I remembered watching this masterpiece in elementary school when i was 10 and enjoyed it, one of my childhood fave actors since i saw Ferris Bueller, Howard The Duck, Translyvania 6-5000 and Beetlejuice in theaters as a kid was terrific as the Emperor and did the best performance of his career besides the Principle in Ferris Bueller.
"You killed Captain Clown, YOU KILLED CAPTAIN CLOWN"-The Joker on Batman TAS
At first I was distracted - he seemed so out of place. But he quickly won me over - I think he was great for the part.
shareMmm-hmm!
shareIn my family, we still say, "Well, there it is" as a joke, all the time!
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. -Edison
I'm so pleased to see this thread. I think he is superb. I mean, he is unlucky, in that he inevitably suffers by comparison. Abraham's performance is just sublime, and Hulce is also excellent, and as they are bigger parts they tend to get all the credit. But I think Jones is really fantastic (as are a number of the minor players).
My favourite JJ moment is when Salieri presents him with the march he has written, and the Emperor says, "May I play it?" They are all swooning at this, and he says, "Let's have some fun." :) I just LOVE that moment. It says so much about the character, and the hold he has over the rest of them: HE decides when they can have fun, and what sort of fun they should have, and when it should end!!! He is actually being quite benign, but in the way that a very strong dominant parent is. It's all so deliciously /controlled/.
I also love it when he decides to 'allow' the music to play over the ballet, and when he explains to Mozart that he is actually quite generous as a censor.
Oh what a great movie. :)
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"Maybe I should go alone"
- Quint, Jaws.
He truly is a gifted actor, and it is sad that all he has to his name (as far as awards) is just a Golden Globe and SAG nomination.
Yes, when he has "Let's have some fun!" is great. Truth be told, after his character is less in the movie, I stop watching it!
He is also great in Ravenous, if you haven't caught that film.
Agree :)
And, yes -- he is terrific in Ravenous.
Also good in Beetlejuice ~
"I will not go gently onto a shelf, degutted, to become a non-book." ~ Bradbury
absolutely.well,there it is.
share"What is this?......is it 'modern'?"
"Your own law outlaws ballet in opera."
*rolls eyes*".....but look at them!"
Not to mention the look on Saleari's face as Jones just butchers his march as Jones just happily 'has some fun'.
Jones was a scene stealer - just the perfect balance between royal gravitas and a likeable humanity. And may I say Hurrah for this thread which so wisely skirts the issue of his legal/sexual embroilment of a few years ago. He, his characterization, and his performance, stand alone and above any "real life" vicissitudes. He may be a bit "doubtful" in civilian life, but Amadeus and its characters are high drama, not mundane life. There it is.
share"...but look at them!"
I didn't know Jones was in Amadeus when I began watching it (and I admit to multi-tasking through the opening credits), so when he appeared I was a bit surprised. For my generation he's known mostly for his comedic work, and indeed his next two films were the rather dubious Transylvania 6-500 and the infamous Howard the Duck. But I agree, he's fantastic here. I read that he got a Golden Globe nom. Well deserved for sure.
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A journey into the realm of the obscure: http://saturdayshowcase.blogspot.com/
agreed! the actress who played Katerina Cavalieri was another scene stealer
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Somehow he really captured a real aristocratic air. Very few people can do that. Even many actual royals these days can't do that lol.
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