Stars: Gerard Depardieu, Ornella Muti, Jean Rochefort, Florence Darel, Pierre Arditi, Christopher Thompson, Julie Depardieu

Director: Josee Dayan

Summary: An adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas novel which follows a man's fight for justice for years of wrongful imprisonment.

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.

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Retelling a story that has made it onto the silver screen more than most, this latest adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristomakes yet another swashbuckling attempt to win over a new generation of cinema goers. A dashing James Caviezel takes the role of the Count, who is driven by a desire for revenge after being betrayed by his best friend Fernand (played by a dishevelled Guy Pearce) and landed with 16 years of solitary confinement in Chateau D'If, a damp cavernous prison. Thus the scene is set for a good old-fashioned romp.

The trouble with this "re-imagining" (to borrow a phrase from Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes) is that it's never quite sure whether to take itself seriously or not. Alexandre Dumas's original story is a traditionally melodramatic tale of deceit and double-crossing, with clear-cut bad guys and a moral lesson to be learned at the end. Here, director Kevin Reynolds appears unsure about whether to stick with tradition or bring the story up to date and turn it into a post-modern play on the old Victorian values and style. When the Count and his heavy-breathing loved one are reunited, their kiss is actually framed as a cameo. Both lead actors are also prone to heavy bouts of overacting, garnishing their performances with exaggerated baroque gestures.

Clearly this is a film in which the actors could over-indulge themselves and (almost) get away with it, were it not for the fact that--bar Richard Harris as the "Priest"--none of them seem to have the faintest idea about how to conduct themselves in a period drama. This Count of Monte Cristowill leave the audience a little confused as to whether they should cry along with the story or laugh along with the actors. --Nikki Disney

On the DVD:The Count of Monte Cristoon disc offers no escape from the dry drawl of director Kevin Reynolds, who features in almost every element of the extensive extras package. With a shy studio disclaimer before his commentary, he's got a refreshingly frank attitude to explaining a movie's making. Also included are details of the ambitious swordfight choreography, the origins and adaptation of Dumas's classic book and how the sound was developed as well as a behind-the-scenes feature on location. Quite often the footage feels like a tourism promo for Malta. The 5.1 sound mix is superbly utilised (when Reynolds isn't talking) and the transfer (1.85:1) is as pristine as you'd hope and expect. --Paul Tonks

Main Language:	French
Region:	Region 0
Special Features:	Moving Menus, Episode Summaries With Video Clips, Production Notes, Gerard Depardieu Filmography, Ornella Multi Filmography
Subtitles:	English
Year:	1998
Release Date:	October 22, 2001
Runtime:	360 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	F C D 106
Keywords:	Action, Book, Subtitled, Two, Count, General, Cristo, French, Adventure, Discs, Monte, Comte
Genre:	Action/Adventure