The ‘80s were a decade of decadence. Whimsical fashion, music, and media reigned pop culture. This was especially true with the films of the era. The year 1984 saw Warner Bros. release both Purple Rain, a semi-biographical concert film starring iconic musician Prince, and Amadeus, the extravagant, somewhat embellished story of the rise and fall of another music legend, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Both films were sensational and definitive signs of the times, and both won Academy Awards. Both were musicals, with the soundtracks climbing the pop charts, and Amadeus even spawned the ridiculous, but catchy, pop song “Rock Me Amadeus” by Austrian musician Falco, which was on regular rotation on MTV.

Adapted from the stage play by Peter Shaffer and directed by Academy Award winner Miloš Forman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Amadeus tells the story of the fictional rivalry between 18^th century Viennese composers Mozart and Antonio Salieri. Amadeus won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor (F. Murray Abraham). For the 40^th anniversary of Amadeus, Warner Bros. is releasing a stunning 4K UHD remastered version of the theatrical cut of the film on Blu-ray and digital, complete with some exciting special features.

Tom Hulce as Mozart in AMADEUS. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Image not representative of 4K UHD.

Amadeus is told through a series of flashbacks while Salieri, who has been committed to a mental institution at old age, confesses his sins to a priest. Tom Hulce, who was also nominated for an Academy Award, gives an extraordinarily passionate performance as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the foul-mouthed, playful child prodigy composer with a flair for the dramatic and an infectious laugh. With a preference for pastel pink powdered wigs and lavender floral suits, Mozart is depicted as a punk rocker before there was punk rock, which worked in the film’s favor in 1984 as a reflection of ‘80s fashion and still works today. F. Murray Abraham is astonishing as the intensely pretentious fellow Viennese composer Antonio Salieri, who becomes consumed with jealousy upon meeting Mozart and hearing his music. Salieri goes so far as to pledge his life to God in exchange for the level of talent he sees in Mozart. Despite becoming the court composer for Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II (Jeffrey Jones), Salieri remains in the shadow of Mozart, which causes him great pain.

F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Salieri in AMADEUS. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Image not representative of 4K UHD.

Against his father’s wishes, the rebellious Mozart marries Constanze, played lovingly by Elizabeth Berridge. After being repeatedly humiliated by Mozart’s popularity, Salieri sees an opportunity for him to get revenge, on Amadeus and God himself, when Mozart’s father dies. Knowing that Mozart was not only a musical genius, but also craved the approval of his overbearing father, Salieri devises a plan to drive Mozart over the edge by convincing him the masked, caped ghost of his father has come back to request that he write a requiem mass. Believing he is being haunted, Mozart’s love of excess and tendency to be a perfectionist ultimately cause him to grow ill and slowly lose his mind while attempting to complete the requiem, which plays out very much like a grandiose dark opera, ending with his untimely death at the age of 35. Salieri’s obsession and deceit leading to Mozart’s death, leave him spiraling into his own form of madness for the rest of his life, and maybe even feeling a tinge of guilt. Forman’s Amadeus is a breathtaking, divine tragedy.

Tom Hulce as Mozart in AMADEUS. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Image not representative of 4K UHD.

The production design of Amadeus is immaculate and the costumes are lavish. The film was shot on location in Prague, which, in the ‘80s, gave the illusion of going back to the 18^th century, with Hulce conducting as Mozart in the Count Nostitz Theatre where the composer actually debuted Don Giovanni, which is featured in a grand, pivotal sequence in the movie. Amadeus is surprisingly funny at times, while also utilizing some incredible gothic imagery, making the film a compelling blend of genres. The spectacular score is the result of Forman consulting with Mozart expert Neville Marriner, who insisted on authenticity, and it shows.

L-R: Tom Hulce as Mozart and F. Murray Abraham as Salieri in AMADEUS. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Image not representative of 4K UHD.

Amadeus is a beautifully exhilarating, outrageous feast for the eyes and ears. The 4K restoration perfectly preserves the gorgeous look and sound of the theatrical cut of a timeless masterpiece.

The special features on the Blu-ray include a wonderful new commentary with cast and crew, The Making of Amadeus, as well as Amadeus: The Making of a Masterpiece.

Amadeus Special Features:

• *NEW* The Making of Amadeus
• Amadeus: The Making of a Masterpiece

Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray and digital February 25^th, 2025.

For more information, head to the official Warner Bros. Pictures Amadeus webpage.

Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews, streaming

Tags: 4K UHD, adaptation, Alexander Pushkin, Amadeus, Charles Kay, Christine Ebersole, drama, Elizabeth Berridge, F. Murray Abraham, history, home release, home video, Jeffrey Jones, Miloš Forman, Music, Orion Pictures, Peter Shaffer, remaster, Roy Dotrice, Simon Callow, The Saul Zaentz Company, Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment, Tom Hulce, Warner Bros. Pictures