NEW SCENES MOSTLY MOZART, TOTALLY CAPTIVATING.

Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor

IT WOULD BE tempting to say that the added 20 minutes in ``Amadeus: Director's Cut'' constituted ``too many notes.'' Curiously, though, the 1984 winner of eight Oscars, including best picture, neither benefits nor suffers from the addition of the footage.

Based on the play by Peter Shaffer, who also wrote the screenplay, ``Amadeus'' is part murder mystery and part metaphysical meditation. ``A fantasia based on fact,'' as Shaffer put it, the story revolves around whether the great composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce) was driven to an early death by a jealous rival, Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham, in a best-actor Oscar-winning performance).

That Mozart, portrayed in the film and play as a brazen, childish vulgarian, has been given more talent than he, drives the pious Salieri to the brink of insanity.

``From now on, we are enemies, you and I,'' says Salieri, addressing a crucifix, ``because you choose for your instrument a boastful, lustful, smutty, infantile boy and give me only the ability to recognize the incarnation.''

There is more of this debate on God's role in genius in Shaffer's play than in the movie, which - for plot's sake - seems to be driven more by Salieri's need for revenge against his rival and, in turn, his creator.

But the triumph of the Milos Foreman-directed film ultimately was the integration of Mozart's glorious music into the story, such as when the slightly drunk composer walks down a street accompanied by his music, which mirrors the rhythm of the 18th-century Viennese street, or in the elaborate stagings of his operas like ``The Magic Flute'' (currently being staged by the L.A. Opera).

Luckily, the one thing that the additional footage does deliver is more music, which was conducted and supervised by Sir Neville Mariner. According to Saul Zaentz, the producer, this new version was the original cut, before Forman trimmed it for commercial reasons.

For the most part, the casual observer might not notice the dramatic differences. For fans of the film, most of the changes were obvious, particularly the brief moment of nudity that occurs in which Salieri has blackmailed Mozart's wife, Constanza (Elizabeth Berridge). And indeed, Constanza's part has been expanded, deepening her character. Some of the other scenes involve Salieri's talks to God, which are much more prevalent in the play.

As for that ``too many notes'' reference, it takes place after the performance of Mozart's early opera ``Seduction From the Seraglio,'' when the Emperor Joseph II (wonderfully played by Jeffrey Jones) tells the composer what is wrong with the piece. ``Just cut a few, and it will be perfect,'' he advises. ``Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?'' responds a sarcastic Mozart. No, there aren't too many notes here. Even a longer ``Amadeus'' feels and looks just right.

AMADEUS - Four stars

(R: brief nudity)

Starring: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Simon Callow, Roy Dotrice, Jeffrey Jones, Cynthia Nixon and Kenneth McMillan.

Director: Milos Forman.

Running time: 3 hr. 8 min.

Playing: The Arclight in Hollywood and Laemmle's Monica in Santa Monica.