tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post1303529480447648011..comments2024-03-27T21:42:56.131-05:00Comments on 1001plus: Antonio SalieriSJHoneywellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-32322820957128111482013-04-27T17:42:12.939-05:002013-04-27T17:42:12.939-05:00There are times, and Amadeus was one, where I real...There are times, and <i>Amadeus</i> was one, where I really can't think of any reason not to watch. There's no good reason to avoid a film this great.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-49019370449128301552013-04-27T08:40:22.360-05:002013-04-27T08:40:22.360-05:00"Why not to watch: If you find a reason not t..."Why not to watch: If you find a reason not to watch this, I don’t want to talk to you." -- heh, heh...<br /><br />I couldn't agree more with your review. What a wonderfully made movie. Klaushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05006608076041962884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-73638031940326625272013-04-26T09:19:38.750-05:002013-04-26T09:19:38.750-05:00No kidding. For me, the real key to a great perfor...No kidding. For me, the real key to a great performance is that I cannot imagine another person in the role, and I can't for Mozart.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-29355075695009814522013-04-26T08:09:54.300-05:002013-04-26T08:09:54.300-05:00I still remember the disbelief that I had that suc...I still remember the disbelief that I had that such an important role was given to "Pinto" and the taste of crow that came upon seeing it.Ken Loarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17207009680910318145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-71072667331267198322013-04-24T17:03:45.510-05:002013-04-24T17:03:45.510-05:00@Kim--Yeah, this is one that I shrug my shoulders ...@Kim--Yeah, this is one that I shrug my shoulders on with the accuracy. I don't care that the story has been changed because the story presented is so good. I feel a little sorry for Salieri in the moment, but, as you say, he got a lot more attention after this film came out.<br /><br />@Sio--I can't speak to the presentation of the opera. It looked and sounded fine to me, but I'm hardly an opera fan. I know they don't include the real ending of Don Giovanni, but that's about all I've got.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-78543105821684942332013-04-24T16:35:09.887-05:002013-04-24T16:35:09.887-05:00I haven't seen this movie since high school, s...I haven't seen this movie since high school, so I can't comment on my thoughts on it because... Y'know, it's been over 15 years for me. I'll see it again then make up my mind. However, your post has certainly increased my anticipation in seeing it again. In all honesty, I'm a little anxious about how the opera is presented, I hope it's top notch, but worried it will fall a little flat as most cinematic recordings of opera are wont to do. siochembiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11487373396181856763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-24185510860681948282013-04-24T13:26:45.833-05:002013-04-24T13:26:45.833-05:00I was wondering if you were going to comment, and ...I was wondering if you were going to comment, and if you had read mine. Thanks for playing along. It was very funny.Chip Laryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787403805554027107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-89096681456270156942013-04-24T10:52:43.156-05:002013-04-24T10:52:43.156-05:00I remember it as awesome, and your post just confi...I remember it as awesome, and your post just confirmed it. As you stated, the music alone makes it worth watching, not to mention the fabulous performances. As for how not historically accurate the film is, that's Hollywood. LOL! But, at least Salieri had the last laugh as his music was rediscovered and is not appreciated by many.Kimberly J.M. Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09078951928157843937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-48217752070085630912013-04-24T10:10:37.381-05:002013-04-24T10:10:37.381-05:00@Ken...Agreed. I'm still wondering why I forgo...@Ken...Agreed. I'm still wondering why I forgot how much I like it. I even went through a period about six years ago where I watched it all the time and I still forgot.<br /><br />@Dan--we all have those films we kick ourselves about. I've got one coming up that has been around for most of my life I've never seen, so I'll be embarassing myself in that respect very soon. And good point about Barry Lyndon--perfect observation.<br /><br />@Reel--It is long, but it never feels long. SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-91582092180154263812013-04-24T09:46:24.542-05:002013-04-24T09:46:24.542-05:00Excellent review. Your excitement and appreciation...Excellent review. Your excitement and appreciation for Amadeus rings clear. Sadly,I've never seen Amadeus. I'm sure I shied away at first because of the lengthy runtime, then it just faded away. At any rate, halfway through reading your post I paused, hopped over to Netflix and added it to my queue. Looking forward to the experience. Reel Whorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16653916483973674603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-46419171536506655972013-04-24T09:27:06.361-05:002013-04-24T09:27:06.361-05:00Steve, I'm sad to admit that I hadn't seen...Steve, I'm sad to admit that I hadn't seen Amadeus until a little over a year ago. I'm right with you on it being amazing, and I feel silly for waiting so long to check it out. F. Murray Abraham is amazing, and the production design is top-notch. It's like what Barry Lyndon might have been if I cared about the characters. Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12351431577484530230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-73239791028476781742013-04-24T09:00:08.746-05:002013-04-24T09:00:08.746-05:00Please...It's not a holy relic.
I couldn'...Please...It's not a holy relic.<br /><br />I couldn't resist saying that , but agree totally. In a four star rating system, it's difficult not to give this movie 5 stars.Ken Loarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17207009680910318145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-54704029478859566742013-04-24T08:23:42.937-05:002013-04-24T08:23:42.937-05:00@TSorensen--If I'm going to spend time listeni...@TSorensen--If I'm going to spend time listening to classical music, my first go-to is Beethoven or Mussorgsky, but I can't deny that Mozart was a true genius. So was Bach, but he's to baroque for my tastes. And yes, this is a case where I really don't care about historical accuracy. I'm much more involved in the story that's presented.<br /><br />@Tom--This felt like a first watch in a lot of ways. I'm still a little surprised at how involved I got.<br /><br />@Jay--I can't see you being disappointed, although I have built it up quite a bit. Also, that's the best laugh I've had in a week.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-61714370970916809892013-04-24T07:29:08.784-05:002013-04-24T07:29:08.784-05:00This is one of those films on the List that I'...This is one of those films on the List that I'm really looking forward to getting to. I remember bits of it, and generally liking it overall, but not much else, so your brilliant review has inspired me to bump it up my list a little and get to it sooner.<br /><br />However, I could never quite get over how they all speak in stupid American accents, despite being German, Austrian and Italian. I don't have a problem with them conversing constantly in English - who wants to read subtitles, after all - but they should at least have tried with the accents. Kind of ruins the film really.JayCluitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16972011198109066985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-23557010845258638782013-04-24T01:44:45.731-05:002013-04-24T01:44:45.731-05:00I saw this movie for the first time a few weeks ag...I saw this movie for the first time a few weeks ago and agree with pretty much everything you've said. It completely surprised me. The scene in which Salieri has the mask in front of his face and is only able to emote through his eyes is brilliant.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11186833811296327739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-49160834170169408842013-04-24T01:04:48.810-05:002013-04-24T01:04:48.810-05:00Excellent reveiw of an excellent movie. It has bee...Excellent reveiw of an excellent movie. It has been a long time since I saw it, what I remember most is that it triggered a Mozart fad for me. How can you not be sucked up in the music? <br />I suppose the movie works best if you do not know too much of the actual story. Too much digress from reality can grate on me, but in this case I prefer the fictional version. A duel in music, that is a neat and romantic idea, no?<br />TSorensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12208153011927807857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-34389646449241142562013-04-23T23:36:50.088-05:002013-04-23T23:36:50.088-05:00@Kevin--you're right. It's pretty amazing....@Kevin--you're right. It's pretty amazing. He looks like a wicked old man, but you can still see Salieri underneath it all.<br /><br />@Chip--I almost went with a Falco-inspired title, but I almost never use the actual title of a List film in the review name. That was literally the only thing that stopped me. <br /><br />I watched the theatrical cut. I've never seen the director's cut, either. <br /><br />I did a little research (little, as in a quick Wikipedia consultation) that suggests that Mozart did have a scatological sense of humor. The laugh is certainly an invention of Hulce (or Forman, or someone else), but who cares, really? There's a lovely moment when he's desperately pitching the Marriage of Figaro, which had been banned where he says something along the lines of "I am a vulgar man, but I assure you my music is not." That sums up Mozart's character from the film to me. <br /><br />The scene you mention is a fun one all the way around. There's the slow walk into the chamber, and then Mozart bowing to the wrong person. And then him showing off, not knowing or caring that every moment is galling Salieri into intense hatred. It's just so perfectly done.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-65165966840537634572013-04-23T22:31:10.440-05:002013-04-23T22:31:10.440-05:00What, no "Rock me Amadeus" as the title?...What, no "Rock me Amadeus" as the title? Somewhere Falco is crying (if he's still alive. I have a vague memory of catching a news blurb that he died...or was that Gary Numan? If only there was a way to search out these answers via computer.)<br /><br />I really liked this film, too. The killer scene for me was the one where Mozart "fixes" Salieri's greeting march that was written especially for the occasion of his arrival. Even an untrained ear like mine could tell Mozart's version, improvised on the spot, was better. There's also the whole "he did NOT just do that" element.<br /><br />By the way, did you see the original version, or the even longer Director's Cut? I've never seen the latter.<br /><br />Many years ago I worked with a woman, a fellow computer programmer at the time, who HATED this movie. She hadn't gotten a computer degree; hers was in classical music studies, but she found it hard finding a job with that degree. She hated the portrayal of her hero, in her mind the greatest man who ever lived, Mozart, as a not-so-likable, very much flawed, human being. The laugh, especially, bothered her.<br /><br />The stupidest complaint I've seen about this movie (and I've seen it at least half a dozen times, always on IMDB, and always written by self-identified Brits) is that the film has "stupid American accents" in it. Apparently Germans, Austrians, and Italians, when conversing constantly in English with each other, as Germans, Austrians, and Italians are wont to do, would only be doing it with German, Austrian, and Italian accents. I have always asked these complainers why they don't have a problem that English is being spoken at all. If the movie is going to go that far from reality then the accents they are speaking with is irrelevant. I've yet to receive a reply to any of these responses.Chip Laryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787403805554027107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-85034422327428763232013-04-23T20:07:46.420-05:002013-04-23T20:07:46.420-05:00A most transcendent review, and I agree with every...A most transcendent review, and I agree with every word. About the only thing I could add to the praise you've already given is the incredible makeup job done for the elder Salieri.Kevin Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01328790917314282058noreply@blogger.com