Mozart admits he thought Salieri didn't care for his work all those years.
I am in love with this movie and all the layers it offers to it's audience.
thank you.
What I really love about this movie is that in the end, Salieri receives exactly what he wished for. In the beginning, he asks to be gods vessel, so that god through him can bring music to the world. And in the end, when Mozart is dying and instructing Salieri, Salieri indeed becomes this vessel. From god, through Mozart, to Salieri, who writes down gods music.
This is even hinted at (slightly) in the middle of the movie: "That was god laughing at me through that obscene giggle". Just like it was god instructing him in the end.
yes, and he is also acting as the death of his own wish to be God's vessel,, ie by killing Mozart.
His life ends in the " crazy house " as they called the Mental hospitals in those days - so he gets his punishment at the end. Also history had forgot his music - but Mozart 's music will live for ever. That is enough punishment for him.
As silly as it may seems, I found a little difficulty in reading your comment, it's the capital letter for the word God. Once I manage, I enjoyed it and see it's a great insight that resumes the whole movie.
Ah, right! It was God having the last laugh at the end.
I took it as Sallieri’s flaw was praying for his own immortality instead of truly wanting to praise god. His intentions weren’t pure. Mozart focused on music, where Sallieri focused on his own status.
If I'm a fervent Mozartmaniac today it's because of this movie. "Amadeus", single-handedly, turned a beloved composer into a pop culture icon and a mega-star.
One of the great acting performances of all time: F. Murray Abraham!
When I watched this movie for the first time, I got obsessed!!!!!! After that, I used to watch it everyday for two weeks straight. I still watch it here and then , I also got the vinyl soundtrack. It makes me cry every time.
So glad to see I am not the only one 😅
I love that through the whole movie Mozart has the look of a child on his face .
Yes!
He lost his childhood, much like Michael Jackson, he was made to be what he became because of an over ambitious father and always wanted to be a kid, or so history has told.
Not through the whole movie
ua-cam.com/video/FiNP0_iegNE/v-deo.html
Amadeus is my top 3 movie of all time behind The Godfather and Lawrence of Arabia. I adore this film and have introduced many friends and family members to it’s epic story, acting and music.
those are all excellent.
I AGREE THE BEST
I'm going to watch it off this recommendation
Ah, a fellow lover of _Lawrence of Arabia_
Hmm i like this one but not the other 2
One of my favorite scenes and it has been one of my favorite scenes since my first viewing is when Mozart first meets the Emperor and the court and Salari composes a musical piece welcoming Mozart to Venice. How Mozart takes the piece and literally re-writes and improves on the spot is quite extraordinary. The humiliation that F Murray Abraham is able to convey through his facial expressions is a fine testament to his great acting ability. The side eyes from the emperorplaying Salari'si
@@DWHarper62 So what! I was entertained. Btw, since you weren’t there , you don’t know if it was fiction or not. Gtfoh.
That laugh is what hooked me and as it went on with the story the music and outfits i fell in love
Ive still yet to see a movie that captures the joy of music and the creative process as well as this. Sadly most movies about a musician or composer seem to be based on the one semester of Music Appreciation. Milos Forman goes soooooo much deeper on this and captures the spirit of Mozart. Masterpiece
My wife had never seen this, her being an American, which astounded me a bit.
Saw it available on Netflix and I exclaimed "oh you're gonna love this!"
Once the movie finished she mentioned wanting to see it again someday. Pretty dope movie indeed.
This movie only gets better with age.
The movie’s main themes are appreciation and envy.
4:54 to be fair, lol, though I guess the video might not really be saying otherwise, to be fair, the whole "no ballet in opera"-thing, while truly a rule, is only used to hinder Mozart, lol...if they didn't hate him, they would let him do it...they were looking for a way to attack Mozart, lol, it's not really that they were concerned with whether he was following those rules or not...Salieri was looking for something to attack the opera with, lol...so, it's not Mozart being a challenge to the establishment with new music...even his choice of the play would not have been a problem, they brought it to the attention of the emperor to get him in trouble, to hinder him...I mean, lol...
It's not that they were opposing Mozart for being innovative, lol...they didn't like him...
What I realized after many viewings was that not only did Mozart have what Salieri coveted, Salieri actually had what Mozart coveted: the adulation of a grateful society which recognizes his (Mozart's) talent (the film makes clear that this is probably a substitute for the love he does not feel from his father). One of the most emotional moments in the film is actually the brief line "why didn't they come?" when talking about the audience for The Marriage of Figaro. He has spoken in an almost angry way about being spurned over what he is sure is the "best opera yet written," but the way Hulce delivers it is so open and child-like in its disappointment that it provides a penetrating view into Mozart's emotional life, as imagined in this story. Then there is a great shot later at the comic opera where Mozart, sitting in a box, pulls back the curtain and sees the energetic enjoyment of the audience and realizes that is the place for him.
excellent comment, great observations. thank you.
Yes, hence, all humans are equal in the eyes of god... As the priest said.
Whether or not the movie portrayal of Mozart is accurate, you can hear a kind of playfulness in his music. In a way, it's like progressive rock. He's so damn good and he knows it, so he can't help indulging himself and showing off a little. And I think that mastery and playfulness exerted an enormous influence on the composers who came after him.
This film is my all-time-favorite-film. I dragged everybody I know into the cinema. I don't care that some of the scenes had nothing to do with reality. I saw it like an opera by Mozart and it is just as impressive. And it has brought many people to Mozart who did not know his music (and to the music of Salieri that I never heard of before - his music, by the way, is not nearly as bad as it was shown here. His music is not Mozart, but it is good.) The only thing I did not like about this film was that they did not mention my personal favorite opera: Cosi fan tutte. And: Mozart is not one of the greatest but THE greatest composer of all times.
great comment, thank you.
I did the exact same thing and ran around talking about it all the time
This movie made me a lifelong lover of classical music, since early teen years. It opened my eyes to a beauty I never knew existed, and I have held it in appropriately grateful reverence ever since. Love Hulce in this role.
As a musician let me provide some more context. I believe the reason why this movie is great only scratched the surface level. I will list out points and then conclude to tie it all in neatly.
- Musicianship.
There is a scene where the wife of Mozart brings the music sheet to Salieri. She says to him that doesn't make copies. Need I remind you that genius level of musicianship? No copies. No edits. No changes. No alterations. The music simply flows from his head and is written down on paper. All perfect. All nothing short of Mastery. All which would take years of studying music to appreciate what came out from his head in mere seconds. I won't go deep into his genius but this small aspect is what musicians spend their entire lives changing. Heck, even Hendrix. Picks his guitar music flows. "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze", "Little Wing", "Wind cries Mary". Music that simply came easily to them.
Like Salieri, I hide myself in Music Theory. Ashamed and Insecure. Sometimes it slips even though I contain myself to all my humane effort to criticize genius's music. "Oh that is off tone", "That riff you played has a diminished note", "That doesn't sit well with the theme of the song", "Lyrically you need to add structure". Just cold hearted criticism when we all know music is beyond such structure of forms, this realization only comes to Geniuses. They are above reason, statistics, numbers, scales, harmonies, structures, tonal structure, motifs.
Even now, you listen to Mozart its so "Heavenly". There is even a saying that goes "God whispered and Mozart made its music", "The only music yet written that would not sound out of place in the mouth of God.", and by age of 35 this was known about him during his time - " God whispered straight into Mozart's ear."
- Career/Dream.
I picked up the guitar in my late teens. It was an easy choice for me. Music over everything. I spent hours getting better, becoming better, stepping everyday through patience and discipline towards mastery. Sacrificed easily everything easily I tell you easily friends, possible dates, grades, develop relatives, social life; easily and still do it too. Then you begin to notice and realize some have it so easy and take their gifts for granted. I got over it. Made peace with it. But it still doesn't change the reality that your efforts is nothing compared to a genius. Mind you people say that there aren't much geniuses but there are. In any field you will find these outliers and they change, they change the entire field you are in.
Check out the contemporary musician - Jacob Collier. He had it all. Parents who were musicians themselves, raised in a musical family, has "Perfect Pitch" which you can guess the note by hearing it instantly. Years of childhood training to improve his technique, Lastly to add insult - Good looks.
Here I am constantly criticizing my own music, every little inflections considered trash, second guessing my techniques, dying to even compose one great material. Make it worse an Asian at that.
Conclusion:
Salieri showed us where the path of envy will lead us. Even though he calls himself "Patron Saint of Mediocrity" the deed he did is Evil and wrong. Call it what you maybe "Will to Power" from Nietzsche. Still he crossed the line. I believe he indirectly tells us we can live differently and there is some satisfaction, some pride to take when you produce or create anything in life that included all your efforts paying up. And admire Geniuses when they come along. Yes it will be hard but we can pave way for them so they can influence the world. As painful it may sound, giving a chance to future Mozarts geniuses, affects and influence the industry and the world as a whole. Everyone knows and loves Mozarts music and countless are influenced by him, not to mention Music in itself.
Some thing I envy about Salieri is how his sight reading is top class, his efforts of training payed off when he looks at music sheets and imagines the music. That is a skill learnt through hardwork. So appreciate and allow geniuses to pave their way and change the world, know that in whatever field you are - you will come out short no matter how hard you try. Make peace and learn a thing or two from them if you can.
Add less suffering to the people who inhabit after you.
IMHO, this is one of the best movies of all time. I agree that it can easily be classified as a musical. The casting, the music, the costumes, the script and the themes are all outstanding. I agree that we all have at least one person in life that we are envious of. Be it their position, their abilities, their wealth, health, etc. F. Murray Abraham was outstanding, and Tom Hulce really brought the character of Mozart to life like no one before him. I like the policy that Peter Schaffer had in making the music for this movie. He told everyone involved that he would refuse to make this movie if even one note of Mozart's music would be altered. That made a statement right from the start ... ! Milos Forman is one of the most brilliant directors of all time and Saul Zanitz is right up there with him on the production side. I love the opening scene with the candelabra, the horses, the music, the dancing and the snow. I will never tire of watching this movie.
This is my all time favorite movie. Like you, I had loved it every time I watch it since I was a teenager. A true cinematic masterpiece.
A beautifully crafted movie that at its essence is a super hero movie. We crave the alliance with excellence and this movie delivers it. The hero here succeeds, not with brawn, but with brains and this movie is adept at lifting us all up in Mozart's brilliance.
One of the most lasting effects of the film for me was it changed the way I listened to music. That brilliant sequence at the end where the film deconstructs the Confutatis from Mozart's Requiem, allowing the audience to hear the individual elements, led me to listen to other music with that same idea, of looking at how parts of composition combine into a whole. This is like bringing Salieri to the doorstep of Mozart's talent, but Salieri still cannot see how everything goes together, and it becomes clear there is a gulf there he cannot cross.
An excellent visual score accompaniment for that scene is given here:
ua-cam.com/video/UMwaiA581AQ/v-deo.html
thanks for this.
Absolutely.
Powerful and very beautiful.
Tom Hulce was absolutely brilliant
Within a few years of Salieri's death in 1825, Alexander Pushkin wrote his "little tragedy" Mozart and Salieri (1831), as a dramatic study of the sin of envy.
In 1898, Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov adapted Pushkin's play, Mozart and Salieri (1831), as an opera of the same name.
A hugely popular yet heavily fictionalized perpetuation of the story came in Peter Shaffer's play Amadeus.
thanks for this.
This is one of the greatest movies of all time because we’re talking about one of the greatest composers of all time, but the movie itself how it transcends the historical figure of Mozart. I can watch this again and again.
I saw this movie in high school for music appreciation and it had that stigma. Now, as someone who's into films, I have seen how much more it is. It is a work of art.
yes indeed. thank you.
Never heard this movie described so perfectly
The cast of Amadeus is consistently excellent. Tom Hulce, of course, was wonderfully convincing, but do not, for example overlook Elizabeth Berridge whose role took her through a whole range of emotions. She was marvelous. However, F.Murray Abraham was the actor's actor. His performance was so subtle, so realistic I needed to watch it the movie again to appreciate the incredible craft he brought to his really difficult role.
That scene where Solieri is taking dictation for Confutatis Maledictis, (sp I know) is one of my favorite scenes of any movie ever, and is one of the most accurate portrayals of what it feels like to compose something that truly excites you that I’ve ever seen on film.
I agree; one of the greatest of scenes.
I've had a crush on Tom Hulce ever since I saw Amadeus in 1985. :)
I saw "Amadeus" seventeen times in the initial release. I LOVE IT. Just a note: The "harem" is the setting of "The Abduction from the Seraglio," "The Marriage of Figaro" takes place outside Seville.
Excellent, thank you.
17 times? mate it's not thar good
I would say that all Salieri can do at the end is laugh, because none of his plans worked out and he was unable to prevent what he was trying to prevent, even though he thought he had a foolproof plan. I love that moment near the end when, after we just witnessed Mozart's beggar's funeral (not the grand showcase Salieri imagined), and the film cuts back to the framing story, with the exhausted and incredulous priest overwhelmed and in tears... and then Salieri just laughs, even through his bitterness, because what else can we do when we see an inevitable outcome and the futility of trying to fight God?
By the way, the care they took on the framing story to show that Salieri's recounting lasted from one day, through the night, to the next day, with subtle shifts of lighting, lent an almost subliminal weight to the film's narrative arc.
excellent, thank you.
It shows the effects that bitterness and envy will lead to
It’s a movie about the sin of PRIDE. Though Salieri was jealous of Mozart, he was simultaneously the only one with the full capacity to appreciate Mozart’s true genius. We are all mediocre is a subtitle - get used to that reality is the message. Your commentary video is excellent
thank you
One of the best movies ever. On my top 5! Thanks for the review!
you're welcome.
This movie will forever stay in my mind! Such wonderful piece of art!
yes! thank you.
Wonderful review. Love every minute of this movie.
thank you.
Great analysis and comment. Music is so, so important in movies. Barry Lyndon for example - same period and same delicious use of contemporary music.
thank you!
BARRY LYNDON was NOT as GREAT
This is in strong contention for best movie of all time for me
I think the screenplay was written by British playwright Peter Shaffer, and not Peter Singer, based on one of his own plays
yes, that's right. If I said Singer, that's a mistake, and thank you for the correction. Peter Singer is the philosopher who wrote a great introductory book on Hegel, among other things of course.
This movie also came at a great year for movies (1984): Once Upon a Time in America, Paris Texas, 1984, Purple Rain etc.
yes, a quick glance at 1984's movies indicates that was a good year: Spinal Tap, Repo Man, Fanny and Alexander ...
@@LearningaboutMovies don't forget The Terminator and The Killing Fields
@@LearningaboutMovies I have to put my two cents in. One of my favorites from 1984 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.
@@LearningaboutMovies Repo Man is a fantastic cult movie. Brazil and Blue Velvet came out around that time as well.
The movie holds up 35yrs later
yes! btw, long time no see!
Hey boo!! Love ur work
I loved this movie, I play violin in a civic orchestra and this movie inspired me to do research on Mozart to see how his life was really like historically. It was fun to talk to my conductor about Mozart more and understand him more so I could interpret the music from my view and inspired me to play better in our civic group. I love your insight with this movie thank you 😊
Thank you.
Same, I ended up a different route, guitar rock player, but I learned scales and music theory because of Mozart.
Just rewatched it after a long time. It is a masterpiece. So many layers of meeting, so much good humor, love and drama.
I love at the end how Mozart thinks that Salieri is his only friend XD. Also as many true genius artists, doesn't give an f about the divine subjects, high art, but rather would create operas about silly comic subjects.
My all time favourite film of all time, just watched it again yesterday in a cinema that shows classic films. The acting , the music , the opera scenes and the script makes an amazing film. The thing with Milos Foreman's films, even the minor roles stand out.
A few months ago, we had our teen kids watch this movie. They loved it (my boy wrote a symphony piece since he was so inspired). It is one of the movies that are now heavy in rotation for our movie watching.
BEST movie. Has constantly entertained me and made me laugh throughout the seasons of my life. Introducing this movie to someone who has never seen it is a gift in so many ways.
excellent, thank you.
For sure Mozart is the greatest composer ever. No debate on that.
One of the best movies of all time !! FOR ME THE BEST !
My favorite movie of all time…. I tell everyone I talk about with… if you don’t like classical music… you will after
Not to mention the cinematography! Very underrated but so effective
I watched this movie 3 years ago and all I can say is wow I was always at the edge of my seat to know what was gonna happen next , a must watch film
yes, for sure.
It’s my favorite movie of all time, i watch it at like 8 when it came out, and looooved it ever since, tried many times with my kids but they never really fell for it!! What was it that my 8 years old self loved so much that it stuck for my entire life, i don’t quite know, but just the images has been a remedy during trouble times!! 💜💜💜💜
mozart was perhaps the most natural super creative genius of all time. for salieri or anybody else to compare themselves to Mozart, is just absurd. salieri was wasting his time and energy being jealous of Mozart. he should have instead appreciated the fact that he recognized just how great Mozart's music was. even the best of musicians need audiences in order to survive. i myself know that as much as i like great music, that i will never write music of Mozart's quality. meanwhile, though, i can enjoy listening and appreciating Mozart's music
salieri at least envied the greatest. almost everybody envies some small-time person, the local leader, an authority figure, someone with a little bit of money. Same horrible problem but on a pathetically smaller scale.
that is why one of the Ten Commandments is to not envy other people. and in fact, according to Jewish tradition, that Tenth Commandment is said to override all the others, in the sense that it really includes all of the other nine commandments. in other words, at the root of almost all evil done, is done from the motivation of jealousy. the Five Books of Moses is filled with incidents of one episode of jealousy after another, each resulting in tremendous damage to our world
First time I watched it with my dad. God Bless his previous soul. He loved to listen to Mozart and Beethoven etc.
thank you.
I was introduced to this movie in 1993, at age 12. Immediately, it captivated me. I purchased the VHS version at a flea market for a couple bucks and watched the tapes (two-part) regularly.
In '08, Warner Bros released the DVD, which I purchased, no doubt. This DVD (currently on my 3rd day of having it running around the clock in my bedroom "for the dogs") is one of my prized possessions. Haha. Absolutely NO ONE cares about it, but much like Salieri, I love it so much, I'm disillusioned (though aware, thank God!).
Thank you for your thoughts on this movie. It moves me in regards to so many topics (jealousy, exploitation, religion, greed, tragedy, etc.). Out of curiosity, I decided to take to UA-cam and see if there were others who appreciate the film as much as I.
Have a lovely day :)
thank you. That DVD probably has the original release, which most here have said they preferred better. The scene where Salieri exploits Constanze isn't necessary, I think, and the Director's Cut is a bit too long. (Too many notes!)
We are about the same age... I saw this when I was 5 and my parents say I was obsessed and wanted to watch it every day. None of the adults could understand why I was picking this over Disney movies 😆
@@travelchic908 You've got great taste! Haha
As a retired high school music teacher, I can say that, for my purposes, this was one of the great tools I had. As a musician in general, it was one of my favorites! I love Mozart’s music. I taught a general music class, which was required for students to graduate. So, it was always populated by a captive audience of students who did not usually choose music, ie athletes, cheerleaders, goths, etc. in other words all students, minus band and choir students, lol. I wrote the curriculum for that class, with my goal to expose those students to the beauty, history and creativity of music. They learned to read and write the basic language of music, and a general overview of the history of the eras of music, from ancient to present day, tracing the roots of what they listen to today. That’s where Amadeus came in. Providing a disclaimer that much of the movie was typically Hollywood- overdone and twisted, I would show them the movie, Amadeus. It exposed them to Mozart, which they might never had chosen on their own. I had a study guide of questions to answer and things to notice, and all the while they were hearing the sweetness of Mozart, knowing this might be the only time for them to hear it. And wonder of wonders! All of my classes loved it!!! Many students began to listen to Mozart, and wanted to know more. Amadeus was a tremendous teaching tool for me! Great presentation! Keep up your good work! 🎉
As an educator, it is evident from your comment that teaching is in your soul. Your students were fortunate to experience your instruction. 🎶
Beautiful🌹The opera scenes are breathtaking🌺
yes!
We'll probably never see a period piece with such production again.
i enjoyed your commentary on this and you hit the nail on the head. one main thing I have often told people is that the facts "about" mozart's abilities and things he wrote etc.. are factual. he did in fact meet salieri, but this movie is litereally an 80 ish year old senile old man telling the whole story from his old and senile and jealous point of view.
and i have also said the music in this movie is essentially a main character. but one thing for sure, the people who wrote the lines and murray abrahams's delivery of those lines, described music more beatufiully than any way i have ever heard in my life.
thank you.
@@LearningaboutMovies you are very welcome :)
He has transcended time❤️
yes, he's popular all over the world, with most/all cultures.
Even though I'm an actor & script writer honestly I can't describe my feelings about the movie!! (directing, acting etc.) I watched Amadeus 73 times I swear to God if I have time I will watch again & again, till now I feel I didn't have enough Thank you for everything God bless you all🙏🌹
The main character is the music. I love this film. Saw it as a teen with little to no knowledge of Mozart and loved it for what it was. Now as a middle-aged adult I love it more for how it honors his musical legacy and for its brilliant craft. Great video review btw
The theatrical version is better. Not only is it a tighter film, it cuts out scenes that make Salieri come across as truly evil. In the theatrical cut he is just a failure whom you can sympathize with. The theatrical cut is the first version I watched when I was 12 and the one I prefer.
Timeless masterpiece. No matter how many times I watch, I’m still captivated. If you get a chance, buy the two disk special edition Director’s Cut. It has a disk devoted to how the film was made. Fascinating story. I personally met the director, Milos Forman, back in 1975, when I was dating his attorney, and we all had lunch together. At the time, I had never heard of Milos Forman. Then I went to see One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which he had just finished directing. I was completely blown away. Amadeus had the same impact on me. I just sat there stunned, when it ended. There aren’t many films that can move you in that way. Bravo, Milos Forman, bravo!
The emperor is NOT Franz Joseph but Joseph II.
Not knowing any of the history of these composers, I watched this movie thinking it was factual. I was so disappointed and confused as to why anyone would make a movie about real historical figures in genuine historical settings and wardrobe, yet make the plot completely fiction! It would have made more sense to me if they had invented two fictional composers as well for the story. That being said, I love the movie very much and it will always be one of my favorites. It was so well done with brilliant actors and superb writing and photography. Even before seeing this film, there had been many times where I'd be listening to a classical piece and, like, Salieri, think that that the music had come straight from God himself! I still think that. I also feel that the game, chess, was created by God for men. There are just some things that seem impossible to have come from the mind of a mere mortal man. I feel that way about the Bible, too!
One of my top ten favourite films of all time.
I cried during this movie, a cry of desperation.
I am 85 now and have 2 credits on the movie
thank you! I just watched it with my son, who likes composing music. The wig scene is great!
Just realized that this is a Cain and Abel story.
Mozart...What else can one say??
I think Mozart is the greatest composer of all time.
Reasonable!
Hi, there is at least one music in the soundtrack of this movie that is not by Mozart: the last part (Quando Corpus Morientur) of Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi.
Thank you
Nice discussion. You pretty well vocalized my feelings regarding the film. I honestly feel sorry for people that might not love the music presented.
thank you.
Another great movie: Le Roi Danse.
It’s about salieri anger towards god for giving him the desire to reach the greatness and talent of Mozart and most important for giving him the knowledge that he will never attain that greatness.
agreed. thank you.
Very good movie.
yes!
they shot in the OPERA HOUSE NO SETS were DON GIOVANI premiered
MOZART stood there a WOODEN OPERA HOUSE
it does look like it, plus it even looks like they mostly used candle lighting, ala Kubrick in Barry Lyndon.
A commenter below said that Mozart was like a rock star and I totally agree. His compositions truly were "new". However, we had a Mozart/Salieri concert actually narrated by F. Murray Abraham. They played a piece by Salieri paired up with a lesser known work by Mozart. I'm pretty familiar with Mozart's sound, but I wasn't able to identify which was the Mozart piece. Apparently not every Mozart composition has the signs of his obvious genius.
thank you.
Hello, I am like you with this movie. I loved it from the first viewing until the present day. I have owned the soundtrack in the album, cassette, and CD. I also own the movie in Blu-ray and just recently watched the Director's Cut. After every viewing, I see something I did not notice in prior viewings. A great timeless flick that I will come back again and again for additional viewings. Thanks for this video.
Really enjoy this movie & it's aged well. Historical issues aside yes it seems to be about people & relationships & the human experience for better or worse...with great music. Nice analysis. Now if we could just get a blu ray or 4k of the theatrical cut not the inferior directors cut only.
yes, the director's cut is not as good. why the original can't be released in some way is beyond me.
This movie is simply about the human condition.
true in a general sense. Though few of us will have elite talent that we get to use in elite social circles, while comparing that talent to the world-class genius who will become a top-3 contributor to his field ever.
Abraham, Hulce, Berridge and Forman are GREAT✔✔✔
yes!
I love the movie, and i love W.A. Mozart's musik! I have a nice CD collection of his musik, including his operas.I thank God for the musical gift He gave Mozart.
The music is definitely the 3rd main character.
well, Constanze ...
Um flme maravilhoso ! F.Murray Abraham e Tom Hulce tiveram um desempenho perfeito ! Esta flime se tornou eterno !
thank you.
I took my German-born & raised mother in law (b. 1928) to this when it was in theaters, and she cried through most of it, claiming "Americans just don't appreciate real music. These are the sounds I was raised with in Europe." She absolutely loved the movie & taking her to see this was my privilege (she died of cancer in 1984). Such a great film.
Mozart was so brilliant, he was a boat rocker and, was brashly young. The establishment could not stop his talent but, they sought to control it…at which point Mozart should have realized that no matter how hard he bashed his head against their wall, the wall wasn’t going to budge, even for his unmatched talent. He should have pulled up stakes and gone to where he would be truly appreciated…and could make a good living. He stuck it out to his demise.
I hope this is accurate-- thank you. I've never read a biography on Mozart, and if you have any suggestions, please post them. much appreciated.
I would LOVE to see this as a play
would be great. see how much buying the rights is and put it on in your local area!
Great film. Great performances. Great review. Thank you for this. One correction…the harem is in Abduction of the Seraglio, not Marriage of Figaro. And please use ‘is’ and ‘are’ correctly.
No, I’m sorry, you cannot consider this a “musical.”
Aren’t any chorus numbers, no choreography.
You could get away with referring to it as a Singspiel. Examples are Die Entführung aus dem Serai (Abduction From Seraglia) or Die Zauberflöte (Magic Flute). The latter opera being accurately portrayed as occurring in a Viennese music hall, rather than the grand opera house.
Thank you.
There's one other subtext to the movie, represented by the casting choice of a very over-the-top American actor to play the role of a man who rarely left Austria in his entire life. Amadeus tells the story of revolutionary America. Not coincidentally, Mozart's active period coincided entirely within the American Revolutionary years. The movie gives you an impression of the revolutionary Americans, through Mozart's character - rowdy, impudent, freemasonic, naive, brilliant, impulsive, irreverent - and, ultimately, defeated by debt and vice. Great movie on so many levels!!!
I use to own this video in VHS, I think this films more about Salerie and his jealousy of Mozart.
The relationship between Salerie and Mozart in real life history is totally different compared to the film: Amadeus - It's not accurate, but still a great movie. ❤
My opinion: this movie is great entertainment all the way, never a wasted moment, intelligent writing, 1-derful performances, masterful direction, the only weak thing was the music, I would eliminate it.
Just kidding !!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Apologies if this sounds too philistine and common, but when the Emperor and the "cabal" tell Mozart (after ...Seraglio) that there were "too many notes," I always think of the late Stephen Sondheim, who - at various points in his career - also had this complaint levied at him (as well as non-hummable tunes ...as if!)
The historical accuracy thing is overblown, since the film uses a framing device with a completely unreliable narrator.
I've always found the film to be a contrast between Salieri's envy & hatred toward God and Mozart's arrogance & irresponsibility. Both are deeply flawed.
Mozart went out of his way to make his own life difficult. Rather than using some diplomacy to win over the Italian "cabal," he finds ways to insult them at every opportunity. Then when he is asked for samples of his work so he can be considered for the Royal appointment, he refuses. For all we know, Salieri would have bad-mouthed him to the emperor anyway, but Mozart didn't make it easy for himself.
At the end of the movie, though, Mozart is the one asking Salieri for forgiveness. Prideful & envious Salieri makes no such request of the priest. Salieri's sins truly corrupt the soul, while Mozart's are redeemable: Salieri is Cain, Mozart is Abel.
This is one of my favorite movies of all time, and I love it and see something new on every viewing.