Escota, April Ivy T.

BSA 1-20D Movie Review AMADEUS is a drama biopic directed by Milos Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. The tale is based on the lives of two composers who lived in 18th century Vienna, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. With: F. Murray Abraham (Antonio Salieri), Tom Hulce (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart), Elizabeth Berridge (Constanze Mozart), Roy Dotrice (Leopold Mozart), Simon Callow (Emanuel Schikaneder / Papageno), Richard Frank (Father Vogler), Christine Ebersole (Katerina Cavalieri) and Jefrey Jones (Emperor Joseph II). Antonio Salieri believes that Mozart's music is divine. He wishes he was himself as good a musician as Mozart so that he can honor the Lord through composing. But he can't comprehend why God favored Mozart, such a vulgar creature, to be his instrument. Salieri's resentment has made him a foe of God whose greatness was unmistakable in Mozart. He is set to take vengeance. Witness Mozarts life from the time Salieri had met him and killed him. Be amazed by the greatness of genius Mozarts music and his mad and passionate life. The movie begins in an insane haven in the 1820s, where Salieri has been placed. He was confronted by a priest to confess. He tells the story of how he met Mozart as a child in Vienna and how he murdered him. From the start, Salieri was covetous of Mozart because of his prodigious musical talent, which Salieri is certain by far surpass his own ability, despite his immense accomplishment. Salieri also becomes irritated by Mozart's childish behavior, wondering why God would bestow such a perverted young man with such incredible musical talent. He then vows to get even with God by slaughtering Mozart. First, Salieri uses his power in the royal court to rob Mozart of as much fame as possible. The royal court doesn't appreciate Mozart's music, complaining that it has "too many notes", with Salieri backing them up, despite the fact that he secretly admires his music extremely. Then, soon after the death of Mozarts father, Salieri disguises himself with a black double-face mask the father wore at a party which frightens Mozart. Salieri tells him to compose a death requiem promising to pay a huge sum of money when its finished. Mozart obliges, but ends up dying because of so much exhaustion and poor because of his wife and child leaving, poverty and the pressure Salieri is putting on him. And the death requiem wasnt completed. Mozart was taken out of Vienna and was buried in a horrible way and place. Amadeus is a great movie, full with many of Mozarts most beautiful pieces focusing more on his operas than his symphonies. Scenes were shot in Vienna, in and around Prague which made it superbly authentic. Mr. Forman directs perhaps his greatest film. But the greatest factor in this film is Mr. Schaeffers telling the story of Mozarts through Salieris madness. Whether the story is true or not, I dont know. But movie is in a way not centrally focused on Mozart but Salieris personal grudge with God which is a failing of the movie if they really are trying to tell who really Mozart is unlike in Immortal

Beloved. Although Mozarts brilliance is showed through Salieris story, I dont like the fact that the movie somewhat stains, degrades Mozarts reputation. Tom Hulce executed the character very well making me feel that Mozart is unworthy of his talent because of his ridiculousness and ignorance taking for granted the gift of God to him. The music in this film exceeded my expectations and the transitions were clever. Some parts of the movie though is boring. Even though I criticized it a little I cannot say it is a great film or not. I still like Immortal Beloved better than Amadeus. Because in the movie of Beethoven I was carried away by heavy emotions and the splendid music but in Amadeus I bored and just felt like disappointed of what it made us see. It didnt bring us to sympathy on Mozart but instead made us see an unworthy musician and a vulgar indeed, and that are an insult to the music. Amadeus, for me as an enthusiast of Mozart, is insulting and is making his reputation look very bad indeed. All in all I conclude that I dont like the movie very much. I just enjoyed the visuals and Mozarts music in there.