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Thread: Count of Monte Cristo

  1. #1
    Sarahrose
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    Count of Monte Cristo

    I am one of those people who never got around to reading the book until after I had seen the new movie. When I finished the book-which I had been glued to and finished in two days- I felt like burning my DVD of the Count of Monte Cristo. The movie screen writers must have been mentaly impaired to massacre the book as they did! <br> I loved the way the book was always moving, it was never dull for a second. Many people seem to think that the book was too long and too complex with the many characters, but I thought that made it all the better. When it was over I was dissapointed, not by the story, but by the fact that I was finished reading it. I have to admit being a little dissapointed that Mercedes and Edmond don't end up together, and that Edmond and his friends end up seperated, but really I was not expecting the book to end the way it did (again Hollywood's fault!) and so I was actually pleasantly surprised to be surprised. I don't think the book could have been any better than exactly as it is. The bottom line is that it is an exellent book, and I will no doubt read it several more times before tiring of it.

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    To Sarahrose

    Hiya Sarahrose...

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this..I enjoyed reading them!

    I totally agree with your thoughts even though I havent as yet read the book. I am still awaiting its arrival. It is a shame that the movie writers didnt put the effort into getting the story right. It appears that they have made it simply another 'revenge' story, which is obviously not it's full potential.

    I had been told that there really was a Edmond Dontes and that Alexandres rediction of his story was the true story. I wonder if anyone can confirm or deny its reality for me?

    Either way, I look forward to reading it as soon as it arrives!

    cheers
    Nycki

  3. #3
    tireless Northern Wind's Avatar
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    Nycki: Yes, its a true story of a french shoemaker!
    Sarahrose: When Duma wrote his books it was required that the text is long enought to be published! Other intresting theory is that Alexander Duma had a lot of so called "secretaries" that wrote also in his books! Even one other writer (who was angry because duma didn't accepped him to work on his books) wrote the book "The trade house Alexander Duma" (not sure if the name is correct.

    About the story on itself - I'm rereading it atm and I must say it's still very intresting. I havent seen the movie, but I doubt they got the idea, many other films made by books are junk (If you want an example, I can give it rightaway)
    Every time you bow you change your view..

  4. #4
    gnothi seauton Eva Marina's Avatar
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    I read the book before I saw the movie, and I appreciate both of them but not as the same piece of work, if that makes any sense. Though, having read the book first and thoroughly enjoying it, it's my favorite out of the two. The book was filled with characters that were just an absolute pleasure to read about. I mean, you really get a sense of how everything and the characters really came together after Dantes is stuck in prison. I feel bad that Edmond and Mercedes didn't reunite afterwards, but it was a nice deviance showing how each of them accepted the world they live in now. Personally, I think my favorite two characters in the book were Maximilian and maybe Valentine, although it has been a while since I've read the book. But I don't think either of the 'characters' appeared in the movie (Valentine did, but she was Villefort's wife instead of his daughter, I think). So there are enough differences between the two that I really can't judge them as the same piece of work but I can value them as different ones.
    "Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without." --Buddah

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    this is definitely my favourite book. it is also my sole inspiration to write my own story, which i'm currently writing.

    regarding edmond and mercedes, i'm actually glad they didn't end up together. had i gone through all of that, i would've played it no different. that is to say, however, that i was still surprised at the outcome because i expected them to reunite.

    about the rest of Dumas' works, i'd take any true stories with a very light grain of salt. for instance, in his series "The Three Musketeers," although based on true characters and many true events, based on historical biographical facts, D'Artagnan and Athos probably never knew each other in real life. It's called Historical fiction. most of what he writes are his own inventions, though they may be written in honor of real people with the same name, and include real life events (e.g. Napoleon), but to say that they were even based on true stories would be a stretch. (Though many events within the stories may very well be based on true stories themselves.)

    for those who's read the same novel more than once, is it truly worth it? i've been debating on whether or not i should read Monte Cristo again for awhile.

    ps. eva, your sig quotes one of my favorite german songs!

  6. #6
    I have read The Count of Monte Cristo over 10 times in the last 6 years. It gets better each time. Even now, I still find things that I had missed.

    Back to the original post, you must keep in mind that if you were to do a full movie adaptation of the book, that didn't lose anything, it would be five or six hours long. They have to edit it. Even if it means that the movie ends up horrible.

    Overall the book was nicely paced. The only part I didn't like was the drug enduced frenzie with Sinbad and Franz. It was very annoying and added very little the story after all.

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    I agree with you Sarahrose when you said that the movie is messed up. I saw the movie first and then read the book. I was very surprised by the ending of the book and the plot itself being so different from the film. But now if I had to choose, I would select the book over the film. I, too was disapointed the first I read the book to find out that Edmund and Mercedes don't end up together, but I think it still turned out great! And you just never get tired of the story. I have read the original unabridged text three times so far and have enjoyed every bit!

  8. #8
    Registered User kiki1982's Avatar
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    In France they made a mini series of it in 5 episodes of an hour. They almost didn't loose anything and it was excellent, although they did change the end so that Edmond and Mercédès end up together. Maybe that was just because they wanted people to be surpised when they read it...

    On the hollywood version: I remember watching it because it was on tv and I new it was short, so I didn't expect much of it... After an hour they were still stuck in prison, so I thought: 'Bloody hell, when is he finally going to escape?' And then it went very fast...
    I thought they missed the whole point of the book and they changed it to a melodrama... Dumas and his ghost writers turn over in their grave, I think...
    Indeed, Lord of de View, it is too difficult to fit all of this story in a film of moderate proportions. It would be too short for the viewer to understand the complex plot.

    About the book: indeed it was of a good spead. The only bit that annoyed me and caused me to drop the book for about a month and only read a few pages at the time (I thought I was never to finish that part, and it was only 50 pages) was the story the owner of the hotel in Rome told Albert and Franz, about the history of Luigi Vampa. Maybe that was not in the translations though, but praise yourself happy, then. It was boring and useless... When the book picked up spead towards the end I was almost glued to the book. I even wished my lessons to finish so, I could read on... And knowing that absolutely never happens to me... If that is not a compliment to Dumas!
    One has to laugh before being happy, because otherwise one risks to die before having laughed.

    "Je crains [...] que l'âme ne se vide à ces passe-temps vains, et que le fin du fin ne soit la fin des fins." (Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac, Acte III, Scène VII)

  9. #9
    I didn't mind the part about Vampa, but the whole drug induced part with Franz and Sinbad in Monte Cristo was boring. It added very little to the story.

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    Most of Dumas books have some historical base, he himself, said that he was bored of actual history.

  11. #11
    Registered User kiki1982's Avatar
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    Yes, that's why he actually had a fellow writer who had been a hisotory teacher to co-write The three Musketeers. He didn't like to put a lot of time into research.
    One has to laugh before being happy, because otherwise one risks to die before having laughed.

    "Je crains [...] que l'âme ne se vide à ces passe-temps vains, et que le fin du fin ne soit la fin des fins." (Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac, Acte III, Scène VII)

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    The book is really thought-provoking. It shows examples that the consequences of one’s actions can be quite inexpectable. I mean in the result of revenge, not only guilty, but innocent people may suffer. E.g. Monte-Cristo revenged Ferdnand, and in the outcome Mercedes and Albert became hard up.
    I like the adventures and the surprising coincidences, for instance, the moment, when Benedetto turned out to arrive at the same hotel where Eugenie and Louise lived, and there are many such unexpectable moments.
    Reading about abbé Faria’s efforts to obtain freedom, his industry and clearness of mind, - it all really cheered me up. I saw that even in prison, that seems to be desperate situation, a person may not give up. As for his philosophical statements, I don’t know how to regard some of them, maybe, they are really wise.
    Quote Originally Posted by Eva Marina View Post
    I think my favorite two characters in the book were Maximilian and maybe Valentine.
    I also like these characters, though some people who have read the book say that this plotline was too sentimental. I sympathized these characters and wished them overcome all the obstacles to their love. I liked Noirtier who helped Maximilien and Valentine, for his strong will and inventiveness.
    In my opinion, there are some episodes in the book, that are too long or not necessary, these are: Franz’s hallucinations after taking drugs, the story of Louigi Vampa.
    As for films, I suppose, it’s difficult to show all the story, so the most important extracts are chosen. I’ve seen a soviet film (1988) to my mind, the main characters and events are reproduced in this film, and the director’s decisions are interesting.

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