This WHOLE movie is a LIE!! You won't believe that it won EIGHT....

DISCLAIMER: I missed a passion blog post a few weeks ago, so you guys are getting two for the price of one this week on my passion blog! If you wanna read both, feel free as they are both great movies and I loved watching them. Disclaimer over.

The second movie I decided to watch this week was Amadeus, an Academy Award magnet from 1984 which tells the story of Mozart from the perspective of his so-called rival, Antonio Salieri. 

Mozart is played incredibly well by Tom Hulce, whose braying laugh is a perfect microcosm for the character himself. (src)

We hear the story of Mozart’s mid-to-late life through Salieri’s words as he speaks to a priest, decades after Mozart’s death. Salieri is a bitter old man at this point, bound to a wheelchair and bound to the depths of despair by the weight of the past. When he first met Mozart, he was a younger man, the court composer for the Austrian king, living well and living faithfully. Salieri’s only wish in life was to praise God through beautiful music, and before Mozart came along, he felt he was doing this adeptly.

But Mozart shakes his life up. This is a young man, immature, crass, and offensive, with more musical talent in his toenails than Salieri has in his entire body. Salieri sees that Mozart possesses tremendous talent, but, rather than supporting him and reveling in his miraculous creations, Salieri grows resentful and makes it his goal to destroy Mozart.

The majority of the movie is just Salieri covertly undermining Mozart time and time again while Mozart develops more and more trust for him. Salieri shames Mozart’s wife, accuses him of being a child molester to prevent him from getting work as an instructor, and shortens the lives of his operas, all without Mozart knowing. After Mozart’s overbearing and disapproving father dies and he writes one of his best operas, Don Giovanni, Salieri ensures that the masterpiece is only played a handful of times; thanks to Mozart’s reputation at this point as a drunkard and beggar, the masterpiece is only heard by a half-empty theater.

Mozart spends his final day on his deathbed with Salieri at the foot,
helping him to compose the requiem. (src)

However, the worst thing that Salieri does is commission a requiem from Mozart, with the intention of killing him and possessing the requiem as his own. By the time Mozart’s final days come around, when he’s desperately ill, him and Salieri are incredibly close, and Salieri is helping Mozart finish the requiem. But then Mozart dies, and the requiem goes unfinished.

This, of course, is the straw that broke the camel’s back for Salieri. He sees this as a damnation from God, that He would kill Mozart, his mouthpiece, just to scorn Salieri. At this point in the film, it is revealed that Salieri is (rightfully) in a madhouse, and the film ends on a rolling shot of Salieri passing the other inmates, professing himself the king of all mediocrity.

Obviously, the music is incredibly because Mozart’s work was and is incredible. All but four of the songs in the film are Mozart’s compositions. The music is perfectly attuned to the movie; each piece is carefully placed and attuned to the plotline at each point. The operas are impressive, and hearing Mozart’s music as if it were new is an incredibly enriching experience. I would recommend you listen to the soundtrack of the film below next time you study.

 Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (performed by The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields) (full soundtrack)

1. Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), K492, Act IV, Ah Tutti Contenti (1786)
2. Don Giovanni, K527, A Cenar Teco, Da Qual Tremore Insolito... (1787)
3. Axur, Re d'Ormus: Finale (1788)
4. Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Abduction from the Seraglio), K384, Marten Aller Arten (1782)
5. Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), K620, Aria No. 14, Der Holle Rache Kocht (1791)
6. Concerto for Piano in E Flat Major, K482, 3rd Movement, Allegro (1782-86)
7. Concerto for Piano in D Minor, K466 (1782-86)
8. Symphony No. 25 in G Minor, K183: 1st Movement (1773)
9. Lacrimosa, Requiem Mass in D, K626
10. Harpsichord Piece in F Major, K33B
11. Adagio and Rondo for Glass Harmonica, Flute, Oboe, Viola and Cello, K617 (1791) 
12. Confutatis, Requiem Mass in D, K 626 
13. Serenade K361 Gran Partita for 13 Wind Instruments: Adagio 
14. Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), K.492: Act 1 - Non Più Andrai (Overture)
15. A Little Night Music Serenade in G for Strings 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik', K.525, 1st Movement
16. Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Abduction from the Seraglio), K384: Turkish Final
17. Mass in C Minor, K. 427: Kyrie 
18. Concerto for Flute and Harp, K. 299 2nd Movement 
19. Allegro Moderato from Symphony No. 29 in A Major, K. 201
20. Concerto No. 10 for Two Pianos and Orchestra in E Flat Minor (K. 365) 3rd Movement
21. Allegro Maestoso from Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola And Orchestra in E-flat Major, K364 
22. Piano Concerto No. 15 in B-Flat, K450: III. Allegro
23. Ich Möchte Wohl Der Kaiser Sein (K539) 
24. Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) Act 2 - Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Papagena! 
25. Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) Act 2 - Ein Mädchen Oder Weibchen 
26. Six German Dances, K509: No. 1 in D Major 
27. Don Giovanni, K527: Overture
28. Rex Tremendae Majestatis, Requiem, K626 
29. Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), K.492 /Act I: Duettino: Cinque...Dieci...Venti
30. Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Abduction from the Seraglio), K384 Act I, Singt dem Grossen Bassa Lieder
31. Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), K.492 /Act III: Finale: Amanti Costanti (Ecco la Marcia)
32. Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Abduction from the Seraglio), K384 Act II: Duet: Vivat Bacchus! Bacchus Lebe! 
33. Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), K620/Act I: Overture
34. Dies Irae, Requiem Mass in D, K 626 
35. Introitus, Requiem Mass in D, K 626
36. Don Giovanni, K527: Act II, Commendatore Scene
37. Don Giovanni, K527: Act I, La Ci Darem La Mano 

If you felt like following along while you watched the movie, here's a record of the music used scene by scene.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

Do you believe in God? Just kidding, don't answer that. 

Do you think religion can move beyond faith to insanity?

Do you like Mozart better than Beethoven (I don't).