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Rating:  - 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..
Rating: - 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.
Rating:  - 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!
Rating: - I LOVE THIS MOVIE!
Even though I typically only watch The Director's Cut of this film, this version is still good to have. For one, it's the original theatrical cut of the movie that was released back in 1984, second, it has a feature that the two-disc director's cut does not have: an optional isolated music-only track that plays along with the film. It's great because it features music that has never been included on any of the various soundtrack album permutations that have been released over the years.
Now, if Warner Bros. would just hurry up and blu-ray this sucker, everything will be good.
Rating: - More historical accuracy would have done more justice to the movie
This movie was one of the best Hollywood has ever produced. I do not have to repeat the salient features one more time, as scores of reviewers already did that.
However, what disturbed me was this. This movie was based on historical facts. I am very sad to say that, the director, to elevate Mozart's greatness, went great lengths to put down Maestro Salieri to the extent that he showed Salieri having difficulty in composing a small welcome march to Mozart. That was the height of inaccuracy. No one becomes a court composer for nothing. Salieri did produce some of the great compositions of his time.
Based on Mozart's allegations of victimization, lot of research went in to find the truth behind them and found that Salieri was jealous but at no point he thwarted Mozart's chances of ascending into the greatness or gaining opportunities. In fact, the movie rightly portrayed that most of Mozart's financial problems, and missed opportunites were due to his lifestyle.
My point is this: Mozart would still stand great, and he was the best original musician the world has ever witnessed even when you set historical facts straight.
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