The play Amadeus was premiered in 1979 in the National Theater of London. It later attracted the attention of director Milos Forman and was transformed into a motion picture in 1984. Although very similar, the play and the movie do have their distinct differences. The reasoning for these differences is simple, and that is because a play can be viewed a somewhat of a fantasy; however, a film must seem real in order to draw the attention of viewers. A few notable differences are that Salieri is confessing to the audience in the play rather than a priest in a mental institution. Also the music played in the film was strictly Mozart and were specifically chosen to fit into each scene; although the music in the play were derived from Mozart’s work they were less meaningful in the developing of each scene. With that said, music remained the crucial part of both the play and film. Music as a symbol contributed to the creation of the climax of both the film and play, which causes Salieri to loath Mozart and ultimately leads to him committing murder.
As stated above, the major symbol for this film is music. It is a necessity for every film to have a major key element, in order to create dialog, conflict, and a connection between characters. Whether it is music, mystery, love, sport, etc. the symbol must be strong and conspicuous to the viewer. The idea of music is what connects and creates the turmoil Salieri feels toward Mozart. From the beginning of the play one understands that both characters have one passion, and that is music. One also begins to pick up that the climax or turning point of the film is created because of the introduction of Mozart’s work. One could say that the idea of music is the tool used in Amadeus to derive antagonists and protagonists, along with a plot which draws any viewer in. The music also creates yet another connection in the film. The connection built between God and Salieri, is entirely created through Salieri’s yearning to become...