Amadeus, directed by Milos Forman, is the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart seen through the eyes of Antonio Salieri who lays tortured at the mocking genius of Mozart. Milos Forman yet again shows his mastery of film-making as this film is a fantastic blend of story and style. The way that Mozart's music is described unfolds to the viewer, while Salieri's jealousey and admiration grow, has each note given purpose and beauty. Salieri's desperate way of trying to quell his fears of inadequacy is a story many artist and people in general can relate to, as someone much better comes along and proves your worst fears true. The cinematography and art direction were really strong illustrating both the pomp and squalor of 19th century Vienna. Tom Hulce's Mozart plays a perfect foil to F. Murray Abraham's Salieri with Mozart obnoxiously laughing while also passionately composing against Salieri who remains dedicated but unrewarded. Though not a perfect film, Amadeus brings a great story together executing each element with style and mastery,
Beverly Hills Cop, directed by Martin Brest, stars wise-cracking Eddie Murphy as tough Detroit cop Axel Foley who investigates the murder of his best friend in the posh Beverly Hills. Despite the fond memories and the box office acclaim, time has not been kind to this film, as it felt stale and boring and somewhat bereft of the humor that it was known for. Neither is the action strong enough to sell the film, Murphy doesn't bring an exciting action hero for us to get us invested. The story is somewhat lackluster as flimsy plot point to flimsy plot point moves Foley from place to place with little direction. Depending on if you are interested in the nostalgic feel of the 80's, this movie would be best suited for those who want to revisit the past rather than view an exciting film.
So which film did we end up choosing? The wise-cracking antics of Foley or the desperate jealousy of Salieri? Check out the next Highbrow! Lowbrow? to find out.
