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The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite books. I love the sprawling disparate characters and plotlines, and how as the book goes on, each seemingly random plotline or character links up until everything comes together in the end. Back when electronic devices couldn't be on during flights, it was the book I brought for plane reading because I knew I wouldn't finish it before I got to my destination. I still remember reading it as the plane pulled away from the gate at O'Hare, being utterly engrossed, and not realizing until the flight attendant's announcement that we had been parked on the tarmac for 45 minutes waiting for our turn to take off.
So when the Masterpiece adaptation showed up on PBS, I watched it with anticipation and hesitation. Would this do justice to one of my favorite books, or would I be shouting at my screen?
Turns out, yes to both.
( episode-by-episode notes )
On balance, I think this adaptation does a decent job of conveying the theme of revenge and when it goes too far. The casting is great; Mikkel Boe Følsgard in particular is very right for Villefort, and Nicholas Maupas does a good job of portraying Albert's transition from carefree boy to chastened young man. And the costumes and sets are excellent; I have a much better mental image of the Carnval scenes now. I don't agree with all the choices the showrunners made to compress a sprawling novel with a bazillion characters and over-the-top plotlines into eight hours and a reasonably sized cast, especially when adding plotlines that aren't in the book. But the visuals are excellent, and overall I found it worth watching.
(Still, WTF, EPISODE 3???)
So when the Masterpiece adaptation showed up on PBS, I watched it with anticipation and hesitation. Would this do justice to one of my favorite books, or would I be shouting at my screen?
Turns out, yes to both.
( episode-by-episode notes )
On balance, I think this adaptation does a decent job of conveying the theme of revenge and when it goes too far. The casting is great; Mikkel Boe Følsgard in particular is very right for Villefort, and Nicholas Maupas does a good job of portraying Albert's transition from carefree boy to chastened young man. And the costumes and sets are excellent; I have a much better mental image of the Carnval scenes now. I don't agree with all the choices the showrunners made to compress a sprawling novel with a bazillion characters and over-the-top plotlines into eight hours and a reasonably sized cast, especially when adding plotlines that aren't in the book. But the visuals are excellent, and overall I found it worth watching.
(Still, WTF, EPISODE 3???)
