Amadeus (1984)
- Starring:
- F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, (more)
- Director(s):
- Milos Forman
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG
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For this film adaptation of Peter Shaffer's Broadway hit, director Milos Forman returned to the city of Prague that he'd left behind during the Czech political crises of 1968, bringing along his usual cinematographer and fellow Czech expatriate, Miroslav Ondricek. Amadeus is an expansion of a Viennese "urban legend" concerning the death of 18th-century musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. From the vantage point of an insane asylum, aging royal composer Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) recalls the events of three decades earlier, when the young Mozart (Tom Hulce) first gained favor in the court of Austrian emperor Joseph II (Jeffrey Jones). Salieri was incensed that God would bless so vulgar and obnoxious a young snipe as Mozart with divine genius. Why was Salieri--so disciplined, so devoted to his art, and so willing to toady to his superiors--not touched by God? Unable to match Mozart's talent, Salieri uses his influence in court to sabotage the young upstart's career. Disguising himself as a mysterious benefactor, Salieri commissions the backbreaking "Requiem," which eventually costs Mozart his health, wealth, and life. Among the film's many pearls of dialogue, the best line goes to the Emperor, who rejects a Mozart composition on the grounds that it has "too many notes." Amadeus won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for F. Murray Abraham. In 2002, the film received a theatrical re-release as "Amadeus: The Director's Cut," a version that includes 20 minutes of additional footage. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 180 mins
Complete Cast:
- F. Murray Abraham - Antonio Salieri
- Elizabeth Berridge - Constance Mozart
- Roy Dotrice - Leopold Mozart
- Jeffrey Jones - Emperor Joseph II
- Kenny Baker - Parody Comendatore
- Barbara Byrne - Frau Weber
- Miroslav Sekera - Young Mozart
- Nicholas Kepros - Archbishop Colloredo
- Herman Meckler - Priest
- Patrick Hines - Kappelmeister Bonno
- Vincent Schiavelli - Salieri's Valet
- Martin Cavani - Young Salieri
- Brian Pettifer - Hospital Attendant
- Tom Hulce - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Simon Callow - Emanuel Schikaneder
- Christine Ebersole - Katerina Cavalieri
- Charles Kay - Count Orsini-Rosenberg
- Lisbeth Bartlett - Papagena
- Roderick Cook - Count Von Strack
- Philip Lenkowsky - Salieri's Servant
- Cynthia Nixon - Lorl
- Karl-Heinz Teuber - Wig Salesman
- John Strauss - Conductor
- Jonathan Moore - Baron Van Swieten
- Douglas Seale - Count Arco
- Director(s):
- Milos Forman
- Writer(s):
- Peter Shaffer
- Producer(s):
- Bertil Ohlsson, Saul Zaentz, Michael Hausman
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG(Questionable for Children, Adult Language, Adult Situations)
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
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- 1998 - Amadeus - American Film Institute - 100 Greatest American Movies
- 1984 - Amadeus - Directors Guild of America - Best Director
- 1984 - Amadeus - French Academy of Cinema - Best Foreign Film
- 1984 - Amadeus - Golden Globe - Best Picture - Drama
- 1984 - Amadeus - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Director
- 1984 - Amadeus - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
- 1984 - Amadeus - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Picture - Drama
- 1984 - Amadeus - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Screenplay
- 1984 - Amadeus - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Actor
- 1984 - Amadeus - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Picture
- 1984 - Amadeus - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Director
- 1984 - Amadeus - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Screenplay
