Amadeus is a 1984 American period biographical drama film directed by Miloš Forman and adapted by Peter Shaffer from his 1979 stage play of the same name, starring F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce. Described by Shaffer as a "fantasia on [a real-life] theme", and originally inspired by Alexander Pushkin's 1830 play Mozart and Salieri, the film imagines a bitter rivalry between two of Vienna's most eminent composers of the 18th century: the supremely gifted Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Hulce) and the politically connected Antonio Salieri (Abraham). Over the course of the film, Salieri struggles to reconcile his professional admiration of Mozart with his personal hatred for the man, and resolves to ruin Mozart's career to avenge himself against God.
Amadeus was released by Orion Pictures on September 19, 1984, thirteen days after its world premiere in Los Angeles on September 6, 1984. Upon release, it received widespread acclaim and was a box office hit, grossing over $90 million. Amadeus was nominated for 53 awards and received 40, including eight Academy Awards (including Best Picture and Best Director), four BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globe Awards (including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director), and a Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film. Abraham and Hulce were both nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, with Abraham winning. As of 2024, Amadeus was the most recent film to receive multiple Best Actor nominations. In 1998, the American Film Institute ranked it 53rd on its 100 Years... 100 Movies list. In 2019, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The 97th Oscars was held on Sunday, March 2, 2025. This event presents the winners of Best Picture through the years. Which winner is your favorite?