Customer Reviews
Superb Film - shame about DVD - By: P. Conlon, 06 Jul 2008 
This is unquestionably a great film - a masterpiece, as other reviewers have already commented on at length. I would however draw people's attention to the fact that the Region 2 (Europe) version of this DVD is one of those incredibly irritating 'flipper' DVDs that you have to turn over towards the end (and climax!). Very frustrating - hence the deduction of two stars. If you have a multi-region DVD player you can buy the Region 1 (North America) version.
Another one of my favourites - By: Aesop, 22 Jun 2008 
The great thing about this film is that it is a true celebration of Mozart's life & music. How many films can truly convince you that classical music is something worth listening too? It is also a more accessible way of understanding the history & context behind some of Mozart's most famous works. A more unique film in that the music takes centre stage & not so much the storyline or the action. As a musician I truly envy Mozart. I can understand why Salieri was so jealous. It would have truly been a great gift to hear & experience & indulge in heavenly music everyday of your life.
More fiction than fact - By: P. Benson, 30 May 2008 
I thought this fim was in poor taste because it seemed to me to mould & transplant the fimmakers ideas on an interesting enough life already. Why couldnt they have told Mozarts life which was extraordinary enough without making up this fictional rivalry & boring envy plot? This film told me more about the authors & their hangups. It did not do its proper job of illustrating Mozarts life & that is why it felt fake & sad to drag the life of an remarkable person into a false story of someone elses making.
This is big. This is artistry in film-making - By: LXIX, 19 Jan 2008 
If you like costume dramas, then this movie is the costume drama of costume dramas.
The film, a great spectacle, is told from the point of view of Salieri - one of Mozart's peers, & is cleverly based around his envy of Mozart's god-given talent for music. How much of that is true or urban legend from 18th century Vienna, I don't know.
As well as his musical talents, Mozart's daily tribulations are focussed upon throughout the film - such as his run-ins with imperial & religious bureaucracies & his constant battle against poverty - these were the days when composers relied on live performances & patronage to make ends meet (although he does live in a rather sumptious apartment for much of the film). The legend's notoriously impish sense of humour is apparent throughout the film as well, but so is his phenomenal workrate. He's also a bit of a punter as he enjoys a drink & even has a billiards table installled in his flat (a historical accuracy).
The accompanying DVD commentary includes some interesting anecdotes - for example, the theatre in Prague that they used for filming was also in use during Mozart's time, & it was where Mozart conducted the world premiere of Don Giovanni in 1787 - at the exact same spot where Tom Hulce later stood.
Mozart was a genius & in hindsight can be seen as a prodigy & as something of a phenomenon. At nearly 3 hours, this is a long film but it's also Hollywood at its best & it's easy to see why this won so many Oscars. I have to confess that I'd never actuallly seen the original cut version, so I can't compare.
The 2 disc pack includes a 1 hour 'making of' documentary with contributions from alll the big players & a 2 minute theatrical trailer. So, including the commentary, you're getting nearly 7 hours of material here to digest.
Definitely one for the DVD collection.
Super film - By: C. Mills, 04 Jan 2008 After being tempted by a low price, i sat down to enjoy a good film. What i got surpassed my expectations ten-fold.
Super super film
