Amadeus (1984)

An absolutely stellar film. I’ve revisited it several times already, and I have no doubt I’ll find myself watching it again in the near future... Highly recommended. 👍 🙏

I didn't actually get around to seeing this until New Year's Day (🙈) because I had caught it on some random cable channel previously.

An absolute masterpiece. To be honest, the portrayal of Mozart really caught me off guard—I had no idea he was such a chaotic hedonist while simultaneously being one of the greatest composers to ever live. 😲 That final sequence where he’s composing his deathbed Requiem, man... I had actual chills. It was masterfully done 🙏. F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce were absolutely perfect in their roles. 🙏 Also, I thought the actress playing Mozart's wife was quite charming.

And that laugh of his. 😲

One specific moment stuck in my mind, though—the scene where Mozart is playing billiards. Was that even a thing back then? I’m a bit clueless when it comes to the history of the game.

This is easily one of my all-time favorite movies. 😍
Even if a lot of the historical details aren't exactly accurate,

One of the most powerful moments for me is during the funeral scene—watching Mozart being laid to rest while the Lacrimosa plays in the background.

🙏 🙏

It’s such a shame that F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce were both nominated in the same category for an Oscar; I really wish Hulce had taken it home.

I first saw it back in high school during music appreciation class with my entire grade. After that, I think I caught it maybe two more times... 😳 😁

An incredible movie; it’s easily one of the top 10 films I've ever seen.

Ronald Jones said:I first saw it back in high school during music appreciation class with my entire grade. After that, I think I caught it maybe two more times... 😳 😁

Honestly, it might just be the best movie of the entire 80s. 🙏

I'm jumping on the bandwagon with all the praise here ☕

shadowridge99 said:This is easily one of my all-time favorite movies. 😍
Even if a lot of the historical details aren't exactly accurate,

One of the most powerful moments for me is during the funeral scene—watching Mozart being laid to rest while the Lacrimosa plays in the background.

🙏 🙏

It’s such a shame that F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce were both nominated in the same category for an Oscar; I really wish Hulce had taken it home.

Honestly, what is there even to say? 🙏 🙏 🙏

Pure, unadulterated cinematic bliss—the kind of poetry you only get when Forman is behind the lens..
I’m definitely revisiting this one soon—perfectly fits the vibe of these gloomy days and nights.. 🙂

For me personally, it’s easily one of the best biopics ever made..

shadowridge99 said:This is easily one of my all-time favorite movies. 😍
Even if a lot of the historical details aren't exactly accurate,

One of the most powerful moments for me is during the funeral scene—watching Mozart being laid to rest while the Lacrimosa plays in the background.

🙏 🙏

It’s such a shame that F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce were both nominated in the same category for an Oscar; I really wish Hulce had taken it home.

Total respect to that.. 👍

P.S. Does anyone know if there are any other movies where multiple actors were nominated for Best Actor? I can't think of a single other one off the top of my head.. 🤔

Looking back at it now, I feel like the film loses a bit of its punch over time.
There are definitely a handful of great scenes in there, I'll give it that.
The way they filmed the Requiem finale is quite clever—really sharp. However, I found F. Murray Abraham's performance to be a bit much—bordering on overacting—whereas the guy playing Salieri felt far more convincing. As for the rest of the cast? They felt incredibly thin to me, almost like mere decorative accents on a Baroque painting.
But since my appreciation for biopics has been steadily declining—honestly, I’ve grown to dread them lately—I don't find this one to be anything particularly special either.
Amadeus is your pretty standard Oscar contender: beautifully shot, high production values, a famous subject, the whole nine yards.
Still, even within Forman's own body of work, I wouldn't rank it among his top three, let alone consider it a major heavyweight.

Such a fantastic movie. I absolutely loved Abraham's performance.

Abraham is just incredible in this movie. That whole scene where Salieri is finishing up while reading through Mozart's notes? Honestly, that’s one of my absolute favorite moments.

Mozart's laugh is just so infectious, and you can really feel Salieri's frustration—that realization that he could spend three lifetimes grinding away to compose a single near-perfect symphony, only for some guy with zero formal training to show up and absolutely crush him in seconds.

In a weird twist of fate, he ends up being his only real fan, though maybe that’s just a storytelling touch to hammer home how much of a forgotten figure he was by the time he passed away.

The storytelling here is absolutely vital—it’s executed flawlessly by the narrator—and the film is packed with such subtle, nuanced moments. Forman crafted a truly sophisticated piece that stands out as one of my favorites from the eighties; it really reinforces my love for that entire decade.

Forman directed one of the best films of the 80s, and a decade earlier, one of the best films of the 70s🙏

Today marks the 260th anniversary of Mozart's birth. So—is anyone actually planning on watching the movie tonight? 😁

A documentary about the making of the film:

Trivia

The following actors all auditioned for the role of Mozart:

Mel Gibson, Mick Jagger, Sam Waterston, and Tim Curry all auditioned for the role of Mozart.

Meg Tilly (whom I caught in Psycho II) was originally set to play Constanza, but after tearing a tendon just a day before her first scene, she was replaced by Elizabeth Berridge.

Meg Tilly originally was cast as Stanze but tore a leg ligament in a street soccer game the day before she was to film her first scene. Elizabeth Berridge and Diane Franklin were both screen tested as replacements, with Berridge getting the role.

Karen Smith9 said:Looking back at it now, I feel like the film loses a bit of its punch over time.
There are definitely a handful of great scenes in there, I'll give it that.
The way they filmed the Requiem finale is quite clever—really sharp. However, I found F. Murray Abraham's performance to be a bit much—bordering on overacting—whereas the guy playing Salieri felt far more convincing. As for the rest of the cast? They felt incredibly thin to me, almost like mere decorative accents on a Baroque painting.
But since my appreciation for biopics has been steadily declining—honestly, I’ve grown to dread them lately—I don't find this one to be anything particularly special either.
Amadeus is your pretty standard Oscar contender: beautifully shot, high production values, a famous subject, the whole nine yards.
Still, even within Forman's own body of work, I wouldn't rank it among his top three, let alone consider it a major heavyweight.

Overacting? I wouldn't go that far, but honestly, I might not be right either. I first saw the movie when I was seven, right as I was starting music school. I grew up listening to the classics at home, so that part didn't bother me at all. In fact, the film stuck with me, and I’d rewatch it with total excitement. I don't know how much people actually know about Mozart, but while there are inaccuracies, they're forgivable since the movie is based on Peter Shaffer's play.
That’s actually what bothered me most last time I watched it—everything feels a bit too "stagey." As for the writing of the Requiem, Salieri didn't help him finish it. Mozart didn't finish it because he died penniless. He left notes for his student, who then transcribed the Requiem based on those sketches. Besides, I think Forman really captured the essence of the greatest musical genius—like that scene where his aunt reads him a primer. He probably did have it all in his head, seeing things that could easily turn into notes.

Where silence reigns supreme, even intellect fails to enter.

Free man:System sycophant, lackey, bootlicker 1:0

Jesse Watson37 said:Overacting? I wouldn't go that far, but honestly, I might not be right either. I first saw the movie when I was seven, right as I was starting music school. I grew up listening to the classics at home, so that part didn't bother me at all. In fact, the film stuck with me, and I’d rewatch it with total excitement. I don't know how much people actually know about Mozart, but while there are inaccuracies, they're forgivable since the movie is based on Peter Shaffer's play.
That’s actually what bothered me most last time I watched it—everything feels a bit too "stagey." As for the writing of the Requiem, Salieri didn't help him finish it. Mozart didn't finish it because he died penniless. He left notes for his student, who then transcribed the Requiem based on those sketches. Besides, I think Forman really captured the essence of the greatest musical genius—like that scene where his aunt reads him a primer. He probably did have it all in his head, seeing things that could easily turn into notes.

Historical inaccuracies are pretty standard for Hollywood films, so I didn't dwell on them too much. Forman did manage to capture some of the core traits of Mozart's character and life (at least according to what we know, anyway). However, I have to agree with Karen Smith9—the film lacks emotional depth due to that overacting. It also feels as though the reconstruction of time and space (where the film actually succeeds) somehow swallowed up the people, the characters, and the actors themselves... It's almost as if the set design was the priority, such as in the depiction of the opera performances.