I’ve been sick with Covid this week and I legit thought that this was some kind of fever dream when I read the headline this morning that there would be a multi-part miniseries “reexamining” Amadeus. Like what else is there to examine that wasn’t already flogged to death in the 1984 film adaptation? Oh right, I forgot, we don’t have original ideas anymore, just endless remakes.
Anyway, I have crawled out from under a mountain of used Kleenexes and spent bottles of NyQuil like the deranged plague monkey that I am to compose this brief, if not unhinged, list of 5 reasons why I am not excited about the new Amadeus remake by Sky TV (with no premiere date announced yet). Expect things to get very petty, readers, because I am on a disturbing amount of cold medicine and Not in the Mood.
1) What the fuck is this promo image? This is what they decided to with? The angle is bad, the lighting is bad, the whole thing is bad. Yes, please, give me a shot straight up the actor’s nostrils. I’m so offended by this image and the fact that it’s blatantly ripping off the famous image of Tom Hulce as Mozart from the 1984 film that I almost believe it was intended to be rage bait.
2) That wig is not giving me anything good. The bad angle of the photo could be part of the issue but I’m honestly not convinced it just isn’t a shitty wig. Alright, the 1984 film had its share of bad wigs, but at least they looked styled? Not like this broccoli-cut-meets-Historical-
3) With the preponderance of decent 18th-century shows done in the last decade, you would think that there would be a glut of frock coats in costume stock that were more interesting and better fitting than this baggy bullshit.
4) CAN WE PLEASE DO AWAY WITH THE HISTORICAL 5 O’CLOCK SHADOW??? It’s not hot. It looks jarring. Stop it. We have the technology, and so did they. It’s called a razor. Look it up. It’s crazy what they can do with metal these days.
5) Do we SERIOUSLY need to remake this? Honestly? No really. It’s not so much that I love the original film, even though I do. It’s more that I would give Trystan’s undescended third testicle (the unofficial third member of Frock Flicks and our mascot) to see ANY film NOT about the low hanging fruit that is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Hell, if this was only about Salieri, I’d be all over this. But we have to stop this low-effort historical dick-sucking, because I’m bored, and it’s no longer interesting to see the same historical figures and same material remade over and over.
Heck, even this German film about Maria Anna Mozart, with objectively terrible costumes and so many egregious hairstyles that I lost count, looks WAY more interesting than another retread of Amadeus.
And now, the one reason I am actually interested in watching this show:
1) Paul Bettany.
No release date info yet on when we can expect to see this tour de force (imagine that is typed in sarcasm font), but we will let you know as soon as we know!
Tell me I’m being unfair and unduly harsh about this new Amadeus in the comments. I’ll just hiss at you from my cave of misery!
If Paul Bettany is playing Salieri, I MIGHT consider watching this. Otherwise, it’s a big no for me. Feel better, Sarah! :)
But then Paul Bettany is wearing the shitty frock coat, which is giving me stay away vibes. Maybe if I’m sick in bed and need a forgettable historic soap opera.
Good point! :)
Actors seldom get to determine their costumes. But it is Paul Bettany. I have endured several.far worse movies for him.
Unless they’re Raquel Welch or Elizabeth Taylor.
The Pickelhauben killed me in that strange German Trailer – obviously it’s something that’s just too much: “In your face!” I doubt that we will learn more about Mozart’s sister (we know exactly how she was looking). It make me remember that there was a low budget drama in European cinema located around 1800 with girls in a convent or something like that making a modern musical (for some reasons). Costumes were bad too. It’s a shame that the actor for Mozart’s father really is a great actor by the way…
Omg that horrid trailer for that other movie about Mozart’s sister …
Oh hell no! It’s like when they made that terrible remake of The Lion in Winter with Patrick Stewart and Glenn Close.
I missed that one. I’m so glad!
I am so with you.
I had a conversation with Julian Sands at UCLA about retreads being a bit like repertory theatre. People don’t necessarily object to RSC doing Othello over and over again with different casts. I suppose executives want to see the current generation’s hot actors in well known roles. Everyone here knows the deficiencies in costuming in the ‘84 film, so if there was a chance of correcting those issues (hello princess seams and no corsets under women’s bodices) mixed with an top rate cast, well, maybe a remake. But if it’s not the Peter Shaffer script, and you don’t have a cast of theatrical geniuses from extras to Paul Bettany, what’s the point. Especially when it looks like they cheaped out on the costumes. * sigh * Who is going to be able to compete with Tom Hulce as Mozart? Even a relatively minor role like Joseph II was played with droll restraint by pre-cancellation for a good reason Jeffrey Jones ( his tight little “uh huh”). The masses and masses of people in the party scene. Mozart playing piano at an outdoor concert smiling like a rock star. Choreography by Twyla Tharp – hello! Milos Forman’s Amadeus is such a gorgeous, atmospheric, well acted film – it would be difficult for any remake to live up to the original.
Why don’t they do a real biography of Mozart instead? Amadeus was and is a great play and a brilliant movie, but it isn’t the real account of his life.
I would LOVE to see a film or series about the Mozart family and his sister. now THAT would be better than Amadeus. unless Tim Curry is playing Mozart. now THAT I would have loved to see. he could play Leopold.
You’re not being unfair — it looks awful. I hope you recover quickly! Please get well soon.
Not to beat a dead horse, but the current fashion of remaking films and series that were already successful and reasonably well done is boring and frustration. We don’t really need another Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice or even a new Jane Eyre. Unless you are going all out to make something amazing with fantastic costumes and a stellar cast, STOP already. As a character in Crossing Delancey says, “Try a new hat.” Don’t just regurgitate what has been done before. Hope you feel better soon, Sarah. Take care.
Additionally, after looking up Will Sharpe, I have some concerns. I’m all for inclusion, however, casting an Asian-British actor in the role of a famous Austrian composer of who we have many pictures seems misplaced and throws me completely. Sorry if this offends. This is just too revisionist.
Actually, one of the only reason I’m intrigued about this is Will Sharpe. He’s a very good, underrated actor. I saw him in a role where he managed to make the manic pixie dream boy sympathetic and riveting (in a Giri/Haji, a show I found otherwise mediocre.) He is also way better looking than that photo.
Is your problem with Sharpe that he is British or that he is half-Asian? Tom Hulce didn’t look like the historical Mozart in terms of his features, and it didn’t bother us. Will Sharpe is surprisingly chameleon in his looks. (Look up images from Giri Haji with his hair dyed blonde. He looks completely different than when he wears it dark and longish.) He has got Mozart’s pointy chin. I’d say the set of his eyes is more like Mozart than Hulce’s are.
My impression was that this is NOT a remake of the 1984 movie, but a completely different biopic of Mozart. I hope that’s the case.
I did look Will Sharpe up before I commented. It doesn’t change my feelings at the moment. If he turns out to be good…wonderful. So I reserve any further thoughts until I see what he does.
I hope you feel better soon. The plague is really cutting a swath.
… I’m watching it just for my man Paul Bettany too.
I wasn’t impressed by the original “Amadeus”; I’d find Mozart’s relationship with his mentor and creative equal Haydn more interesting as movie material. (Although it does lack the conspiratorial-fantasy element that some enjoy in “Amadeus”–Haydn was too healthy and self-confident for that sort of thing!)
With the Mozart’s wig it looks like they were going for the looks of that “ancient aliens” dude from the memes, Giorgio Tsoukalos.
Lol, my mom and I use to watch that show! It seemed that the more his hairline receded, the bigger his hair got. :)
I was thinking more along the lines of an 18th century Lyle Lovett.