Sound Editing in "Amadeus"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses sound editing in the movie "Amadeus". Background sounds and music are shown to be used to signal shifts in time or location, or to help guide the viewer's attention to the most important feature of the scene. The absence of sound is used as well. Examples from the film are given to demonstrate these tools.

From the Paper:

"The movie opens with the sounds of Antonio Salieri's attempted suicide, after he shouts his confession that he contrived to make Mozart die. The suicide attempt is experienced auditorally only his confession, his scream, his fall to the floor. This pivotal opening action in the movie occurs only by sound effects. This is a foreshadow of just how important sound effects will be in this movie.

"In a scene shortly following that one, a priest enters the madhouse. As he moves through, the piano can barely be heard, gradually becoming louder, under the sounds of the inmates. The sound of the piano, which plays ordinary and pedantic music compared to Mozart's, demonstrates Salieri's frustration at his comparative lack of talent, and sets up the scene with the priest where Salieri tries to get the priest to recognize at least one of his pieces."

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• Analytical Essay # 144375 : "Symbolism in Peter Shaffer's "Amadeus"

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