Scene from Amadeus

[Mozart]

Awesome scene to watch in the school library

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF-UsXL9tcs




oppsiess

[Haffner]

I have noticed that many members here tend to begin their journey into Classic Music by way of the Peter Shaffer film, "Amadeus".


As many members are aware, I myself experienced a revival in my interest in this wonderful music through the film. Before my first viewing of Amadeus, I had followed along with the '80's Rock and Roll crowd and declared J.S. Bach the absolute Master.


I am very grateful that there was a movie like "Amadeus" to help me discover Mozart's amazing works; the fact that the movie is blatant myth mongering in no way takes away from the fact that it did lead me into not only Mozart, but the music of other Classic masters like Mahler, F.J. Haydn, Beethoven, Shostakovich, Verdi, Wagner,etc.


I find it amusing how many times new members come on this board immediately after falling in love with the movie, and often proclaim the praises of Mozart as Greatest Composer ever, often without adding much overall to the forum topics which don't deal with Mozart.


To this day, Mozart is my overall favorite composer; but there are so many other, often equally rewarding composers. I only hope that many whom were similarly bitten by the "Amadeus" bug will take the time, like I did, to give equal chances to the sundry other composers. It pays off so much, trust me on this.


I'm not sure this topic is meant to garner a bunch of responses, if any. But I guess I wanted to share my own, marvelous experience with both the movie and (much more importantly), Our Music.

[knight66]

Yes, clear why you would feel that. But my favourite is the one leading up to that scene. Salieri looks greedily through Mozart's manuscripts. In his head he hears the unfolding of sublime melodies and is staggered that the music has no corrections, it comes straight out of Mozart's head onto the page as a finished work. Salieri feels the keen pain of despair, the unfairness that this nasty 'boy' should have naturally a superior talent than Salieri could ever reach for. He drops the manuscripts on the floor.

Whether true or not, from the point of view of the film it tells you a great deal very economically.

Mike

[Israfel the Black]

I have noticed that many members here tend to begin their journey into Classic Music by way of the Peter Shaffer film, "Amadeus".

It's actually a Milos Forman film, which was adapted from the Peter Schaffer play.

The final scene with Mozart and Salieri penning the Confutatis movement of the Requiem (granted, it is completely fiction) is my favorite scene in the film. I believe it to be one of the greatest scenes ever filmed within the entire cinematic medium.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ226kQJiHY&mode=related&search=

[Josquin des Prez]

I believe it to be one of the greatest scenes ever filmed within the entire cinematic medium.

I think you need to watch better movies...

[johnshade]

I think you need to watch better movies...

.
I have discussed this film at length on another forum and don't want to repeat my opinion; however, I would like to ask this forum, (a) what facts about the life of Mozart do you find misrepresented by the play and film, Amadeus,and (b) does the film give a distorted view of Mozart, the man and musician?


.

[knight66]

Where to start...it distorts Mozart's character, he was not this continually asinine school boy. I don't think there is evidence that his father became a source for fear. It possibly makes his composition look too casual and easy. The film makes the point that he works hard, but it undermines the concept.

There is no evidence that Salieri ever tied to seduce Constanza, a pure invention.

There is no evidence that Salieri had any even marginal involvement with him in his final weeks. His wife was not as portrayed, the idea they call one another 'Wolfie' and 'Stanza' in inane voices generates a tone that also undermines the character of them both. She was bright, a gifted singer and hardworking. The children are pretty much kept out of the way.

I think that will do for now.

Mike

[Bunny]

.
I have discussed this film at length on another forum and don't want to repeat my opinion; however, I would like to ask this forum, (a) what facts about the life of Mozart do you find misrepresented by the play and film, Amadeus,and (b) does the film give a distorted view of Mozart, the man and musician?


.

A better question would be which facts are not misrepresented!  Of course the film gives a distorted view of the composer; Schaeffer was not trying to create a biographical play but only used events from Mozart's life to create a model in which he could explore the nature of artistic genius as compared to artistic mediocrity.   Mozart's life and experiences in Vienna were a convenient framework in which to set up this examination.  This means that whenever Mozart's life's events fit the model, they were used or adapted; those events which did not fit the model were discarded or altered.  Where events did not exist, and were needed to advance the thesis of the play, they were invented (eg: Salieri commissioning the Requiem, and in the end helping him to compose it).  In the play, Salieri must destroy Mozart because Schaeffer wanted to demonstrate that mediocrity is the mortal enemy of genius.  The work is one of fiction and bears as much resemblance to Mozart's life as any novel about a historic figure resembles that figure's life.  It is a great play, but Mozart's life is the scenery and background; it was never about Mozart.  The movie is a great movie, but the music is really an exquisite frame for the ideas which are independent of Mozart as an historic personnage.

[BachQ]

Gee . . . . . . I wonder why that scene got deleted? . . . . . . .

[knight66]

What scene?

Mike

[Israfel the Black]

I think you need to watch better movies...

It's among the best films ever made, regardless of historical inaccuracy. It's fickle to act on the assumption of my film experience, based on your own subjective view of the film. I have had many experiences with Kubrick, Bergman, Antonioni, Tarkovsky, Godard, Kar Wai, Altman, Fassbinder, Dreyer, etc; and to be sure, Amadeus is no less a great film. Oscar nods and historical snobbery does not detract from Milos Forman's excellent direction, and there has yet to be period piece recreated with such detail and engaging story.

This is where we draw the line between aesthetics and history. As it comes to the medium of film, most of what you see is dramatized or an adaption, and certifiably fiction. The greatness of the scene is found within the way it was put together through the editing, which is complemented by the dramatic performances and the somber mise-en-scene. There has yet to be a film about music which has delivered such a poetic communication with the character dialogue and the music itself. You truly feel the music coming to life as it is being written, an insight into the mind of a genius, which is precisely what makes the scene seminal, and most certainly unique within the medium.

I think, perhaps, you should pay more attention to the great movies.

[Maciek]

What scene?

Mike

I think D Minor means the scene that started this thread. I don't remember seeing it in the film either, and I don't think I would forget it . (I do remember the part that you mentioned though, Mike)

Is that from some sort of "director's cut" or simply a deleted scene added as a special attraction to the DVD edition?

Maciek

[Josquin des Prez]

Is that from some sort of "director's cut" or simply a deleted scene added as a special attraction to the DVD edition?

Maciek

Is there a difference this days?

But to answer your question: yes, that's from the 'director's cut' edition of this film. 

[Maciek]

The difference I meant was between a scene actually incorporated into the total of the movie and a scene available separately as a "special feature". (I think I actually prefer the latter...)

[mahlertitan]

so, basically you showed us this clip because she is naked. 

i do suggest that if you have the same urge in the near future, be so kind as to show us some real soft core porn, because that would be more satisfying than this.

[btpaul674]

As far as inaccuracies are concerned, the only one I think was a grave (no pun inteded) error was the fact that historical accounts say that it was fair weather the day Mozart was buried, not raining, 

[knight66]

I think we are pretty well agreed that the play/film touches reality only occasionally. However, what it has done is to project very strongly into the general public's imagination a view of Mozart that they will possibly, probably have adopted. That is a pity, though the extent to which it really matters is arguable.

Mike

[Shrunk]

The difference I meant was between a scene actually incorporated into the total of the movie and a scene available separately as a "special feature". (I think I actually prefer the latter...)

IIRC, this scene was incorporated into the movie on the DVD release.  I'm not sure that it adds a whole lot to the story, but it does explain why Constanze was so angry at Salieri later in the film, just before Mozart's death.  (Hope that's not a spoiler!  )

[Maciek]

What, he dies at the end? Well then, I certainly won't be watching that stupid movie!

[knight66]

What, he dies at the end?

Yes, yet another cavalier departure from fact.

Mike