Hailed as something of a masterpiece upon first release, critical reception towards Amadeus seems to have cooled in recent years, though the picture remains as gripping and engrossing as ever. As an adaptation of the stage play of the same name, then, the movie is visually stunning, whilst its leading performances - courtesy of Tom Hulce, who plays Mozart, and F. Murray Abraham, who plays his rival, Antonio Salieri - are triumphant. At a fairly lengthy 153 minutes, people seem to shy away from Amadeus due to its length, but there also seems to have been something resembling a backlash regarding its Best Picture Oscar status (indeed, it took home the prize in 1985), with many quick to point out its flaws. Taken as a sweeping epic, and as a homage to the music of Mozart, however, and it's hard to imagine a better picture. And F. Murray Abraham really is a revelation.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
