I rarely post, but I have to weigh in, belatedly, on the "Amadeus"
discussion.  In 1984, when the film was released, I was in my early 30s
and split my listening time between classical and rock.  I had no time
for opera, having absorbed all of the common prejudices against it.

Being interested in Mozart's instrumental music, I went to see the movie.
The opera sequences intrigued me.  I was thinking "I hate opera, but this
IS Mozart's music, so I guess I should look into this." I slowly began
to experiment here and there.  Some I liked, some I didn't.  Eventually
though, all the walls came down and I was listening to everything.  Now,
I love it all - German, Italian, French, Russian - and the pleasure that
I get every day from opera is indescribable.

My point is, that despite its historical inaccuracies (which I discovered
later), Amadeus for me was the doorway to a new world.  I consider myself
very lucky to have seen that film at the time that I did.

John Schmitt
Philadelphia, PA