434. GREAT CINEMA ADAPTATIONS: AMADEUS

Peter Josyph via Zoom

Peter Shaffer's award-winning 1979 play imagines a rivalry between two 18th century composers: Mozart, an ungraceful, unequalled genius; and Salieri, a well-bred, extremely envious lesser talent. For Miloš Forman's 1984 film, Forman and Shaffer essentially rewrote the play. Largely shot on location in Prague, it stars F. Murray Abraham as Salieri; Tom Hulce as Mozart; and Elizabeth Berridge as Mozart's wife Constanze. The film won eight Oscars, four BAFTAs, and four Golden Globes. Our discussions will include major differences between the play and the screenplay; the degree of obligation biographical fiction owes to historical fact; and the themes of envy and revenge that abide throughout Western literature

1:00-2:00 p.m. / 1:00-2:30 p.m.                                                                                  2 Sessions Thursdays, Jan. 23 and Jan. 30                                                                             Fee:  $50

 [A Zoom link will be sent to you prior to each session, typically on the day before your class and the morning of your class.  If you have any questions or need help getting online, feel free to call us at 516-480-5733 and we’ll get right back to you with assistance.]

ABOUT THE LECTURER

Peter Josyph is an author, actor, director, and filmmaker whose films include: Liberty Street: Alive at Ground Zero; Acting Cormac McCarthy: The Making of Billy Bob Thorton’s All the Pretty Horses; Shakespeare In New York: The Sonnets; and A Few Things Basquiat Did in School. His books include: Adventures in Reading Cormac McCarthy; What One Man Said to Another, Talks with Richard Seltzer; and, The Wounded River, which was chosen as a New York Times Notable Book. He also excels in literary and film criticism.