I read the work of Roger Ebert, A.O. Scott, David Bordwell and so many more critics, and I can see their greatness and intelligence on the page. I fear that I may never attain that level of excellence and that I will be punished only to recognize it in others.
This was the plight of Antonio Salieri, or at least in the epic drama “Amadeus,” in which he believes himself punished by God to see such an insolent brat as Mozart achieve genius so effortlessly as if he was a beacon for the Lord. Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) tells his story in flashback after he is taken to a mental institution in a suicide attempt. He accuses himself of actually murdering Mozart.
Much of this sounds very dour, and a listen to those resounding first pipe organ chords may suggest that it doesn’t get more epic or dramatic than this. But the film is like a good opera, filled with life, amusement, comedy and most importantly, music. Continue reading “Rapid Response: Amadeus”