Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49620 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-10-22
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: PAL
• Original language: French
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 360 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Memories of past adaptations of the Alexandre Dumas novel inevitably hover over this Count of Monte Cristo, a four-part French mini series from 1998. Yet despite a rocky beginning, this lengthy costume adventure, starring Gérard Depardieu as the vengeful Dantès, is absolutely mesmerising in its own way.

Rich in detail and overlapping subplots, strikingly handsome in art direction without getting ostentatious, this particular Count comes to life after Dantès escapes his lengthy incarceration in solitary confinement. Fans of the story know what comes next: Dantès makes his way to an uninhabited island off Italy, where he locates a vast treasure he has heard about. His sudden, phenomenal wealth gives him the means to reward allies, punish enemies and become an architect of events without anyone knowing who's behind them. While Dantès' mind is bent on destroying those who betrayed him, his deeper nature causes him to perform a vast amount of good as well.

Depardieu's big, beefy, clean-shaven self is not exactly the right fit, initially, for a character supposedly subsisting on thin soup for 18 years. He quickly assumes the central role with one of his most knowing and subtle performances, ingeniously painting Dantès as a man who has exchanged one sort of prison for another, the latter his own hatred. The sharp, engaging screenplay is by Didier Decoin (The Chambermaid on the Titanic), and the production is directed with flashes of bold inventiveness by Josée Dayan.--Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Special Features
DVD 9
French
Region 0
Moving Menus
Episode Summaries With Video Clips
Production Notes
Gerard Depardieu Filmography
Ornella Multi Filmography
English

Synopsis
Alexandre Dumas' THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO follows the adventures of Edmond Dantes (Gerard Depardieu), a 19th-century French version of James Bond or Batman, a rich, ruthless, and suave purveyor of homemade justice. This French production goes all out, having the destinction of being the first filmed version of the newly restored unabridged version of Dumas' classic, which runs about 800 pages. The movie was filmed all over Europe, has a cast of thousands where even the extras are big names, and, with an original running time of more than six hours, doesn't leave out any detail from the celebrated novel.

Customer Reviews

A Unique Mini-Series!!!
I first saw this mini-series living in France when it was on national TV. Everyone was talking about it, its was on all the chat shows and in the newspapers, and when I saw it I knew why - it was completely gripping! Great acting, great camera work, great production quality, beautiful scenery and location, great editing, directing and most imporantly amazingly convincing acting by a huge cast.

It's Gerard Dep's best performance by absolute miles, its as if he's lived all his life just for this role.

If you're a fan of the book or Dumas' other books you will love this, if you're a fan of a gripping and fascinating story you'll love it, and if you like period pieces or drama, you will love it. If you're bored of the same repeats on TV you could do no better in buying an entertaingin DVD than to get this.

Far far FAR better than the 2002 Guy Pierce remake. Its in a whole other league.

Fantastic adaptation of a classic tale of revenge
When I saw this, I thought "hmm, another French film with Gérard Dépardieu, is there a French production that DOESN'T involve him in some way?" But I have to say that he is perfect for this part. After 18 years in jail, the innocent Edmond Dantès styles himself as the Count of Monte Cristo, in order to seek revenge against the so-called friends who betrayed him years before, using his vast wealth, a number of disguises and remarkable ingenuity to mastermind their spectacular downfalls. Brooding, vengeful and frightening with his enemies, loyal and gentle to his friends, Dépardieu as the Count is central to this production. But this is by no means a one man show.
There is a whole kaleidoscope of characters as the story unfolds, some comic, like the scrounging Caderousse, others scheming and suave, such as the dastardly Villefort, and a host of others. If you like costume drama, this will not disappoint, as the women flounce in beautiful dresses around huge and ornate houses, the men strut in their impeccable waistcoats and top hats, and in the background, horse-drawn carriages ferry the rich and privileged past the hungry, dirty peasants. There is mystery, betrayal, suffering, trickery, clandestine romance, scheming, exotic locations, murder, kidnapping, regret, love, execution, financial skulduggery, redemption - you name it, it appears in Dumas's classic tale. Even the subtitles are good, in the unenviable task of conveying the complexity of the story, and it is certainly more atmospheric to hear the words in French - I can't imagine Dépardieu or any of this production dubbed into English!
I can't recommend this video highly enough if you feel like a few hours of Napoleonic intrigue and escapism, all set to a beautifully haunting and dramatic score.
Fantastic.

Romantic Adventure at it's best!
Ever since reading the novel many years ago I've been searching for an accurate adaptation to either TV or Film. Many years ago the BBC mini-series captured it beautifully with the unique English actor Alan Badel in the lead role as the enigmatic 'Monte Cristo' Since then everything has disappointed and some have shown only cursory respect for the original novel. Then along comes this version which is simply wonderful! Following the original storyline as closely as possible, within the time frame, and featuring superb casting, great camera, sound etc., Depardieu et. al. bring this story truly to life with its complexity of plot, suspenseful romance, fascinating characters - and all backed by a great music track which carries us magically from one scene to another!
Thoroughly recommended!