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Amadeus
1984 160 min United States of America PG 18+
★8.9
History, Music, Drama
Director: Milos Forman
🎭 Based on
«Amadeus»
byPeter Shaffer
Trailers
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Teaser
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Description
Disciplined Italian composer Antonio Salieri becomes consumed by jealousy and resentment towards the hedonistic and remarkably talented young Salzburger composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Budget:
$18M
US Gross:
$51.97M
Worldwide:
$90.01M
Starring
F. Murray Abraham
Actor
Tom Hulce
Actor
Elizabeth Berridge
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
BAFTA 1986
— Best Sound
BAFTA 1986
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
BAFTA 1986
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
BAFTA 1986
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Director
Golden Globe 1985
— Best Screenplay
Golden Globe 1985
— Best Supporting Actor
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Film Editing
Golden Globe 1985
— Best Picture (Drama)
Golden Globe 1985
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Sound
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Cinematography
BAFTA 1986
— Best Costume Design
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Production Design
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Costume Design
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Actor
Golden Globe 1985
— Best Actor (Drama)
BAFTA 1986
— Best Cinematography
BAFTA 1986
— Best Film Editing
BAFTA 1986
— Best Actor
BAFTA 1986
— Best Production Design
César Awards 1985
— Best International Feature Film
Key opinion
Miloš Forman’s Amadeus is widely celebrated as a visually opulent and emotionally resonant masterpiece that prioritizes mythic storytelling over historical accuracy. While some critics find its dramatic tone and extended runtime polarizing, most agree that the central performances and the integration of Mozart's music create a powerful, if stylized, experience.
| Production | The production design and location photography in Prague masterfully recreate the 18th-century setting, earning universal acclaim for their rich, authentic aesthetic. | |
| Acting | F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce anchor the film with transformative, compelling performances that vividly capture the friction between Salieri’s calculated envy and Mozart’s erratic, instinctive genius. | |
| Score | The film utilizes Mozart’s music not just as a backdrop, but as a central narrative force that deeply enhances the emotional weight of the tragedy. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay prioritizes a compelling psychological myth over historical facts, a creative choice that some viewers find brilliantly theatrical, while others reject as a shallow, farcical caricature. | |
| Pacing | The extended runtime is perceived by many as an essential, immersive experience, though others find the deliberate pacing and lack of modern action tiresome and monotonous. |