Amadeus [Dual Sided] [DVD] [1984]

Tom Hulce as Amadeus and F. Murray Abraham as Salieri completely capture this brilliant opus, Salieri claims to have murdered Wolfgang,out of jelousy. Its a vanguard of not only, excellent top quality acting but also conveys the cloak and dagger hemisphere of Chamber music of this era 1823. Music is subjective but this is a celebration of the finer points that we all love today. That's if you are appreciative of good music.......

It's a Blu-Ray of Amadeus, you're getting exactly as described.Great movie, enhanced with the extra 20 minutes of material. Running in at 3 hours now make sure you've gone to the loo and have extra popcorn before you start!

The director's cut beats the theatrical edition, but does not redeemthe movie. Beautiful sets and costumes, lovely music of course, andMozart as a walking paradox -- incredible musical gifts, exquisitemusical taste, and pretty much an "Animal House" character in allother respects: boorish, irresponsible, and a drunkard. Sure, he loveshis cute Constanze and is shown as very sorry when he gets home inthe early morning from a night of drinking, and sure he works very hardtp produce music so as to get some income to support his family, buthe still comes across as an egotistic lout and a complete failure.The scenes are (mostly) seen through Salieri's eyes and so presumably biased.However, although Salieri is repentant for having "persecuted" Mozart,what the movie shows is that, even if Salieri had not been on the scene,the result would have been the same: Mozart is such a loutish combinationof talent, self-confidence, and abysmal conduct, that he was fatedto aggravate everyone around him (other than his doting Constanzeand the emperor -- who is clearly beyond the reach of even bad manners);and he is such a party animal that he was clearly fated to become a drunkardregardless of his income.The movie goes to great lengths to suggest that this is somehow all thefault of his well meaning, but stern father -- that Mozart is basically justan abused, traumatized child. Salieri interprets it all to mean that thisis God's way to mock him -- to set up this unappetizing human being as theparagon of music.Overall, not a great effort. It's entertaining enough -- certainly worth viewingit at least once. But the concept is both too simplistic and too detachedfrom reality. By all accounts, the end of Mozart's life was not nearly ascomfortable as the movie makes it seem, for instance; and while he certainlydrank too much, the conceit of turning him into a stupid party animal (even ifthat is just the coloring imparted by Salieri) does not work well: it's simplynot credible that music of such artistry could be the creation of someonewho is basically gross in all other respects. Salieri was too smart to believethis -- even in the insane asylum where he tells the story.I can see why the director used some specific tricks; for instance, the utterlyintolerable laugh of Mozart (a cross between a donkey and a howler monkey,enough to make anyone want to leave the room at once) stands as the symbol ofeverything that Salieri views as wrong about Mozart and as God's own instrumentof mortification. That laugh actually prevents the viewer from really enjoyingthe sublime music -- again, presumably a calculated effect since that is exactlywhat Salieri feels. But then why should the viewer suffer all of the pangsof this rather cooked-up version of Salieri? Personally I would rather enjoy the music!I am not insensitive to the plight of Mozart (and to the loss of the additional musiche could have written had he lived longer!), but I am not taken by this rather contriveddouble-trauma (Mozart's abused childhood and Salieri's betrayed trust in God) explanationof his fate.

Words cannot describe how I feel about this film.Impeccably directed, performed & with wonderful staging & art direction it is a truly astonishing masterpiece that must be seen in this glorious three-hour director's cut.Speaking to a Priest from an insane asylum, the aging royal court composer Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) recalls the events of years earlier, when the young Mozart (Tom Hulce) first gained favour in the court of Austrian emperor Joseph II (Jeffrey Jones).He speaks how Mozart had been his childhood idol and that when years later, he witnessed Mozart in all of his vulgar, clownish behaviour behaving badly at a concert it led him to be incensed as to how God could bless someone so vulgar and obnoxious with such other worldly genius.How could it be that he, Salieri, so disciplined, so pious and so devoted to his art be un-touched by God?Time goes by, and finding himself unable to match Mozart's talent, Salieri starts to use his influence in court to sabotage Mozart's career which eventually culminates in him visiting Mozart in disguise as a benefactor to commission the opera " Requiem. "Full of the most glorious music, dialogue and cinematography this is in my Top 5 films of all time.I can watch it again and again.I dismiss any quibbles regarding whether it is " historically accurate " and just allow myself to get swept along by the sheer majesty of it all.I hope you will too.

Amadeus is a tale of jealousy and betrayal, set around the relationship between Salieri and Mozart in late 18th century Vienna. Some parts of the film are particularly moving, especially the pathos of old Salieri's fading reputation, as he puts it "gradually going extinct", whilst Mozart's fame and influence is established, despite him being dead.Of course stay away from this film if you care only about historical accuracy. No evidence suggests there was a particular rivalry between Salieri and Mozart. However, this doesn't really matter considering this is historical fiction. The idea Mozart wrote down music fully formed in his head, without any added alterations is a romantic myth, in real life this impossible. However, I feel this enhances the presentation of Mozart's character, it makes him all the more divine and untouchable. Other parts of the story are rooted in historical evidence. Judging by Mozart's letters, he indeed had an unsophisticated sense of humour, as well as a lack of respect for the aristocracy. Mozart was also desperately in need of money in the final years of his life, and this is well portrayed in the film.The film loses a star for me because of the overly long opera scenes; these could perhaps be cut down a little to make the film shorter. Overall though, an engaging and interesting watch, right up to Mozart's haunting laugh at the end. Recommended for those who love and admire Mozart's music.