Monumental masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (13 December 2003)

The first time I saw Amadeus, I was 13 years old. Although I always loved classic music I thought it was the dullest, longest film ever made. The only memorable line at that time being "...people so lofty they sound as though they s*** marble!" When I was 17 I saw it again and the mastery of the complete work slowly dawned upon me. I am now 29 and watch this film at least once per annum and there is always something fresh, witty and intriguing that I had missed on previous viewings. (Often when people ask how can you keep on watching the same film over and over, my answer is: why do you buy a painting?) The acting of F. Murray Abraham is indeed worthy of an Oscar. It is strange that he never again reached this acting peak in the subsequent years of his career. In the scene where (as an old man in the asylum) he narrates his fantasy of his intended murder of Mozart and the ensuing, beautiful funeral (...Mozart's LITTLE coffin, while from the choir the most heavenly music - composed by his dear friend, Antonio Salieri! Ssss...!!) I ask myself if better acting has ever been filmed. Also the music used in this film is masterfully selected an played by St Martin in the Fields. When 4 Mozart experts were asked to recommend a conductor for this project; the choice was made easy when all 4 wrote on their slips of paper: Neville Marriner. A film which is truly worthy of the clichés "unforgettable", "masterpiece" and "monumental". This film is not an accurate description of the Mozart-Salieri affair; but never claimed to be. Watch it - several times.