MovieChat Forums > Amadeus (1984) Discussion > Why is Amadeus Rated so Low

Why is Amadeus Rated so Low

posted 10 years ago by marhefka
31 replies | jump to latest

Amadeus is ranked 90th on the Top 250 list. I don't expect everyone to agree with my no. 1 ranking but 90 seems way too low. Let's compare Amadeus to The Shawshank Redemption:

Plot: The strong point of TSR is probably the plot. Yet, the Amadeus plot is ingenious. The Protagonist is Salieri and the Antagonist is GOD. Yet, the story focuses on Mozart.

Awards: Amadeus won more Oscars than TSR. Most people agree that F. Murray Abraham's performance was one of the all-time best.
.
Music: Maybe this is unfair to list Music as a category. How could any movie compare with Amadeus in that category. Most people rate Mozart as the greatest musical genius of all-time.

My opinion is that many people are objecting to the liberties taken with the facts in Amadeus. In reality Salieri and Mozart were good friends. TSR does not have this problem and thus the 9.3 rating.

[–] kfckid-365-296572 10 years ago

Mozart WAS a genius. THIS is just a film.
Do not confuse the two.

[–] Freudz_Wet_Dream 10 years ago

When considering components of film making, I consider 3 films as close to perfect as a movie can get: Amadeus, Goodfellas and the Shawshank Redemption. Even though none of these three are my favourite films, I very much enjoy them, so I do agree with you that this movie deserves a much higher rating, but it's only IMDB and ratings are skewed due to the majority of users on here.

Forman took a great risk making a biopic on Mozart during the rise of MTV and considering this, the movie speaks for itself.

You ain't got a license to kill bookies and today I ain't sellin any. So take your flunky and dangle

[–] marhefka 10 years ago

Freudz.
Thanks for your support. You've whetted my appetite on Goodfellas. I thought I'll try to get a copy. Then I check my folder called "Top250." To my surprise, I already have it but I've never watched it. Of course, I'll remedy that problem soon.

[–] sized-2 10 years ago

I'd add Lawrence of Arabia to your list.

[–] AtomicReturns (1252) 5 years ago

When considering components of film making, I consider 3 films as close to perfect as a movie can get: Amadeus, Goodfellas and the Shawshank Redemption.

I agree those are three incredible films, and I'd even say Amadeus and Goodfellas could be used as great examples for filmmaking classes. The editing, use of music, shot selection, the writing/structure are all top notch.

Not to say Shawshank is completely unworthy of analysis in a class setting, but I always saw it more as a powerful dramatic story well told and not really a film used for film studies.

[–] Robbmonster 10 years ago

When I give my rating here in IMDB, I consider 5 points:

1 - My own personal enjoyment.

2 - The quality of the story and characters.

3 - The quality of the artistry (acting, photography, music, etc).

4 - Technical quality of the film.

5 - How well the film achieves its intention.

For me, Amadeus is a film that stands up with the best in all of these categories, and gets a solid 9 from me. The main reason it doesn't get 10 is because it's been so long since I saw the shorter (superior) version, as the longer version is the only one available on DVD and Blu-Ray as far as I know.

I cared much less for Shawshank Redemption. The character of Andy struck me as a fantastical, unrealistic angel of a man, and that ending on the beach was more sickly sweet than anything the 'overly sentimental' Spielberg has ever pulled.

Never defend crap with 'It's just a movie'
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[–] marhefka 10 years ago

@Robbmonster.

No "thumbs up" button so I have to respond to tell you: Good post.

[–] yusef-ghanima 9 years ago

when i give these piece of farty garbage 3/10, it's only because mozart's piano concertos are the only european classical music that i listen to regularly. i think the version i watched was the director's cut, i'm sure the theatrical cut isn't as bad. yes abrahams performance was good, but they couldn't find more disgusting unbearable creatures to play mozart and his wife. i'm not sure you really watched this movie, because mozart and salieri were almost lovers.

edit, actually i watched the theatrical version, it seems the director's cut is more boring and disgusting.

i mostly will not be able to answer your reply, since marissa mayer hacked my email, no notification

[–] Hunter_Logan 9 years ago

"I don't expect everyone to agree with my no. 1 ranking..."
I DO! Not only is it my all time favorite film as a composer and musician, but it is also the film that I consider to be the greatest and most well-crafted as a cinephile!

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the war room!

[–] supernova638 9 years ago

It's very hard to get on the top 250. I don't consider it low at all.

[–] sarahb2 9 years ago

Amadeus is my #1 favorite film, but I can't give it a 10 because Elizabeth Berridge's Constanze is awful. The woman cannot act. She's the only flaw in the movie.

For my money, 'Back to the Future' is as close to perfection as you can get. Perfect script, perfect casting, not a false note or moment in the entire movie. The only reason it isn't my favorite movie of all time is that 'Amadeus' has a more powerful presence. I saw it in its original run in a classic movie theater (red velvet, gold trim), a 70mm print and Dolby sound, and it blew me away. During the 'amen' in the final 'Lacramosa' you could feel the entire theater rumble. It was awesome!

[–] Supernaut123 9 years ago

Back to the future is as close to perfection as one can get? You're kidding right?

[–] mrwnmero 9 years ago

I enjoyed this movie so much that I gave it 9/10 which is an ultra high rating by my standards, only 30 movies or so got 9 from me, and only 8 movies got 10/10, from the many hundreds I've watched.

However, Shawshank redemption is on my 10/10 list. I will not bother you with why I love the movie and such But I will only address the three points you stated and try to explain why I think Amadeus is in its right place:

Plot: The strong point of TSR is probably the plot. Yet, the Amadeus plot is ingenious. The Protagonist is Salieri and the Antagonist is GOD. Yet, the story focuses on Mozart.

actually the idea of a plot being a quarrel between two characters which unfolds by telling the story of a third character is not so extraordinary, and also not so "creative". TSR plot has a deeper purpose and a beautiful message.

Awards: Amadeus won more Oscars than TSR. Most people agree that F. Murray Abraham's performance was one of the all-time best.

if you rate a movie depending on the opinion of the "Academy" then you just oblige your own opinion to theirs'.

Music: Maybe this is unfair to list Music as a category. How could any movie compare with Amadeus in that category. Most people rate Mozart as the greatest musical genius of all-time.

of course it is unfair, not just because it is Mozart vs some modern composers, but also because the Music in Amadeus wasn't written exclusively for the movie as is the case with TSR, also when you compare, a musical movie to another movie that doesn't even focus on music at all to find out which has better music, what do you expect the result to be?

Nobody panics when things go "according to plan." Even if the plan is horrifying!

[–] marhefka 9 years ago

👍

[–] Degree7 9 years ago

actually the idea of a plot being a quarrel between two characters which unfolds by telling the story of a third character is not so extraordinary, and also not so "creative". TSR plot has a deeper purpose and a beautiful message.

A movie is not about what it's about, it's about how. Amadeus is about a man with strong moral convictions abandoning them once he sees a man who is above morality and seemingly blessed by God. It is about how Salieri is tortured by the normailty in himself that he sees in the reflection of Mozart's talent. Human beings often see themselves as inferior when compared to others, and this isn't so much a struggle waged against them as it is against ourselves. Amadeus is one of the greatest plays and films ever written.

~ I'm a 21st century man and I don't wanna be here.

[–] yothisisyo 9 years ago

I feel same as you especially you can see references of Mozart in Whiplash(2015) which is at #43 and actual movie on Mozart is at #70 .
No offence to Whiplash fans , i like Whiplash too but i feel Amadeus is Awesome and is an epic in its category .

Currently at 246/250 , IMDb top 250 !

[–] karenleung081231 9 years ago

i love both films, whiplash is darker than amadeus and impressive than amadeus. whiplash made me think a lot even after 6 months i watched it.
amadeus is a well made film too, but isn't as overwhelmed as whiplash for me