SSC Film Studies

Amadeus analysis

Josh Lee-Dawson 

 When the opera first starts Mozart is surrounded by candles while being shot at a low angle this would show that this for Mozart is a religious thing and that his gift he has was a gift from God. At the same time this shows the audience that Saliri believed that Mozart was more superior than him. Next there is a very important shot of old Saliri in a room which was dark and very empty talking about when he saw a chance for is redemption. But the room he is in talking about it shows the opposite of what happened as he became a lonely depressed man with nothing to live for. The reason he is like this is because he murdered Mozart and regrets is decision to do so every day of his life

Before we cut back to young Saliri the music starts to play again slowly building up and you can tell this is music old Saliri is remembering as he is starting to get upset again as it gets louder and louder. It then switches to young Saliri and we can tell this is young Saliri as this he looks completely different to young Saliri different hair well wig he looks a lot younger he is wearing make-up but also he is wearing completely different clothes. But also Saliri is talking about himself when it cuts back so the natural reaction for the audience is to think that is young Saliri.

Another important part is before the Emperor yawns Mozart is always shot at a low angle showing he is the superior one in the room and that he cannot be controlled. But with the shot of the Emperor yawning this shot is a low angle shot with people giving recognition about it beside him which shows that Mozart is now in trouble and also that Mozart has lost all control of the room and that the Emperor is now the superior one in the room. 

We know that Saliri is in the box when it cuts from Mozart to Saliri it shoots him from far away but it closes in on him trapping him in the box while at the same time giving him the realisation of his future being gone the framing when he gets closed in shows this as well. But after the Emperor yawns it goes back to young Saliri who is now not closed in any more and the framing and his face shows he has a future again.