I guess what set the tone straight from the start was the DVD menu. The two clearest options to take on the main menu was for sound settings.
Growing up surrounded by classical music, sadly, has not made me any kind of expert on Mozart, or opera, or music at all. I only know if I enjoy what I hear - I would not be able to say why. Which is probably why the film has seemingly addressed my very position, for Salieri, so wonderfully portrayed by F. Murray Abraham, did indeed helpfully speak for my mediocrity with his anguished recognition of genius.
While the music inevitably consumed the senses, pulling at emotions and moods in a way that has always been beyond my understanding, what struck me about this movie, what gave me that funny, fluttering feeling in my stomach that good movies tend to give me, was this overwhelming sense of passion.
It is the passion Abraham gave as the old Salieri - with only a piano and a mad man's monologue to work with. It is the passion of Mozart portrayed, as he fights for the purity of his work, believing in every single note he writes, putting so much of himself into his music that writing a requiem itself is too much... and yet, he is far from perfect. He has a ridiculously comical laugh, is an alcoholic, and is reckless with his money. But none of his childish ways matter. His most bitter rival is reduced to joyous reverence as he records Mozart's vision, finally able to see the genius working before his very eyes. At that moment, the rivalry is forgotten, pride is forgotten, wretched personal injustice is set aside as these two men come together in their genuine love and passion for music - truly great music.
It is the same passion, I think, that put the sound setting as the main option on the DVD.
It all comes together as one package. One sweeping experience. For what little I know of music, it struck the chords of my own passions. I wish to feel the same conviction with my own work as Mozart did; I wish to learn from Salieri's tragedy to avoid my own; and I thank God for the gift that I would know my passions at all.
On a light side note, there is a young Cynthia Nixon that blew me away with her small yet demanding role as the spying maidservant... I thought I recognised her but I wasn't sure where from, but wow. Maybe I should start watching Sex and the City... haha
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