Amadeus - Director's Cut

The clash of genius and mediocrity in a thrilling narrative whirlwind of emotions. Forman's film is sometimes accused of historical inaccuracies, but unfairly so. Amadeus is not a biopic, but a film about the clash of two different worlds – the world of gifted talent and the world of stubborn striving – and about the toll that an incredibly gifted man must pay to be "the one on top". Tom Hulce overacts quite a bit as Mozart, but I can't imagine any other actor in the role, and F.M. Abraham as Salieri is simply stunning, it's a shame he didn't get any other big roles. It's no wonder that sales of Mozart records increased by 50 percent in the U.S. after the film's premiere. Summary: Well deserved 8 Oscars and in my opinion, Forman’s best film. (17.07.2002)

Lo and behold. America provided Miloš Forman with the honor of filming the story of probably the most famous composer of all times, and he made up his mind that he wouldn’t do it anywhere else but in his homeland. That’s how it came to be that the film takes place on the streets of Prague or in the Estates Theatre in the middle of the worst times of the communist oppression in the 1980s. Hats off. I, however, naturally mustn’t forget about the fact that everything about this movie is perfect. Perfect! I’m curious – how many movies do you know about which you could say the same? (07.07.2013)

Sagen wir es so, als Mozart-Biografie wäre Amadeus wäre faktisch durchgefallen, aber Forman wollte etwas ganz anderes als einen historisch fundierten Film über das Leben eines Genies. Sein Amadeus ist eine fesselnde Geschichte über den Konflikt zwischen dem Außergewöhnlichen und dem Mittelmäßigen, eine perfekte Typologie eines solchen Konflikts, der sich leider immer wieder in ähnlicher Weise abspielt, unabhängig von Zeit und Ort. Die Leistung von Tom Hulce zähle ich zu den besten schauspielerischen Leistungen, die mir je unter die Augen gekommen sind, aber die Schauspielerei im Allgemeinen funktioniert in Amadeus wie nur in wenigen Filmen. Forman gebührt ein großes Kompliment für die perfekte Verbindung von Musik und Handlung, die Szenen mit Amadeus beim Dirigieren sind großartig, ganz zu schweigen von dem "Requiem", das Mozart dem verständnislosen Salieri im Fieberwahn diktiert (Confutatis Maledictis... diese Szene versetzt mich immer in tiefe Rührung!). Dies ist der Moment, in dem sich die Bedeutung des Wortes "Drama" erfüllt. Die Neuverfilmung mag das Tempo des Films beeinträchtigen, aber zumindest die Figur der Constanze hätte mehr Raum verdient. Miloš Forman - ein genialer Komponist von Form und Inhalt! (31.01.2004)

There may have been too many notes in Mozart's work, but in this Forman masterpiece they are just enough, and only at the highest possible level of quality. That it's not a biopic, but rather a work of fiction? Does that really bother anyone? (22.01.2007)

An incredibly impressive film about a genius whom God favored, but the world did not. About mediocrity that couldn't accept its role. About an emperor who had no musical ear. About Amadeus, Salieri, Constance. Thanks to the extended version, Amadeus is truly a well-crafted and timeless piece of work. Watching it in its entirety is a bit tiring and takes away the energy for the rest of the day, but it is definitely worth it for the audience until the very last minute. (02.04.2006)

It can essentially be said that the filming of Amadeus by Western production had a similar significance for Prague in the first half of the 80s as the production of The Lord of the Rings in New Zealand two decades later. Amadeus is not only a psychological study of the fateful clash of an exceptionally gifted individual with an average-thinking environment, but also the beauty of Prague's palaces, costumes from Barrandov film studio's collection, and the excellent work of Barrandov studio employees. After years of isolation from normalization, the Czech film world intersected with the world. Witnesses recall the atmosphere during filming in superlatives. Music also played a significant role in the film. With Mozart's help, Forman was able to convey to today's audience the experience of top classical music and the process of creating a musical work. A film about classical music and its creators, which is not intended for a narrowly defined group of viewers, is an art in and of itself. Forman lived up to his reputation as a creator of great human dramas, showing us heroes with controversial natures. As mentioned multiple times, the story is not based on historical facts. If anyone from Mozart's circle contributed to his tragic end, it was his young wife, a person perhaps even less responsible than the great creator himself. Overall impression: 95%. (04.10.2013)

The first film by Miloš Forman that didn’t make me bite my nails out of boredom. Amadeus may seem too long, boring, and distant as a period drama to some people, but it is exactly the opposite. The enthusiasm for the subject matter is immense, and the whole film is filled with emotions. The Oscar-winning F. Murray Abraham excels the most in the role of Salieri, but Tom Hulce is not bad either, although his character was much more complex. I expected clumsy dialogues and the typical sterile camera work, but I was surprised here as well. Everything works brilliantly, even the enormous running time is not a problem. Throughout the entire 180 minutes (Director's cut), you have your hands full trying to keep up. The highlights of the film are undoubtedly the scenes from the opera performances and, of course, Mozart composing music and playing the piano. Hulce's improvisation is unbelievable, and Forman's directorial ideas (combining music, thoughts, and images) are often phenomenal. It is a pleasant surprise and a significantly above-average rating is a given. (28.10.2006)

Finally I saw this highly praised film and I can only say that it is praised absolutely rightfully. Hulce and Abraham created beautiful and vibrant characters and presented the dramatic story in a way that will simply entertain you. The set design is magnificent, and even if you don't like opera, thanks to the fact that you only see fragments of it, you will be thrilled, just like by the way that back then essentially unknown actor managed to play a genius. You will believe him every second. (22.12.2015)