Daniel Wolf wrote:
I think it may say something about the real state of affairs in
education in the humanties today that the film _Amadeus_, even in a
civil discussion among musicians, is immediately labeled a "film about
Mozart", when it is nothing of the sort.
Both the stage play and the film-- and the title is the giveaway -- is a
study in the love of God, loving God, and of a creator's unequal and
inexplicable assignments of worldly gifts. The play and film have
indeed instrumentalised aspects of some historical figures and events --
throwing in a number of fictional elements for good measure -- but an
educated audience should be able to figure that out.
However, I honestly don't know what is more alarming: the broad public
misperception of the work, or the persistent complaints from musicians
and musical academics about the play and film for lack of historical
accuracy, a standard that the author (and, subsequently, filmmakers) had
no interest in meeting.
Daniel Wolf
Wow, cool, that one went right over my head. and everybody I know who
has seen either the play or the movie.
So this brings up an aesthetic question:
When the entire world (or practically the entire world) misses such a
subtle point about the real point a work of art is trying to make, whose
fault is it, the creator's or the public's?
I think that if what Daniel is saying is the real point of the play and
the movie, then the author and the directors and the producers missed by
a mile.
--
David H. Bailey
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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