A bit of an odd film from my repertoire of viewing you may think, and of course it is true, however, it only shows how eclectic and varied my viewing tastes are…

This was another film I stumbled upon on  Netflix a few years ago (after it converted from LoveFilm) and it popped up in that little box that said “If you liked this you’ll love this”, which is always quite strange to me that they honestly believe a computer can add a couple of films into its database and come up with 27 rather than a film of any kind of likeliness of a view. This was on such an occasion where I had clicked several other suggestions by the AI of Netflix and gave in to the idea I was to be disappointed and would use this film, Amadeus as a stop gap to look through the other films in their masses of lists and genre sections…no, not at all.

Initially, I couldn’t quite get comfortable with the plot, but after the initial scene, I was hooked. The story is told by the main character/ narrator,  Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) long aspired composer and his secret rival Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( Tom Hulce) and the beautiful musical depiction of their rise and fall. The music score itself left me in awe. Hearing such epic notes and personable the creation of such a composer (even if dramatised) brings a course of respect for the classical art, the understanding and guilt for the persistent Salieri, and comedy with the mere laugh of Mozart.

The genius of composers as a unit as well as how naturally it seemed to flow from Mozart (shown in the scene where he heard a piece of music for the first time, is able to play it perfectly and then improves it) is brought across at every turn of the scenes much to the dismay of Salieri, which is almost laid to rest (exactly) at the close of the film as he begins to show a touch of remorse,and respect for his rival…and then his madness ensues.

For anyone willing to try something different, with a diverse taste in film and appreciation of film, I ask you to have a go with this, you might surprise yourself.

Comedy, Drama, Music, Rivals, Passion, Rivals…oh yeh!