| Front Cover |
Actor |
|
| Kenny Baker |
Parody Comendatore
|
| Lisbeth Bartlett |
Papagena
|
| Elizabeth Berridge |
Constance Mozart
|
| Simon Callow |
Emanuel Schikaneder
|
| Roy Dotrice |
Leopold Mozart
|
| Christine Ebersole |
Katerina Cavalieri
|
| Tom Hulce |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
|
| Jeffrey Jones |
Emperor Joseph II
|
| Charles Kay |
Count Orsini-Rosenberg
|
| F. Murray Abraham |
Antonio Salieri
|
|
|
| Movie Details |
| Genre |
Best Picture Oscar; Drama; Music |
| Director |
Milos Forman |
|
| Language |
English |
| Running Time |
158 mins |
| Country |
USA |
| Color |
Color |
| IMDb Rating |
8.3 |
|
| Plot |
The Man... The Music... The Madness... The Murder... The Motion Picture...
For this film adaptation of Peter Shaffer's Broadway hit, director Milos Forman returned to the city of Prague that he'd left behind during the Czech political crises of 1968, bringing along his usual cinematographer and fellow Czech expatriate, Miroslav Ondricek. Amadeus is an expansion of a Viennese "urban legend" concerning the death of 18th-century musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. From the vantage point of an insane asylum, aging royal composer Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) recalls the events of three decades earlier, when the young Mozart (Tom Hulce) first gained favor in the court of Austrian emperor Joseph II (Jeffrey Jones). Salieri was incensed that God would bless so vulgar and obnoxious a young snipe as Mozart with divine genius. Why was Salieri—so disciplined, so devoted to his art, and so willing to toady to his superiors—not touched by God? Unable to match Mozart's talent, Salieri uses his influence in court to sabotage the young upstart's career. Disguising himself as a mysterious benefactor, Salieri commissions the backbreaking "Requiem," which eventually costs Mozart his health, wealth, and life. Among the film's many pearls of dialogue, the best line goes to the Emperor, who rejects a Mozart composition on the grounds that it has "too many notes." Amadeus won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for F. Murray Abraham. In 2002, the film received a theatrical re-release as "Amadeus: The Director's Cut," a version that includes 22 minutes of additional footage. — Hal Erickson |
| Personal Details |
| Seen It |
Yes |
| Index |
15 |
| Collection Status |
In Collection |
| Links |
All Movie Guide
|
|
| Product Details |
| Format |
DVD |
| Region |
Region 1 |
| Release Date |
2004 |
| Nr of Disks/Tapes |
1 |
|
|