This TV miniseries is made up of four episodes, each of which takes an hour and a half, the average time for a feature film. The story is well known and the script, therefore, does not need any kind of introduction or introduction. The quality of this adaptation is reasonably good, although I have some criticisms to point out. The first and most significant is how little attention the series pays to the events that precede Dantes' release from prison. To understand the story well, it is almost mandatory to read the original book, or an abridged version of the work, because the miniseries assumes that everyone knows the story. It's not something pleasant, and it becomes almost unacceptable in an adaptation that consumes so much time, with its almost six hours of total duration. A lot of information comes to us by flashback and almost the entire period in prison is reduced to ten minutes. The way in which Dantés and Abbot Faria know each other is never shown, Caderousse is a character that we will only see after Dantés' release and we never see Mercedes until Monte Cristo arrives in Paris. And if Villefort's and Mondego's motivations are clear, we never understand what Danglars could have gained in betraying that naive sailor.
The miniseries is French, and the central core of its cast is also of this nationality: in the leading role, Gerard Depardieu does a very satisfying job, perhaps one of the happiest of his long career, which makes him one of the best known actors. French people today. Jean Rochefort was elegant and sober as Fernand Mondego and Pierre Arditi sounds pleasantly sinister in the role of Prosecutor Villefort. Ornella Muti looks elegant but somewhat bland like Mercedes. We still have good performances from Georges Moustaki, Michael Aumont, Sergio Rubini, Florence Darel and Stanislas Merhar.
On a technical level, the series makes good use of the selected sets and filming locations, and brings us good costumes and an atmosphere that breathes authenticity and historical verisimilitude. It also has a pleasant and elegant cinematography, which is unusual on TV and with some sense and aesthetics of a cinematographic work. The soundtrack, by Bruno Coulais, does an excellent job and stays in the ear.
The miniseries is French, and the central core of its cast is also of this nationality: in the leading role, Gerard Depardieu does a very satisfying job, perhaps one of the happiest of his long career, which makes him one of the best known actors. French people today. Jean Rochefort was elegant and sober as Fernand Mondego and Pierre Arditi sounds pleasantly sinister in the role of Prosecutor Villefort. Ornella Muti looks elegant but somewhat bland like Mercedes. We still have good performances from Georges Moustaki, Michael Aumont, Sergio Rubini, Florence Darel and Stanislas Merhar.
On a technical level, the series makes good use of the selected sets and filming locations, and brings us good costumes and an atmosphere that breathes authenticity and historical verisimilitude. It also has a pleasant and elegant cinematography, which is unusual on TV and with some sense and aesthetics of a cinematographic work. The soundtrack, by Bruno Coulais, does an excellent job and stays in the ear.