A timeless masterpiece that should be in any film-buff's collection

Rating: 9/10 (28 February 2012)

I general, I often take the classical works of Mozart and Salieri for granted, and when I challenged myself to watch this "somewhat-period piece" (I despise period-films), I immediately forgot about any negativity that I feel towards "proper-speaking habits" and the attitudes of the time. The movie is more like a 1984-version of 2006's "The Prestige" where like-minded entertainers are pitted against each other and their careers' popularities. Even though most of the characters' stories are falsified for drama, it unfolds in a very entertaining way to some of the best music you could include in a film. The staging of the characters were brilliant, the acting was superb, and the costumes really look impeccable. They actually used all-natural lighting for the entire shoot, which makes you try and wrap-your-mind around how they achieved some of those shots, especially the lighting of the opera stage. This is available on Blu-Ray, which is probably the best way to watch it, but the effects of this great film show through at any quality. It's timeless and a must-see.