Sketchism

After about 2 months of postponing it, I finally found the time and energy to watch Peter Shaffer’s and Milos Forman’s award winning movie Amadeus. I finishing an online test for my psychology class and I figured I deserved a treat. Relaxed in my bed I watched the film, surprised at the lack of a dvd menu in the beginning.

Must be one of those types of dvds, I figured. But wait, no credits? Hmm… must be ahead of its time.

The characters quickly developed and I noticed that Mozart was already writing his famous last piece “Dies Ire”. I remembered immediately my days in middle school when we performed it for the annual competitions. My teacher taught us that Mozart wrote this final piece on his deathbed. I guess the film is one of those types that reveals the end first and then shows the story and then brings you back to the end so it all finally makes sense. (see: Memento, Snatch, Eternal Sunshine)

Anyways, the movie came to an abrupt end and I found myself thinking, Wow, that was awefully short. As I was putting the dvd back into its envelope I noticed the time on the envelope read 2 hours and 40 minutes. That sure didn’t feel so long. It was then that I realized I had put the dvd on Side B. Nice one.

Watching the ending of the film first put certain things in perspective for me:

(a) I’m a dork. (b) Salieri’s anger towards God, Mozart, and himself was a lot more complicated than I thought. (c) Two hours and forty minutes will definitely feel like two hours and forty minutes. (d) Wolfie’s genius was a lot more complicated than I thought.

Awesome film. Go watch it if you have an appreciation for music and two hours and forty minutes to spare.