Amadeus

Rating: 10/10 (13 July 2010)

I knew that this film was about a music composer, I had heard heard things about what the plot line might involve, and I knew it was Oscar and Golden Globe winning director Milos Forman (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest). I have to say, I would have watched this film even if I hadn't heard all these things, about the awards and success, especially as it featured in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Basically, it is the 18th Century, old and retired former composer Antonio Salieri (Oscar and Golden Globe winning, and BAFTA nominated F. Murray Abraham) has attempted suicide, and a priest is listening to him recount his past. Salieri tells him the story of his encounters with eccentric music composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Oscar and Golden Globe nominated Tom Hulce), he adores his music, but his personality is a little less likable for him. Salieri wished to God that he could become the most successful composer, possibly of all time, but he believes his Lord is praising Mozart with this great gift for music, so he is madly jealous. He renounces God and tries to think of ways to stop the run of success for Mozart, but this is hard to do when Emperor Joseph II (Golden Globe nominated Jeffrey Jones) and other connoisseurs are in the way. It is when Mozart goes into frowned upon material for opera that he may be lowering his success rate, e.g. the wrong languages for a certain language story, and less shows and people are watching and listening, it's not that their bad, it's that they are possibly too good. There is finally the point where Mozart collapses with so much stress on his mind making the music and keeping his wife Constanze (Elizabeth Berridge) happy, so Salieri is more than happy to "help" Mozart finish his possible final piece. In the end, Mozart dies (most likely of fever), and you are left with the idea that it was Salieri praying to his God that killed him, but he was certainly mad enough to be a villain. Also starring Simon Callow as Emanuel Schikaneder, Roy Dotrice as Leopold Mozart, Christine Ebersole as Katerina Cavalieri, Charles Kay as Count Orsini-Rosenberg and Star Wars' Kenny Baker as Parody Commendatore. Abraham is certainly a great villain worthy of awards, and Hulce even though he didn't win is a great counterpart, the supporting cast all have their moments too. I think the main reason I rate it really highly, besides a great cast and story, was the magnificent music, Mozart was definitely the finest music composer of his time, and seeing a biographic drama about him is brilliant. It won the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Sound and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, and it was nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing, it won the BAFTAs for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Make Up Artist and Best Sound, and it was nominated for Best Film, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design and Best Adapted Screenplay, and it won the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Screenplay. Outstanding!