Amadeus (1984)
This was an incredibly hard category to choose from. I’m quite fond of dramas and, let’s face it, some of the most celebrated films ever made are dramas. I could have went for a great classic like The Godfather or something more recent like The King’s Speech. A category like this is precisely what makes this challenge so hard. In the end I had to go for a film that struck me long before I could fully understand the complexities of a classic and one that has been long a part of my DVD collection. I chose Peter Schaffers’ adaptation of his own play, Amadeus, directed by Milos Forman.
I am a huge history buff so any type of costume drama I can find, I’ll watch. I discovered this film on a whim back in my early preteens on an old VHS taped by my stepdad from HBO, Cinemax or some other type of subscription cable channel. I knew a bit about Mozart but not much and upon further research afterwards I found that the majority of this film is fiction. I was a bit disappointed by this fact. However, what stirred me most wasn’t the drama of jealousy but the obsession both characters had with music. Forman made the focus be about the music and how it engulfed each character in different ways. The lushness of the selected opera recordings played throughout the film were chosen for a reason and they don’t go unnoticed. Some of the most dramatic scenes are the act of writing music, the best and most famous I included at the end of this post.
Another high point of this film was the wonderful casting and performances. F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce as rivals Salieri and Mozart make up much of the heart of the film. In my opinion Hulce was robbed of an Oscar for this role. As the young prodigy, he is able to fully capture both the childish immaturity and crippled genius of a man who was too much for his time. Abraham as the jealous Salieri does so much with just a look. The majority of his lines are voice over narratives of the events, so his Salieri is more of an observer throughout the film. The entire supporting cast is all top notch including a great cameo but an extremely young Cynthia Nixon.
Another reason I chose this film to showcase on this challenge is because I don’t think enough young people have seen it. While it is an extremely popular and well regarded film, it has still not achieved “classic film” status, yet it is not new enough for people to have really heard enough about it to see it. So here is my advice, if you have not seen this film, I highly recommend watching it. If anything maybe the clip I have provided will be enough to persuade you.
Day 1: Favorite film
Day 2: Least favorite film
Day 3: Favorite comedy
Day 4: Favorite drama
Day 5: Favorite action
Day 6: Favorite horror
Day 7: Favorite animated feature
Day 8: Favorite thriller
Day 9: Favorite musical
Day 10: Favorite foreign film
Day 11: Favorite kid’s movie
Day 12: Favorite love story
Day 13: Favorite chick flick
Day 14: Favorite documentary
Day 15: Favorite play adaptation
Day 16: Favorite book adaptation
Day 17: Least favorite book adaptation
Day 18: Film that is your guilty pleasure
Day 19: Film that made you cry the hardest
Day 20: Movie with your favorite actress
Day 21: Movie with your favorite actor
Day 22: Movie you wish you could live in
Day 23: Movie that inspires you
Day 24: Movie with your favorite soundtrack
Day 25: Movie with the most beautiful scenery
Day 26: Movie you’re most embarrassed to say you like
Day 27: Movie with your favorite villain
Day 28: Movie with your favorite hero
Day 29: First movie you ever remember watching
Day 30: Last movie you watched
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Filed under: Film Tagged: | 30 day meme, Film, history
