There's so much gratuitous gushing here from commenters who can't seem to shower enough praise on this film that I think you need to stop and take some deep breaths before you pass out. Get a grip and keep repeating to yourself, "it's only a movie, it's only a movie..."
No, Amadeus is not "the greatest film of all time" or the "masterpiece of all masterpieces," or "brilliantly perfect and flawless," etc. Etc. Yes, it's generally a good film, especially if one likes elaborate costume dramas and biopics (and Tom Hulce is as cute as a bug's ear -- one just wants to tickle him) but it's also badly in need of editing. Must every opera and ballroom dance sequence be so long and shown again and again? Plus, it's not exactly an accurate depiction of Mozart's life. The actress playing Mozart's wife was badly cast and gives the impression that she was hired straight out of a high school play. (No wonder her career never took off.) Also, both F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce, as good as they are, ham it up at times as if they're in a contest to see whom can out-ham the other. And yes, as some have pointed out, it did win eight Oscars but that's mainly because Hollywood loves rewarding spectacles and extravagant period pieces, especially during the 80s. (Remember Gandhi, The Last Emperor, and Platoon?) And let's face it, when most think of this film, they don't think of the music, the story, or the costumes, but Hulce's laugh as well as...The Fart. Now there was a perfectly flawless fart, the greatest fart to ever explode from the silver screen! No other fart will ever equal it! I'm simply overwhelmed by the brilliance of The Fart! Why wasn't The Fart nominated for an Oscar?!
No, Amadeus is not "the greatest film of all time" or the "masterpiece of all masterpieces," or "brilliantly perfect and flawless," etc. Etc. Yes, it's generally a good film, especially if one likes elaborate costume dramas and biopics (and Tom Hulce is as cute as a bug's ear -- one just wants to tickle him) but it's also badly in need of editing. Must every opera and ballroom dance sequence be so long and shown again and again? Plus, it's not exactly an accurate depiction of Mozart's life. The actress playing Mozart's wife was badly cast and gives the impression that she was hired straight out of a high school play. (No wonder her career never took off.) Also, both F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce, as good as they are, ham it up at times as if they're in a contest to see whom can out-ham the other. And yes, as some have pointed out, it did win eight Oscars but that's mainly because Hollywood loves rewarding spectacles and extravagant period pieces, especially during the 80s. (Remember Gandhi, The Last Emperor, and Platoon?) And let's face it, when most think of this film, they don't think of the music, the story, or the costumes, but Hulce's laugh as well as...The Fart. Now there was a perfectly flawless fart, the greatest fart to ever explode from the silver screen! No other fart will ever equal it! I'm simply overwhelmed by the brilliance of The Fart! Why wasn't The Fart nominated for an Oscar?!