Through the eyes of mediocrity

Rating: Null/10 (3 January 2007)

This is a fine example of what Bordwell & Thompson call 'classical Hollywood film-making," and what Mark Cousins, in his book, The Story of Film, defines as 'closed romantic realism." The defining mark of this method is a rigourous narrative order where everything is ultimately explainable. Every door that is openedshuts.
This method creates worlds or worldviews that could only be regulated by a rational (pre-existential) god. Every event has its place on a causal chain, every loose end is tied up, and there is no room for ambiguity or chance.
Of course, we're looking at this through Salieri's eyes, and whatever we see could be explained as a kink in his insane mind. But it doesn't really matter. What we have is a scrupulously sane recounting of events that led Salieri to the mental institution. There is a unity to this retelling that is a reflection of Salieri's understanding of events sewn in to the story's form. Every event in the film is motivated. There is not a look, a phrase, a camera move that is not subservient to the aims of the story. The characters' motives are transparent and conform to an uncomplicated, clearly readable, psychology.
We have an aesthetic of sensation to keep the audience entertained, and all that is missing there is the sex. It is censored out by Salieri's chaste consciousness, substituted for sweets. This sounds like a particular brand of mainstream cinema, which Salieri actually embodies. Competent enough but without depthlacking magic.
We get to indirectly recognise that magic, but never do we see its point of view.
This is a celebration of the Salieris of the world, not the Mozarts.