Steve Schwartz wrote:

>If it's not historical accuracy, what is that work's excuse for
>existence?

Good entertainment that makes money.  That's what Hollywood movies are all
about (at their best).

Bob Draper wrote:

>But the trouble is that the public at large do NOT see such films in the
>context of pure fictional entertainment.  They see them as documentary
>biographies.

I don't know to what degree the public viewed the movie as historically
accurate.  But, even if it's considered totally accurate, I don't see any
harm done.

>If we want to have a more accurate representation of music which
>includes a fairer perception of the merits of composers like (for
>instance) Mahler then it is up to us to support truth in all matters
>pertaining to classical music including Hollywood movies.

How are you going to do this? Sounds like chasing windmills to me.
Hollywood movies have always played "fast and loose" with historical
accuracy, because profit takes precedence over accuracy.  You know, we are
talking about Amadeus as if there is no accuracy at all to it, and that's
simply not the case.  They got the time period right.  And, more important,
the movie represented Mozart's music as being far better than Salieri's -
that's right on target.  It is much better and certainly sounded so in the
movie.

*Truth* can be an elusive and controversial subject.  I have the distinct
feeling that Bob's idea of truth concerning Mozart's music is different
than mine.  That's fine, but it does raise the point that truth is not
always clear to one and all.

My last comment is that Amadeus is a movie.  Whether I enjoy a movie
depends on many factors: script, acting, pacing, music as it relates to
the movie, etc.  I found all the factors important to me very well done by
the movie.  So, I liked it.  There was sufficient accuracy to me to the
extent that the lack of it did not bother me at all.

I found Amadeus much better than the recent movie about Beethoven which
I thought was paced poorly and was simply a bad movie.  I couldn't even
sit through the whole thing.  Steve, what did you think of that film?

Don Satz
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