Amadeus Film Citique

The narrator is competing composer, Antonio Saltier. Amadeus’ plot, essentially, is Galleries solemn account of his constant rivalry, jealousy, and persistence to cause Mozart ultimate demise. The accuracy of two key relationships or events have been widely criticized within the historic, musical, and entertainment community. Most obvious is the dynamic of the relationship between Mozart and Saltier. In the film, Mozart is depicted as the bane of Galleries existence. Jealousy, disdain, and an eventual hunger for revenge backfires on the angst ridden musician.

Saltier uses his political standing to influence the courts to contract Mozart to be resident musician, essentially working him to death (Amadeus). It is evidenced, in letters from Mozart memoir that Saltier did aid in getting him this position, but to out of spite or with in bad conscience. There is also a scene in which Saltier Uses his position to keep Mozart from receiving the job of being a prestigious music instructor for a European princess, but in reality, Saltier actually filled the position as a result of having more experience than young musician (Bloom, pig 263).

Shaffer is said to have capitalized on Alexander Pushpin’s poetic drama, Motorcars I Slayers, which describes Saltier poisoning Mozart to death (Mormon). Historically, it is recorded that in the last hours of his life, Mozart requested for a choir composed of his dearest friends to privately perform his final piece, Requiem” (Exultant). Although he had been commissioned by a private messenger to compose “Requiem” for a patron’s funeral, his own early demise kept it him from completing it. Letters show that Mozart requested former student, Franz Summary, to complete it if he passed (lifesaver).

Conversely, the film ends in a moment of utter irony. Saltier is seated at Mozart deathbed, taking cues and direction from the ill composer to help him finish what last measures he can muster. As well as being historically legitimate, the portrayal of Mozart wife, Constance, depicts her in shambles as she continuously monitors Mozart in his ill state (Exultant). Fact and film, alike, both show that the composer was overworked, but obsessed with his mission, and struggled to keep up with an ideal standard of living.

After the musician’s death, Constants still strove to provide the same standard of living for her family, and contacted Summary to finish the “Requiem” so she could receive the payment originally promised by the private commissioner (Exultant). Interviews have provided insight as to why Shaffer and Foreman claimed such freedom with creativity concerning the accuracies and untruths concerning the film: From the start we agreed upon one thing: we were not making an objective Life of Wolfgang Mozart. This cannot be stressed too strongly.

Obviously Amadeus on stage was never intended to be a documentary biography of the composer, and the film is even less of one. Certainly we have incorporated many real elements, new as well as true… ” “… But we are also blatantly claiming the grand license of the storyteller to embellish his tale with fictional ornament and, above all, to supply it with a climax whose sole justification need be that it enthrall his audience and emblazons his theme. I believe that we have created just such a lima for the film of Amadeus -Peter Shaffer (Robbins). Culturally, the film has made a noted impact on the modern music scene.

Fall Out Boy, a popular rock band in the early sass’s, referenced a conversation between the character, Saltier, and God in their song titled, “From Now on, We’re Enemies”. Several other heavy metal bands reference the agony and internal conflict between the jealous musician and God, in their lyrics. More recognizable scenes from Amadeus have been parodied by various sitcoms and cartoons such as Family Guy, The Simpson, 30 Rock, and How I Met Your Mother (ART dot). In 1985, contributors of the film were awarded with eight different Oscar awards, accompanied by thirteen nominations in total.

It was nominated for eight Golden Globe awards and won four. Shaffer and Foreman’s Amadeus, has maintained a position in the top 250 movies of all time, on Mind’s website, at 88th place (Amid). The film, rated “R”, stylistically similar to a dramatic musical, and having historical relevance, appeals to nearly legal through more aged adults who are also educated and have heightened musical inclinations. Although younger adults may perceive the film through slightly different vantage points Han older adults, most could equally relate as a result of the subject matter being relatively dated to the even the elder of the viewers.