View Full Version : Amadeus


vinyldavid
04-09-2008, 09:55 PM
I just got done with watching this movie, and I feel as if I was transported to another time watching it. Absolutely AMAZING. IMHO, one of THE BEST movies ever made, in my own humble opinion. Who else likes this?

One bone that I have to pick:

In the dialog track:
Normally, there is a tape hiss, along with the ambient sounds and vocals. During the talking, the noise floor plummeted during each word and them came back after each word and in the pauses....and in the parts where there is no dialog....

Anyone else catch this? REALLY disconcerting at the end, and annoying.

Also, It gave me goosebumps while watching it. The Dynamics are amazing. I gotta find a clean copy of the soundtrack. Mine's REALLY dirty and unlistenable.

Elfasto
04-09-2008, 10:01 PM
I've lost so many eBay auctions on the Laserdisc format for this movie, it makes me cry.

The story is good, but the music is killer.

Njord Noatun
04-09-2008, 10:04 PM
Incredible movie - I have watched it probably half a dozen times. The selection of his music is perfect for the movie, and skillfully presented by St. Martin in the Fields. I have the soundtrack (double or triple CD - can't remember), which is well worth getting whether you have seen the movie or not.

I am with you, VD - spine-shilling movie.

70salesguy
04-09-2008, 10:05 PM
Pretty good movie. I really enjoyed it as well, even though I saw it when it was a new movie! :sigh:

vinyldavid
04-09-2008, 10:10 PM
The story is good, but the music is killer.

Seconded.

Incredible movie - I have watched it probably half a dozen times. The selection of his music is perfect for the movie, and skillfully presented by St. Martin in the Fields. I have the soundtrack (double or triple CD - can't remember), which is well worth getting whether you have seen the movie or not.

I am with you, VD - spine-shilling movie.

DEFINITELY. Great intro to Mozart. I gotta try to clean my copy. I cannot wait to listen to it!

There are very few movies that can leave me in a daze for hours afterward, but this is sure one of them. :yes:

dulcimerlex
04-09-2008, 10:17 PM
I just got done with watching this movie... Who else likes this?

I do :D

Snade
04-09-2008, 10:23 PM
Excellent movie.

vinyldavid
04-09-2008, 10:23 PM
I do :D

I think that we are going to watch this together. SOON. :yes:

your take on this, Lex?

What did you like about it?

dulcimerlex
04-09-2008, 10:39 PM
I think that we are going to watch this together. SOON. :yes:


sounds good :D

your take on this, Lex?

What did you like about it?

I've not seen it for years... I don't remember any specific opinions I formed other than I liked it...

vinyldavid
04-09-2008, 10:40 PM
sounds good :D

:smlove:

arrow 68
04-09-2008, 10:51 PM
Now you have to see this, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110116/.

KingBubba
04-09-2008, 10:59 PM
I work in the theater and "Amedeus" was a play back in the early '80s, before it was a movie. There was a line that Salliari had that was cut from the movie. Salliari was describing Amedeus to someone and used this description: "That shit talking Mozart and his body slapping wife". That quote has stuck with me for some reason for the last 25 years. I loved the movie but not as much as the play.

vinyldavid
04-09-2008, 11:05 PM
The story is good, but the music is killer.

There is a music only track on the DVD. :music::music:

marantzfan
04-09-2008, 11:05 PM
I haven't seen it in years, but now I've got the urge to check it out again.. Thanks David.

merrylander
04-10-2008, 07:39 AM
It was years ago, but good especially as you have now been introduced to real music.

Sansui Louie
04-10-2008, 07:45 AM
Not to be a party pooper, but remember that this was a *story*. Most historians have concurred that the movie was just conjecture, pure Hollywood. Still, it's a fantastic movie when taken in that context and there's enough biographical and historical fact in it to get one's interest.

Hard to believe that the lead (Tom Hulce) was also "Pinto" in Animal House!

My favorite scene is when Wolfie is mocking Salieri at that party and farts.

clydeselsor
04-10-2008, 09:39 PM
Not to be a party pooper, but remember that this was a *story*. Most historians have concurred that the movie was just conjecture, pure Hollywood. Still, it's a fantastic movie when taken in that context and there's enough biographical and historical fact in it to get one's interest.

Hard to believe that the lead (Tom Hulce) was also "Pinto" in Animal House!

My favorite scene is when Wolfie is mocking Salieri at that party and farts.

It seems like I read somewhere that Mozart and Salieri were actually friends!

macfreak
04-10-2008, 11:25 PM
Not to be a party pooper, but remember that this was a *story*. Most historians have concurred that the movie was just conjecture, pure Hollywood. Still, it's a fantastic movie when taken in that context and there's enough biographical and historical fact in it to get one's interest.

Hard to believe that the lead (Tom Hulce) was also "Pinto" in Animal House!

My favorite scene is when Wolfie is mocking Salieri at that party and farts.


Tom Hulce did some great acting--Amadeus was his best among roles with which I am acquainted. Did he get an Oscar nomination? The musical score was among the best I have ever heard. I am not as big a fan of Mozart as, say, Beethoven and Franz Liszt, but the movie score was irresistible and superb. I saw the flick originally in the theater and was very impressed, although I can be turned off by the typical Hollywood treatment these days: Let's explore the seamy, gritty, stinky side of what was heretofore beautiful, noteworthy and praiseworthy. Anyway, I think I will check out the rest of the cast on IMDB.com. I don't remember who played Mozart's wife.

clydeselsor
04-10-2008, 11:44 PM
Tom Hulce did some great acting--Amadeus was his best among roles with which I am acquainted. Did he get an Oscar nomination? The musical score was among the best I have ever heard. I am not as big a fan of Mozart as, say, Beethoven and Franz Liszt, but the movie score was irresistible and superb. I saw the flick originally in the theater and was very impressed, although I can be turned off by the typical Hollywood treatment these days: Let's explore the seamy, gritty, stinky side of what was heretofore beautiful, noteworthy and praiseworthy. Anyway, I think I will check out the rest of the cast on IMDB.com. I don't remember who played Mozart's wife.

Elizabeth Berridge. She's hot! Especially in the director's cut!!:naughty:

F. Murray Abraham was brilliant as Salieri IMO.

2DualsNotEnough
04-10-2008, 11:53 PM
I saw the film in the theater,also,and I loved the soundtrack,but Milos Formans films seem to always focus on the dark and cynical side of human nature.I also think that he thinks most people are pretty awful.
Jimmy

Njord Noatun
04-11-2008, 12:43 AM
The most important thing the movie did for me is that it introduced me to Mozart's Requiem: Up to the point of the movie being released, I had mostly listened to Mozart's "happy-go-lucky" music (most of his works are light-hearted and uncomplicated, at least on the surface), but avoided his darker works. After Amadeus, the Requiem is probably my favorite piece of Mozart's music, if not my favorite classical piece.

goldear
04-11-2008, 01:43 AM
The movie has some great music, and is certainly very entertaining. But don't take it as a music history lesson because the story-line has very little basis in fact.

cubdog
04-11-2008, 08:09 AM
I haven't seen Amadeus in years. My local library has a copy so I think I'll be checking it out.

cubdog

merrylander
04-11-2008, 08:13 AM
The movie has some great music, and is certainly very entertaining. But don't take it as a music history lesson because the story-line has very little basis in fact.

It is a Hollywood movie, I really doubt anyone over the age of 8 is going to think it is accurate.

Jack Lord
04-11-2008, 08:29 AM
I have seen it numerous times, but not the past few years. The characters are all a trip, especially Salieri and the Archduke. I love when Salieri tosses the crucifix on the fire and says, "We are enemies, you and I."

Great movie.

slow_jazz
04-11-2008, 09:52 AM
Excellent movie.... I still have the VHS tape of it and haven't watched it in years. I need to see it again.... I also have the soundtrack which is I believe 3 cd's... Great music..... To this day I love the last song of the movie with the credits rolling. I forget the exact name of the piece but it is awesome...

vinyldavid
04-11-2008, 11:20 AM
To this day I love the last song of the movie with the credits rolling. I forget the exact name of the piece but it is awesome...

Me too, and I think that my neighbors had a nice listen, too.....:D:music:

Holst
04-11-2008, 11:43 AM
Not to be a party pooper, but remember that this was a *story*. Most historians have concurred that the movie was just conjecture, pure Hollywood. Still, it's a fantastic movie when taken in that context and there's enough biographical and historical fact in it to get one's interest.

Hard to believe that the lead (Tom Hulce) was also "Pinto" in Animal House!

My favorite scene is when Wolfie is mocking Salieri at that party and farts.

Good catch, Salieri was a bigger star than Mozart in real life. Salieri went on to teach composition to Beethoven, Hummel, Liszt, Schubert and a vertual who's who of great composers, and Mozart's kid. After his death Salieri's star status was forgotten like thousands of other great composers of their day.

whyaskit
04-11-2008, 11:46 AM
Top 5 for me!

Soundtrack is available on CD, double CD. pretty good mix of songs, but its better to look for complete pieces; operas, symphonies son on and so forth.

Oh yeah, Pinto Rules! Animal House is Top 5 Too!

macfreak
04-11-2008, 05:31 PM
Good catch, Salieri was a bigger star than Mozart in real life. Salieri went on to teach composition to Beethoven, Hummel, Liszt, Schubert and a vertual who's who of great composers, and Mozart's kid. After his death Salieri's star status was forgotten like thousands of other great composers of their day.

Schubert -- Love his Unfinished Symphony, especially the first movement.

Can you imagine teaching the likes of the aforementioned geniuses and thinking, "man, I would like to get home and have a beer, my feet are killing me. And that damn Beethoven kid, I'll beat his butt. Who the hell does he think he is?!"

Aren't we the luckiest folk on the planet? Just pop the cd in and listen to the best music ever, whenever we want, as much as we want, at virtually no cost?

vinyldavid
04-11-2008, 11:30 PM
Schubert -- Love his Unfinished Symphony, especially the first movement.

Can you imagine teaching the likes of the aforementioned geniuses and thinking, "man, I would like to get home and have a beer, my feet are killing me. And that damn Beethoven kid, I'll beat his butt. Who the hell does he think he is?!"

Aren't we the luckiest folk on the planet? Just pop the cd in and listen to the best music ever, whenever we want, as much as we want, at virtually no cost?

For me, it is an LP, but still the same idea...

and :lmao:

no1maestro
04-12-2008, 07:17 PM
Amadeus is an absolute gem. It is a well done movie, it was a great play and I used it in teaching music history due to its closeness to the truth. There was a certain amount of artistic license to be sure, but basically it is very close to reality. Mozart was a foul-mouthed little shit but what talent otherwise! I wish all the great composers had their stories told as well as this film!!!!!

vinyldavid
04-12-2008, 10:23 PM
dulcimerlex and I just got done with side one of the DVD, and WOW! She loved it! So did I, again.

What a wonderful movie. I am still in the afterglow of it.

Urizen
04-12-2008, 10:28 PM
I am still in the afterglow of it.

Dude.

donoghue
04-13-2008, 03:47 AM
the Requiem is probably my favorite piece of Mozart's music, if not my favorite classical piece.

I agree. There was a free to the public performance of it about a year ago here at IU which has a well-regarded music program. They performed in one of the smaller venues and the performers took up basically all of the stage, they really raised the roof. It was pretty special.

vinyldavid
04-13-2008, 11:50 AM
I agree. There was a free to the public performance of it about a year ago here at IU which has a well-regarded music program. They performed in one of the smaller venues and the performers took up basically all of the stage, they really raised the roof. It was pretty special.

I Wish that my theater department could put that on...but we don't have the budget for that. I know that I would be there helping out all that I could.

Agent928
04-13-2008, 10:36 PM
The most hillarious thing about this film to me is that in the movie the antagonist, Antonio Salieri, hates Mozart in old age because his songs are more well remembered. In real life Salieri was more or less a forgotten composer until Amadeus premered and renewed peoples interest. Now his complete works can be had on CD.

vinyldavid
04-13-2008, 10:39 PM
The most hillarious thing about this film to me is that in the movie the antagonist, Antonio Salieri, hates Mozart in old age because his songs are more well remembered. In real life Salieri was more or less a forgotten composer until Amadeus premered and renewed peoples interest. Now his complete works can be had on CD.

That explains why I never say a Salirei LP....

BrassTeacher
04-14-2008, 05:00 PM
Not to be a party pooper, but remember that this was a *story*. Most historians have concurred that the movie was just conjecture, pure Hollywood. Still, it's a fantastic movie when taken in that context and there's enough biographical and historical fact in it to get one's interest.

Hard to believe that the lead (Tom Hulce) was also "Pinto" in Animal House!

My favorite scene is when Wolfie is mocking Salieri at that party and farts.

LOL, this reminds me of my freshman music history professor, Dr. David G. Phillips, at the University of South Carolina. You have to imagine this outwardly grumpy old man, so grumpy that he could've made Walter Matthau tuck his tail between his legs, but with this slow, higher-class sounding, old-fashioned Southern drawl. His comment on the movie "Amadeus": "It's lies, all lies! Now, E.T., that's a good movie, I love E.T.!"

RussinOhio
04-14-2008, 05:25 PM
Great movie!:thmbsp:

I just love F. Murray Abrahams portrayal of extreme jealousy.


Russ

geaugafletcher
04-17-2008, 11:21 AM
...but with this slow, higher-class sounding, old-fashioned Southern drawl. His comment on the movie "Amadeus": "It's lies, all lies! Now, E.T., that's a good movie, I love E.T.!"...never met the guy, but I can hear it in my mind's ear, pretty funny... :)

While we were in school together, one of my buddies had a visit from his South Carolina dad. Dad listened to one of the professors play a short recital and came through the exit door saying in his distinctive, sub-bass whiskey and cigar voice, "That man's a g0d--damn vir-tuoso...", all gravity and serious looks. [/OT]

Amadeus illuminated Mozart for me at a young age, up until then I saw none of the simple beauty. Sometimes one needs somebody else to offer a little guidance, then the door to the world opens up. Mozart's stuff got even better when I heard what most composers of his day were up to...yuck! There was a whole lot of half-assed stuff written in those days...even the better stuff just sucks compared to good ol' Wolfgang.

Mr. Lin
04-28-2008, 07:56 PM
The most important thing the movie did for me is that it introduced me to Mozart's Requiem: Up to the point of the movie being released, I had mostly listened to Mozart's "happy-go-lucky" music (most of his works are light-hearted and uncomplicated, at least on the surface), but avoided his darker works. After Amadeus, the Requiem is probably my favorite piece of Mozart's music, if not my favorite classical piece.

I'm really glad David started this thread because, I'm ashamed to admit, I had never in my 27 years seen this movie. The lady and I watched it the other night and I absolutely loved it! She couldn't stand his laugh, but I thought that was pretty funny, actually. By the way, where did the obnoxious laugh come from? Any reason to believe he had such a laugh, or was it creative license on the part of the director?

It helps that I'm currently on a classical music kick, and becoming very excited about it in general. Until I saw this movie I'd been neglecting Mozart since he seems the most "obvious" composer to listen to in the genre, and I wanted to hear things I'd never heard before. But I must say now that I understand classical music a little better I was able for the first time to truly appreciate his music, and I have the quote above because I too was so captivated by the final scenes of Wolfgang writing Requiem that I've already ordered a vinyl copy of it.

And next payday I'm ordering a copy of the movie for myself, because I really need to watch it again, and again...

nicole1586
05-24-2008, 12:42 PM
I just got done with watching this movie, and I feel as if I was transported to another time watching it. Absolutely AMAZING. IMHO, one of THE BEST movies ever made, in my own humble opinion. Who else likes this?

One bone that I have to pick:

In the dialog track:
Normally, there is a tape hiss, along with the ambient sounds and vocals. During the talking, the noise floor plummeted during each word and them came back after each word and in the pauses....and in the parts where there is no dialog....

Anyone else catch this? REALLY disconcerting at the end, and annoying.

Also, It gave me goosebumps while watching it. The Dynamics are amazing. I gotta find a clean copy of the soundtrack. Mine's REALLY dirty and unlistenable.


I also love the movie, I agree that it put you in the moment.:thmbsp: I didn't recall hearing any hissing but I did get the director's cut on DVD, so they could've fixed it. The director's cut is three hours long, but it'd still good.

Njord Noatun
05-24-2008, 12:58 PM
The director's cut is three hours long, but it'd still good. I sat down to watch the Director's Cut for the first time this week: A lot of content has been added to this version compared to the original - some of it good, some not so good, IMHO. The long section where Salieri coerces Ms. Mozart to come to his house, for example: I really didn't have to see Constanze strip in front of Salieri - this part seemed unnecessary, if not exploitive. Or maybe it it's just that I have gotten used to the "standard" version after having watched it numerous times, and that the added content therefore "did not sit right" with me.

dread31
05-24-2008, 04:08 PM
My favorite classical music based movie.

Along with "Immortal Beloved" and "The Red Violin".

Might have to see the Directors Cut version. Seeing
Constanze naked wouldn't bother me.:D

But, that just how I am.

Dave

dread31
05-24-2008, 04:13 PM
One bone that I have to pick:

In the dialog track:
Normally, there is a tape hiss, along with the ambient sounds and vocals. During the talking, the noise floor plummeted during each word and them came back after each word and in the pauses....and in the parts where there is no dialog....

Anyone else catch this? REALLY disconcerting at the end, and annoying.


I believe this is called "pumping". And, I think, it results when noise reduction is apllied to a taped recording as an afterthought.:scratch2:

Or maybe it is just lame editing?

Anyone more tech savvy than I care to jump in?

Dave

nicole1586
05-25-2008, 12:11 AM
I sat down to watch the Director's Cut for the first time this week: A lot of content has been added to this version compared to the original - some of it good, some not so good, IMHO. The long section where Salieri coerces Ms. Mozart to come to his house, for example: I really didn't have to see Constanze strip in front of Salieri - this part seemed unnecessary, if not exploitive. Or maybe it it's just that I have gotten used to the "standard" version after having watched it numerous times, and that the added content therefore "did not sit right" with me.

Yeah, I forgot about that part. It did seem unnecessary and uncomfortable.

braxus
05-30-2008, 11:26 PM
Great movie and I too saw it when it was in theaters. Great soundtrack as well.