Music making film

Rating: 8/10 (20 September 2009)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the most famous musicians ever to walk the Earth, making some of the greatest pieces of music you will ever hear. He lived a tragic life, being taught to play and write music at a young age, living a life where music was the most important thing of his life, lived for most of his life in debt and died young. So a bio-pic of one of Austria's greatest sons seems like a great subject.
Amadeus is based on a play by Peter Shaffer, and directed by Milo Forman who did excellent work with another play conversion, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (please note it was also a novel). The focus of this film is on the Italian composer Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham), who was Emperor Joseph II (Jeffrey Jones) of Austria's court composer. Salieri was a man who wanted to know Mozart (Tom Hulce) because of his talent, but dishearted to discovery he was really no more then a man-child. Mozart is rude, volga, insulting and loves nothing but to drink and party. He seems like he doesn't have to try to make great music and insults Salieri's efforts. Salieri sets himself a mission to destroy Mozart, making him lost favour within the court, make such he can't get money and drive him insane.
Let's start out of the good points. They is great music, there is no denying it. They are great pieces by Mozart and Salieri throughout the film. Even if you don't know classical music that well you properly heard some of Mozart's pieces. This film is Milo Forman's best performance as a director. I love One Flow Over the Cuckoo's Nest, but that was more an actor's film then one that show's a director's talent. With Amadeus Forman keeps the story going, focusing on the characters, the themes and uses the music to great affect. They are a number of good scenes throughout the film and he deserves a best director nod. He uses the music very effectively, such as when Salieri looks at Mozart's pieces on paper. They is wonderful art direction, getting the piece and the way the court look right. The Stanley Kubrick film Barry Lyndon must have been an influence. The script is well structured, going back and forth from the framing device. F. Murray Abraham offers an excellent performance as Salieri, being both a hero and a villain at the same possible. He deserved his Oscar as well. The film also looks at the themes of mass-produced music, whether it is better to produce music for the elites or the masses, the theme of envy and how it could affect a man to explore his dark side and the fact that Mozart's talent is both his gift and his curse; how it ended up destroying him.
But this film is not perfect. I did not like the casting of Tom Hulce, except for the scene of Mozart dying I thought his performance was weak. He has a very annoying laugh and just seems too focused on making the character look at something from the Frat Pack. Kenneth Branngh would was originally casted would have been a lot better. I also did not like the script using modern language and the use of profanity. I think this was done to dumb down the film and appeal to Americans ready then for artistic merit. The film is also historically inaccurate; normally it would drop points with me but they are strengths and I love the music. I dislike how Mozart was portrayed, being so immature and so volger. In real they was mutual respect between Mozart and Salieri. At times you couldn't feel sympathy for Mozart.
If you enjoy Mozart's music you will like this film. It is a good drama, but worthy of top 250? Doubtful. But it's worth watching.