Amadeus (1984)

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Director: Milos Forman

Writer: Peter Shaffer, based on his stage play

Stars: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice, Simon Callow, Christine Ebersole, Jeffrey Jones, Charles Kay, Kenny Baker



Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham), court composer to Emperor Joseph II of Austria (Jeffrey Jones), is both horrified and amazed by the musical prodigy Mozart (Tom Hulce).



 He sees himself as a worthy receptacle for genius due to his reverence to God, self denial, elevated sensibilities, and reputation among high society. 



However, his entire worldview is shaken when he encounters true musical genius in the form of a vulgar, comical man who flouts convention. 



His monstrous sense of entitlement is exposed as he curses everything he formally held holy and plots against Mozart behind his back, ultimately devising a scheme to pass off the dying man’s last composition as his own and performing it in church at the funeral for God himself to hear. 



He is one of the few men who can truly recognize and appreciate the beauty of this music, but tragically the joy that it should bring instead twists into envy. 



There is a wonderful scene toward the end of the movie in which Salieri assists Mozart in transcribing his final piece; the wonder and delight he exhibits at becoming an instrument of Mozart’s genius is palpable and nearly redeems him for a moment. 



Abraham and Hulce were picked out of relative obscurity to star in this film and absolutely triumphed, earning Best Actor nominations (with Abraham winning). 



This film can make classical music accessible and exciting to those who may only think of it as public radio background noise.






















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