Amadeus: When Elements Collide

He is one of the most revered composers of all time, and appreciation of his music spans the globe. Mozart was undeniably a genius, and when the National Theatre play exploring the life of the composer was adapted for cinematic release, the results were highly anticipated worldwide.

Amadeus studies the story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his rise to fame and success, much to the amazement and resentment of his fellow composers.  The story is a beautifully woven blend of fact and fiction, painting Mozart as a rebellious newcomer and exciting young bombshell in the midst of a the stuffy world of classical music composers of the time.

Now, I am a sucker for a costume drama. A real sucker. I love the flamboyance of the costumes, the elaborate sets and the superfluous words. It’s a whole other type of fantasy world that is all the more exciting because once upon a time it was reality. And Amadeus doesn’t skimp out on the aesthetics. It is a colourful, wig donning, feather and lace trimmed display that pulls you right in to the world of Mozart and surrounds you with the ambiance of the period excellently. It is a beautiful world that I just want to jump into, and, considering the immersive nature of film as a form of entertainment, this is a very positive feature.

The narrative is another high point. It’s fun, and whilst not entirely factual, it is easy to forgive the moments where traditional Hollywood screenplay structure has seeped through the plot. Mozart is shown in a more human light and the film looks at his doubts and flaws too. The great performance by Tom Hulce really highlights this, and is one of the more underrated film performances I have seen. The reckless genius teemed with vulnerability is wonderfully portrayed and is realistic enough to make you buy into the character rather that considering him a filmmaker’s Hollywood caricature. This means that not only is the protagonist easier to empathise with and connect to, it also takes away some of the awe surrounding Mozart as a genius, meaning that he becomes a more approachable character and less of a deity on a pedestal.

This is all great, but both of these aspects will only lead to a good film—certainly worth watching, but nothing that will blow your socks off. What makes this film, and I mean MAKES this film, is the music. Film scores are an aspect of film that often go overlooked, but in many cases they are one of the most important elements. The iconic shower scene from Psycho is not complete without the atonal screeching strings, and the whole film Jaws is encapsulated by the two tone stepping sound of the approaching shark. Film scores add to the emotion of a scene and also add to the immersive process. They are what makes a film ‘feel’ cinematic and what takes a film above and beyond the television drama that we are content with having on in the background whilst we do the ironing. The score, possibly even more than the aesthetics, pulls us into the world of the film where the narrative and characters then take over to keep us engaged.

And this film, being about one of the greatest composers of all time, is no different. You would expect a film like this to have a stunning score and it really does. The opening sequence takes you through the full spectrum of emotions and sets up the talents of Mozart to even the most musically ignorant of viewers. It is beautifully produced (thank you John Strauss) and highlights the best of Mozart’s talent, it is this that binds together all the great elements of this film to create a truly spectacular piece that is well deserved of all its award nominations. The power of classical music has created and enhanced a truly powerful classic film about that very same subject.