Movie: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Essay -- essays research papers

Movie Wolfgang Amadeus MozartThe movie stops place in Vienna, Austria in the 1700s. The film beginswith the attempted suicide of Antonio Salieri, a court composer of the AustrianEmperor. He is placed in a mental asylum where a priest visits and asks for hisconfession. Salieri claims to have caused the death of Mozart. The rest of themovie is a narration by the court composer, mostly in flashbacks, of how hecaused this death.Salieri recounts that while he was playing games as a boy Mozart wasplaying music for the King. At the age of four, Mozart be his firstconcerto, at seven, his first symphony, and at twelve, his first opera. He wasconsidered a child prodigy.Salieri wished to become a famous composer, like his idol. However, hisfather would not yield this. He didnt want his son to be a trained monkey, ontour around Europe performing tricks like a circus. Salieri prayed to God andwhat he considered a miracle happened his father dies and he was able to pursuehis musical studies. H e eventually became a popular musician and teacher in theEmperors court. When he perceive Mozart was coming to Vienna from Salzburg, heeagerly sought him out. He finally found him at a party, way from the some otherguests, acting like a silly animal, chasing a young woman. However, as soon ashe heard his music starting without him, he changed into a serious musician,rushing to take his place as conductor. Salieri noticed that Mozart conductedwithout notes. Although he recognized that Mozart was a giggling, dirty-mindedcreature, he was also able to see the genius in him. He couldnt go through whyGod had chosen a obscene child to be his instrument. At another time, Mozartswife presents to Salieri some of his work in an attempt to constrict him a job as ateacher. Salieri sees that the music sheets have no corrections and no notes.Mozart simply composed from his head onto paper. It is then that Salieri isoverwhelmed by his brilliance. He realized that God has given to Mozart thes ov ercomes and genius that he has always prayed for, and all he gave to Salieri isthe ability to recognize it. It is at this point that he turned international from Godand set out to ruin Mozart.Salieri then describes what Mozart was like. Mozart drank too much, hepartied all day and composed all ni... ...live to suffer. As the movie ends, Salieri is being wheel aroundthrough a room of mentally ill patients and this is where he will spend hisremaining days.I think that Hollywood may have over-exaggerated Mozarts behaviour. Inmy reading there is no evidence that he was like this. I wonder if Salierireally hated or was jealous of Mozart. Did Salieri really plan to kill thecomposer? The World Book Encyclopedia states that Mozart did try to earn moneyby teaching pupils. There is no mention of any abnormal behavior.Whether the movie is authentic or false, I think the movie tries to show thatgenius is next to madness. A person may excel in one subject, yet the outgrowth ofthe other part s of his behavior may be stunted. The movie also points out thatjealousy brings misery. Salieri was well paid and popular, had a high position,and had respect from other people. Yet he remained unhappy and even ruined hislife, all over the fact that another musician was better than he. Finally, itsa great tragedy that Mozart died so young and penniless.The movie was well acted, and the music was beautiful to hear.