To those who incessantly criticize this movie for its historical inaccur - Amadeus (1984) Discussion

[–] tzogas 10 years ago

I'm sure you could understand the reasons behind the criticism. I mean, there are people who have gone to the trouble and work of actual historical inquiry into these people's lives in an effort to gain some honest understanding of these historical characters. Only to find themselves living in a world of people who get all of their historical perspective from movies.

While I do truly appreciate this movie (it is in fact my all-time favorite), I can understand where these critics are coming from. At least one should admit that people who get ALL of their history lessons from film are being, at worst, lazy.

After seeing this movie, I headed to my city's biggest bookstore to hunt down some facts. The first book I bought on the subject was called "The Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart", and it was just as the title said - letters from Mozart to his family, and their responding correspondence. I absolutely loved it, and want to find some more.

Cheers, bud, and I hope that answers your question somewhat.

**Have an A1 day**

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[–] ZeoRangerFive 10 years ago

My question is, have these people who complain heard of entertainment? That's all this movie, it was made to entertain people and that's what it did. I never once cared that it was historically inaccurate because I enjoy the movie.

Dragonzord! Mastodon! Pterodactyl! Triceratops! Saber Toothed Tiger! Tyrannosaurus!

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[–] huginn12 9 years ago

They have made movies to entertain people and were historically accuracy or at least they made an effort. I don't see how saying its just a movie somehow makes it ok for Hollywood to rewrite history

My problem with historical inaccurate movies is people act like everything in a movie is true they dont want to hear what really happened and little kids watch these movies thinking its all true

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[–] Suzume-san 9 years ago

I don't think it was Hollywood in this case, Huginn, I think it was Peter Shaffer. He is an English playwright, he writes plays, of which Amadeus is one; a theme in much of his work is the conflict between hard-working, worthy mediocrity and genius, inspiration, call it what you will.

In Equus it's the psychiatrist Dysart, full of self-doubt and angst, and his patient, the inspired inventor of his own religion, the manic boy Alan Strang. In The Royal Hunt of the Sun the ageing, cynical soldier Pizarro captures the Inca ruler Atahuallpa, who believes himself to be a god - and Pizarro wants to believe this too.

Amadeus is another such - the fact that the characters are based on real, historical people is incidental. This is not a biopic.

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[–] huginn12 9 years ago

I dont have any issue with the theme but I did have a problem with the way Salieri was portrayed. He was good in his own right and to say he is mediocre to me is an injustice.

For this theme wouldn't Leopold be a better choice? Their relationship was complex and based on what I read Leopold was good at playing and teaching but not very good at composing

When a movie is based on real people and/or historical events they can change the names. One movie that comes to mind for me is warlock made in 1959. It's based off of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday. Arguably this movie has the most historical accurate portray of Earp and no one complains about names being changed

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[–] Suzume-san 9 years ago

Well, we do get to hear a good few chunks of Salieri's opera, so we can judge for ourselves - actually rather fine, I think. The people on these boards who are saying 'he was a crap composer' are probably not in a position to hold a valid opinion.

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] Sugarminx 10 years ago

The issue of historical inaccuracy.

From whose perspective are we being told the main narrative of the film?

Yes, but just because we are being given an account by someone other than Mozart, it doesn't mean that it's historically accurate 

I could completely understand all the boring and endless critism, if this film was presenting itself as a 'biography on Mozart'. But it simply wasn't.

If anyone is going to watch this film and come away believing it to be an acurate depiction of the composer's life, then they really shouldn't be allowed to operate heavy machinery...or light machinery for that matter.

Seriously, people need to take responsibility for educating themselves and NOT relying on Hollywood to provide that education.

A film like this is great because it stirs up interest in Mozart's life and work, and for the less lazy, it will perhaps induce them to learn the facts.

So put some spice in my sauce, honey in my tea, an ace up my sleeve and a slinkyplanb

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Degree7 10 years ago

I think if a film sacrifices accuracy/auethenticity for cinematic quality, then that supersedes the obligation to tell a 100% true story.

Amadeus is more of a fable about how envy and jealousy can poison our minds, and the nature of living with mediocrity compared to coming in contact with "God." The movie is more interested in style, form, story and characters than telling the true life and times of Mozart and Salieri.

I feel the same way about other historically inaccurate films. Braveheart and A Man For All Seasons come to mind. They take great liberties with the story, but use this as an opportunity to expand upon themes that would have previously been unavailable. Sir Thomas Moore's sacrifice probably wouldn't have seemed so noble if he wasn't falsely portrayed as a saint in the movie. Then again, I guess the argument that filmmakers should still be able to remain true to the origin, as well as tell a great story, is a valid one.

But personally, I don't care either way. As long as the film is great.

~ I am the tiny voice inside your head.

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[–] wwestar 10 years ago

It's based on a play. The play never claimed to be historically accurate.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] jellyree 10 years ago

Thanks for announcing in your thread title that you're going to educate.

Goodbye.

Perhaps the OP just wants to reach out for some sense of community.

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[–] residentevil6901 9 years ago

I have yet to watch this movie, don't know why I never got around to it. I want to watch it and I don't care about any historical inaccuracies.

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[–] scottsteaux63-735-780576 9 years ago

Actually for the purposes of this film historical accuracy (or the lack thereof) is irrelevant; it is based on Peter Shaffer's hit Broadway play, which was if anything less historically accurate than the film, being a sort of "what if" story that speculated that Salieri either killed Mozart or sought to gain a place in history by taking the blame.

So really to label this a biopic is the real inaccuracy; the story was fictionalized from the start.

Oh God. There's nothing more inconvenient than an old queen with a head cold!

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[–] ftremblay379 9 years ago

To me this movie is a farce, and a brilliant one. They presented Mozart as a rock star who would not have been out of place in a 70s rock band. I thought it was a hilarious idea. How can people actually watch this movie and expect it to be historically accurate after the Mozart character walks on screen?

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