Review of Amadeus (1984) by Calvin L — 17 Jan 2013

Having swept the Academy Awards in 1985, Amadeus still lives on as a fascinating look into a completely foreign era that is reconstruced and brought to life fabulously. There are obvious things to praise here--set and costume development, lighting, make-up, breath-taking cinematography and of course, the all-star performances from the two leads.

Although both absolutely killed it, the performance that warrants the most recognition is F Murray Abraham who unexpectedly unleashed the performance of a lifetime. The feud between the two character types in the film is a classic relationship, one that has reoccured throughout history in different forms including Squidward and Spongebob on the Nickelodeon television show.

The only version I had available to screen was the 3 hour long directors cut which I have to say, is a bit much and can get a tad boring after awhile. The scenes with older Sallieri narrating are incredible and showcase immense talent and provide excellent story structure.

This is not a film to be skipped.