Rating: 
Summary: umm...yeah.
Review: 'The Count of Monte Cristo' is my favorite book. The first time I read it, I was 13. I am 19 now and I have read the book at least 15 times. It is, in my opinion, the greatest book ever written. I have seen a few of the movie adaptations, and I was greatly disappointed. So, when I heard about this adaptation, I was really excited! 8 hours long. Surely the writer/director will be able to cover the entire book without leaving anything out. Wow. Important scenes were changed, events were left out, events that never happened in the book were added, and the ending was changed. I realize that the movie cannot include everything, but I was really disappointed. There are many things that bothered me, but I'll only name a few. Morrel does not die the day that Edmond saves him and his family. And where is Julie and Emmanuel? Bertuccio is not the Count's friend. He is his servant. Bertuccio does not convince Monte Cristo to save Albert's life. Monte Cristo does it to have someone to introduce him into Paris society. WHO is this woman that Monte Cristo is sleeping with? He buys the house in Auteill; it does not belong to some woman. Where is Eugene Danglars? Where is Villefort's son, Edward? His death in the book plays a big part. It makes Monte Cristo realize that he has taken his revenge too far. Monte Cristo does NOT, NOT, NOT end up with Mercedes in the end. He tries to start a new life with Haydee. She does NOT marry Franz d'Epinay. Anyways, most people who have read the book will probably think that it goes along with the book pretty much. It does. I just strays off when it is completely not necessary. It irritates me because I love the book so much, and I think it's perfect the way it is. But go ahead. Waste $..., like I did, on a movie that is sort of like the book.
Rating:
Summary: Not Duma...
Review: I have not seen any other versions so cannot compare them but I have read the book many times between ages 9 and 12. Despite the fact that it's been 30 years since then, I remember virtually every word and without a doubt every scene. This film reflects a desire of the director/screen writer to leave a track in literature more than attempt to pass the spirit of the book onto the viewer. Many key scenes are not included - I understand that it is impossible to include the entire novel but... - while many scenes/characters have been invented for no apparent reason. For example, at one point, Mone Cristo gets invilved in romantic relationship interrupted by arrival of the Ali's daughter. It's a totally unjustified fantazy - it does not show a new twist in character of the hero. Actually, it damages the idea of Count's preoccupation or rather obsession with his mission which Duma had managed to emphasize. Excellent actors, poor movie! Sad.
Rating: 
Summary: This is the closest thing to the book so far !
Review: I read the book 2x and seen just about every version available on film, and this is the best rendition so far. It contains Haydee (which only one other version even mentions), Caderouse's treachery (again, not seen elsewhere), and an international cast on locations throughout Europe. Thus, this version is able to get more of the European flavor that not one of other versions even comes close to. This version also does the best job of conveying the redemptive themes that Dumas includes in his classic work. Edmond Dantes has his heart turned into stone because of the betrayal of his 'friends'. This heart slowly turns back into a heart of flesh in both the book and this version in particular. The theology is not perfect, but considering standard European morals today, it is commendable. A few warnings though ! This version ends in a way the book does not ! Perilous of the writer & director to do this--but it does work fairly well. Also, much of the dialogue between the Count and Mercedes is also added--presumably to lend credence to the 'new' ending. Again, it also is done fairly well. Also, this DVD gives more flesh and character to the Count's servants, but it again works to the story's advantage. When played in France in 98-99, it became the most watched TV mini-series in French TV history. After you see it, you may understand why.~c. dorais
Rating: 
Summary: Magnifique
Review: This mini-series may not be the best adaptation from a novel, but was certainly very entertaining to watch. We purchased the DVD and watched it in three consecutive nights. In all sincerity, I could not wait to come home in the evenings to start watching it with my dear wife who enjoyed the show as much as I did, eventhough she is not a French speaker. This is an extremely well done mini series. Superb casting lead by Gerard Depardieux, minute attention to detail, and unbelievable dialogue in French. I only wish the DVD contained more extras such as making of the mini-series, and the sound and picture quality were better. Nevetheless, I immediately placed an order with Amazon.com for "Balzac", another mini-series with the same director, the majority of the cast from Monte Cristo and Gerard Depardieux.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I was impressed when I saw Gerard Depardieu in Cyrano de Bergerac. Gerard's portrayal in The Count of Monte Cristo was equally impressive. This movie was entertaining in every aspect - costumes, acting, locations, staging, and more. This is one movie you will want to watch again and again.
Rating:
Summary: the Count
Review: Gerard is a master and always at his best when he speaks his native language. This is movie making at its best. We were totally engaged through the entire series. I reccommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: You'll either love it or hate it. . .I love it!
Review: I read the Dumas books growing up and still have the paper I wrote on "The Count of Monte Cristo" from my senior year in high school. To me, Richard Chamberlain WAS the count in the 1975 TV movie. And then, in June 1999, I caught the very beginning of the remake on Bravo and was totally hooked for four nights. It was just different enough from the book that I had to see what they were going to do next. Oh, I was pathetic! I even stayed up late to watch the re-broadcasts and left work early to catch them again the next afternoon. Alas, I didn't tape them the first time around and waited six LONG months for their rebroadcast. Happily, I taped all the episodes in November. Then my husband surprised me with the DVD in June of THIS year. We watched it four nights in a row, and wouldn't you know it--Bravo showed it again the week after that and I watched it non-stop like a real addict. I can almost recite dialogue from the subtitles at this point. As you can plainly see, I am NOT the most objective reviewer here. To me, there is not another living actor anywhere in the world who brings the dedication, style, and just plain fun to the work as Gerard Depardieu. This is the first time I'd ever seen anything he's acted in, so when I first saw him in this, I thought--no way. He's wrong physically for the role. Maybe in the beginning during the prison scenes that's true--but once he's out of prison and ready to take on Europe--watch out! He can be sexy, disgusting, evil, soft-hearted, or whatever the part and the moment require. The cast around him is marvelous as well. Florence Darel is terrific as the country widow who isn't nearly as naive as she seems, and Ornella Muti sizzles throughout. Whether she's dressed up in Paris or letting down her hair in Marseilles, she's beautiful. The movie has the look and feel of artwork come to life. It was as much a feast for the eyes as the French language is for the ears. And by the way. . .I'm glad they went with subtitles rather than dubbing. When you've watched the movie as much as I have, you can just listen to it and revel in the beauty because you already know the plot. Speaking of which. . . The changes from the book didn't bother me at all. Most screenwriters do take liberties in transposing works to movies (think of Gone with the Wind) I know that several other reviewers hated that the ending was dramatically different from what Dumas wrote and probably not at all what real-life characters would have done in that situation. But as for me, I was--and still am--totally swept away by the grandeur and beauty of this production. It's made me a fan of Gerard Depardieu and also more willing to take a chance on watching foreign films with subtitles, literally opening up a whole new world of entertainment. This production would make a great activity for a literature or French course in high school or college, too. Catch it on Bravo or rent it if you're intimidated by the price of either the VHS or DVD versions. Or better yet, you can borrow my tapes where I recorded it last year. But not the DVD. It never leaves my house. No sirree:)
Rating:
Summary: Grandiose Movie
Review: Apart for this movie being a very long movie, it is superb. Gerard Depardieu plays his role with excellence, like he did in Cristophe Colombus few years ago. What really adds to this movie is the collection of great french actors who can be found in it (ex: Jean Claude Brialy, etc...). From my personal knowledge no other French movies contain such a rich array of great french actors combining their talents on one movie. This movie definetly makes Dumas story much more interesting. Who ever read Dumas novels will understand me.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Buy This!
Review: OK, whoever thinks that this adaptation is acceptable has obviously not read the book. The only thing that the mini-series has in common with the book is the title. This adaptation has deleted about half of the characters and added a few more. Those that remain are the worse off--they're made so simple and ridiculous. It's understandable that any adaptation would fall short of the book. I'd suggest buying a copy of the book and enjoy every page of it. There are much better uses of plastic than to make additional copies of this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Well done and great fun
Review: Certainly this is the best adaptation of any Dumas novel that I have seen. Although it doesn't follow the novel precisely, I felt that it accurately captured the spirit of the original, with one exception: When I read the novel I was captivated by the scenes of communication in code between Edmond and the Abbe Faria that take place while Edmond is imprisoned in the Chateau D'If. Almost all of that is omitted from the movie. On the other hand, unlike some other reviewers, I thought the change in the ending was an improvement -- in fact I think it is one that Dumas would probably have endorsed. In his time it might have been considered completely unromantic to have the hero end up with a widow in her forties who is the mother of a grown son, even if she is the love of his life, so Dumas, as I recall, has her choose, however painfully, to spend the rest of her life in a convent. In this movie, the small, but pivotal, role of Mercedes is played by Ornella Muti, who must surely be one of the world's great beauties and who, judging by this performance, is also a very capable actress. When I saw the movie, my only complaint was that she looked too young for the part. Then I learned that she was 43 when the movie was made -- exactly the age of her character. Anyway, having Edmond end up with Mercedes seemed to me much more credible than having him end up married to the nubile Haydee, who is young enough to be his daughter. Gerard Depardieu doesn't look anything like what one might imagine of the Count of Monte Cristo. However, it doesn't matter. He is a great actor, with a wonderful voice, who completely owns the part.
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