Amadeus (1984)

Amadeus is easily one of my favorite films and high up on my list of favorite Best Pictures. I think I first saw the film in a class I took in high school - Music Appreciation. That was my favorite class I ever took.

I realize I am odd in that I am 27 years old, cannot play any musical instrument, and I honestly enjoy classical music. The fact that listening to classical music actually makes your brain work more efficiently is just an added bonus.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a rock star of his time. Before the likes of Elvis and The Beatles, he was one of those legends. However, Mozart lived well beyond his means and died penniless and in debt to many.

The film is told through the memories of Antonio Salieri, a contemporary of Mozart. It is a perfect blend of late 18th century life, culture, and music. It also brings forward a deep, psychological obsession and Salieri's extreme jealously, yet admiration, of Mozart. We clearly know that Salieri has at least begun to lose his mind as he tells the story years later.

Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, the same place The Sound of Music was filmed. What a musical city indeed! Mozart died when he was 35 years old. It must be a curse to be so talented and groundbreaking because that gift seems to have an uncanny link to early death. Beethoven was kind of the underdog to Mozart, always living in his shadow. If anyone can put Beethoven to shame, you know they must have been amazing. I have to admit that I tend to prefer Beethoven over Mozart. I am sure it has something to do with Beethoven being linked to several women with the name Therese. One of his most famous compositions, Fur Elise, was actually misread years after Beethoven's death. The original title of the song was Fur Therese but the general public are rarely aware of that little piece of information. I can only hope someday a movie as spectacular as Amadeus will be made to honor Beethoven.

Both main actors in Amadeus were nominated for the Best Actor award for the film. F. Murray Abraham (Salieri) won the award. Maybe the Academy was finally letting Salieri have a moment over Amadeus? Two years after the movie was released, a musician named Falco had a hit song called "Rock Me Amadeus," an homage to Mozart. Falco's song was one of only two songs in the 1980s to be successful in the United States and performed in German. (The other was "99 Luftballoons" by Nena.)

I currently own 6 Best Picture Winners and Amadeus is one of them. Any person who can appreciate music, likes history, or wants to see a good movie really should consider Amadeus.