My Dusty VHS Tape, And An Unforgettable Experience

Rating: Null/10 (22 April 2006)

It had been a few years since I had seen this picture, but a sudden longing to learn to play piano, a sudden need to listen to Beethoven, Chopin, Bach, and Mozart, lead me to dig through my dusty VHS tapes and to bring out a film I thought I would never watch again: Amadeus.
I could not believe how quickly I was to forget such greatness of film making. At a little over two and a half hours long, there is not a minute that goes by where I am left feeling bored, uneasy, or figgity. On the contrary, the absolutely marvelous acting, dialogue, sets, and scope of this film made me realize that it had been quite some time since I had seen a film of this magnitude grace theatre screens in a while.
F Murray Abraham is a revolutionary actor in his role as Salieri, a man who only wished to devote his love for God through music. So grand was this love and lust for music that he prayed earnestly for the opportunity to show his love for life by music. Yet, even from a young age, Salieri had been one upped by child prodigy, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one he would come to love, admire, hate, and loathe throughout his life. I could not keep my eyes away from Abraham. He is able to carry such scenes with laughter, mockery, jealousy, contempt, all together in a scene. As a viewer of this madness, one can't help but feel conflicting emotions of hate and happiness for this man who only wanted to show his love for God. And to have it mocked by Mozart, a young, arrogant, and supremely talented man seem like a slap to the face of Salieri. Abraham fully deserved his Oscar win for this performance, which is quite possibly one of the best in the history of cinema.
What I find the most admirable of Amadeus is the tone of the film. It is not a film about the tortured soul of a boy wonder musician, but one of childlike play. Mozart is portrayed as a young man who knows he's a great musician, yet does not know his words of confidence mock the work of musicians who pale in comparison to his. Tom Hulce, in a role he has embodied and will be remembered for, was able to, in the course of a few hours, bring Mozart from the cocky, self absorbed young man to a man struck by the tragic loss of his father, and large debts. That laugh, even thinking about it brings a smile to my face.
Milos Foreman did amazing work in the production of this film. His use of telling Mozart's story is a series of flashbacks was amazing to say the least. The sets and extravagant and true. I especially loved how Foreman handled the opera scenes scattered throughout the film. Music fills the screen, with Salieri's interpretations of Mozart's music for better understanding of the operas themselves. Watch how Foreman edits these sequences. It amazes me to no end.
And, of course, the music. It is as Salieri says throughout the entire film, music embodies Mozart in ways you never though possible. Lovers of classical pieces will be brought to tears hearing these beautiful sounds, while non lovers can at least admire the influence Mozart has had on composers who came after him.
Amadeus is one of the greatest films to come out of the 1980's, one filled with a grand scope of imagery, score, music, sublime characters, powerful direction, and perfect dialogue. It is my wish to someday see this magnificent piece of film making as it was intended to be seen: on the big screen, surround sound blaring. It is a film that may never leave you.
HIGHLY Recommended.