Latest news with #TheCountOfMonteCristo
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Count of Monte Cristo review – you'll have to pause every 45 seconds to shake your head at its daftness
Are you ready for some bad, fun TV made from a bad, fun book? Of course you are! It's high summer and the air is heavy with promise, so come inside, get comfy on the sofa and prepare to binge an eight-episode adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' ludicrous potboiler The Count of Monte Cristo. This series from Greg Latter and Sandro Petraglia stars Sam Claflin (last seen on the small screen being very good as the main man of the sextet in Daisy Jones and the Six) as one of the most wronged men in history, Edmond Dantès. Gosh, he goes through the mill. As do we. The two episodes available for review (there was a third, but the site kept crashing – possibly for my own protection) are extraordinary. The plot is simple enough. Wild, of course – that is what keeps you turning the 1,300 or so pages of the book – but straightforward once you realise that la credibilité is not an overarching concern. We are in France in 1815, just as Napoleon is escaping Elba and looking forward to his brief return to power. Meanwhile, our man Dantès annoys a fellow sailor, Danglars (Blake Ritson), by being promoted to captain over him. I suspect a lifetime of jokes about his name have rendered Danglars overly touchy, but it proves to be very bad luck for our hero. Because Dantès also narks a man called Fernand Mondego (Harry Taurasi) by sweeping his cousin Mercédès (Ana Girardot) off her feet when Fernand was quite looking forward to doing so himself. Danglars and Fernand duly get together to frame Dantès for treason. Thanks to the self-interest and corruption of Marseille's deputy prosecutor, Gérard de Villefort (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard), they succeed. Before you can say: 'What a trio of dirty dogs!' Dantès is chucked into a carriage and then into a cell on an island fortress, where he moulders away for 10 years with nothing but the maggots in his gruel for company. The crushing despair a man would feel, pushing him to the brink of madness and beyond is conveyed by putting Claflin in a terrible long wig. But then! He hears a tapping from the other side of his cell wall. It is the sound of Abbé Faria, played by Jeremy Irons, breaking through. The abbot shares his education and escape plan with his new best mate and they spend the next five years chipping away at the stones and mortar lying between them and freedom. Faria also works out just what dirty doggery has taken place and gives Dantès a raging thirst for vengeance, albeit one that he cannot slake until he is out of Chateau Maggotes. Alas, just as they are about to flee, the abbot has a stroke, leaving him with the strength only to give a 40-minute monologue about the origins and meaning of a scrap of parchment in his ragged pocket. It shows the location of treasure buried on the island of Monte Cristo; he bequeaths it to Dantès before carking it. Dantès puts the corpse in his own bed, sews himself into Faria's body bag and gets himself thrown off the battlements and into the sea. Liberté! There are two problems. Un, we are but a quarter of the way through this and we still have so much to cover – finding the treasure, becoming the count, fooling Parisian high society, some murders, some currency manipulations, at least one duel, some poisoning, blackmail, embezzlement and assorted other shenanigans. I fear that either the story must have been slashed to ribbons or that we will have to hurtle through at such a speed that it becomes incomprehensible. Incoherence already threatens, because of problème deux: the script. The Count of Monte Cristo requires you to pause it every 45 seconds or so to shake your head at needless utterances such as: 'If we can't get through this storm, we'll perish.' Some of it is truly unbelievable. Did Dantès really just say: 'I'd like to add two hours a day to my digging,' to his abbot friend? Did the abbot honestly ask, in wonderment at the sight of a watch Mercédès had given Dantès: 'And you've kept it all this time?' Yes, of course! What was he going to do? Lose it somewhere in his teeny tiny cell? Give it to a mouse? Chuck it out the window in a sudden passion for minimalism? (A high proportion of the performances are terrible, too, but let's be kind and blame most of that on the instructions the actors have been given.) There are enough of these howling absurdities to hobble the pacing, which needs to be fast and furious to cover Dumas' own, and to prevent the viewer from making any investment in the characters. But their stupidity brings a joy of its own. When the tech gremlins decide I am ready, I look forward to many more episodes. The Count of Monte Cristo aired on U&Drama
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Better than 10/10': Why 'perfectly cast' period drama The Count of Monte Cristo should be your weekend watch
Cancel your weekend plans and get ready for a sweeping, character-driven epic! Period drama The Count of Monte Cristo lands on our screens this Saturday, bringing the grandeur and grit of 19th century Europe to life. The U&Drama series, which was called "better than 10/10" when it first aired in Switzerland last year, is perfectly cast with Jeremy Irons and Sam Claflin playing the leads, and is the sort of series you can get lost in for hours. Many of the best period dramas are based on classic novels and The Count of Monte Cristo is no different. The eight-part series is an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's 1846 book of the same name, an adventure tale of love, betrayal and revenge. If you've never cracked open Dumas's book, it centres around young sailor Edmond Dantès (Claflin) who's falsely imprisoned, but when fellow prisoner Abbé Faria (Irons) tells him where a vast treasure is hidden, Dantès escapes, finds it and embarks on a whole new life. With Oscar-winning filmmaker Bille August on directing duty, and the series shot across Paris, Turin, Rome, and Malta, it's got must-watch written all over it. Before you tune in, here's everything you need to know about The Count of Monte Cristo, from the plot to the cast and how to watch it. What is The Count of Monte Cristo about? As we mentioned, the series is based on Alexandre Dumas's 1846 book of the same name. It's a weighty book, but here's a brief synopsis. When young sailor Edmond Dantès (Sam Claflin) is falsely accused of being a political traitor by jealous rivals, he's imprisoned on grim island fortress Château d'If. While jailed he meets fellow inmate Abbé Faria (Jeremy Irons) who reveals where some hidden treasure is buried. After a daring escape, Dantès reinvents himself as the mysterious and wealthy Count of Monte Cristo. Armed with a newfound fortune and various disguises, he sets off on a quest to exact revenge on those who wrongly accused him. Who's in the cast of The Count of Monte Cristo? The brilliant cast of The Count of Monte Cristo includes: Sam Claflin as Edmond Dantès Jeremy Irons as Abbé Faria Ana Girardot as Mercédès Harry Taurasi as Fernand Mondego Mikkel Boe Følsgaard as Gérard de Villefort Blake Ritson as Danglars Karla-Simone Spence as Haydée Reece Putinas as The Inspector Michele Riondino as Jacopo Lino Guanciale as Vampa Nicolas Maupas as Albert De Morcerf Gabriella Pession as Hermine Robin Greer as Maximilien Morrel Amaryllis August as Valentine de Villefort Bastien Fontaine-Oberto as Franz Poppy Corby-Tuech as Héloïse Ramona Von Pusch as Isabelle Greg Hughes as Boville Nell Baker as Julie Lynette Creane as Marie Tom van der Loop as a blacksmith Jason Barnett as Caderousse Nicholas Farrell as Morrel Is The Count of Monte Cristo any good? Yes, director Bille August is an Oscar-winner after all, and with the series shot between France, Italy and Malta in authentic historical settings, it gives it a really vivid, 19th century feel. It's been highly praised by Swiss and Swedish audiences and when series was released in Italy earlier this year, it became the most-watched show in three years on the country's biggest TV network. It's said to bring a modern feel to the classic, with viewers saying it gives a more nuanced portrayal of the characters than older versions have had. Jeremy Irons told Variety that 'Alexandre Dumas is a wonderful writer and this [series] feels rather topical,' adding, 'I think it has something to say about modern society: we haven't changed as people.' How can I watch The Count of Monte Cristo? Luckily, there's not long to wait before you can enjoy a bit of historical escapism. The eight-part premieres on U&Drama on Saturday 2nd August. The first episode will air at 9pm on, with every episode landing on the U and U&Drama streaming apps straight after. What other period dramas can I watch? Hungry for more historical storytelling? There's a ton of lavish period drama material to dig into, alongside well-loved classics such as The Crown and Bridgerton. We love Yorkshire rags-to-riches family saga The Hardacres, which has just been renewed for a second instalment. You can catch up on series 1 on 5. If you're looking for more juicy, soap drama with a Julian Fellowes feel, try Belgravia: The Next Chapter, a Downton-meets-Bridgerton drama that's perfect to binge. We're also marking our calendars for even more period dramas coming our way: later this year, The Forsytes, from the creators of Poldark, promises another gripping hit. And next year, keep an eye out for Dolly Alderton's fresh new take on Pride and Prejudice starring Olivia Colman and Jack Lowden. You Might Also Like The anti-ageing wonder ingredient you're missing in your skincare routine 15 dresses perfect for a summer wedding 6 items our fashion team always take on a beach holiday
Bloomberg
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
French Producer Woos Hollywood With Epic That Inspired Game of Thrones
Dimitri Rassam was destined to make movies. The son of Bond girl and Cesar-winning actor Carole Bouquet and French film producer Jean-Pierre Rassam, he's been immersed in cinema since birth. Francis Ford Coppola is his actual godfather. Last year, Rassam's The Count of Monte Cristo was one of the top-grossing films in France. Now he has big plans to produce global blockbusters in English, with a French twist.
See - Sada Elbalad
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
New "Count Of Monte Cristo" Movie in Works with Regé-Jean Page Attached to Star
Yara Sameh Regé-Jean Page is continuing to build on an already busy slate. He has signed on to star and produce "The Count Of Monte Cristo" from Department M, the independent production studio founded by industry-leading producers Mike Larocca and Michael Schaefer. Page will produce alongside his producing partner Emily Brown throgh their A Mighty Stranger banner alongside Larocca and Schaefer as well as Youtchi von Lintel via his YouRoc banner. Patrick Ness is attached to write. The original classic novel was penned by Alexandre Dumas and follows a young sailor falsely accused of treason, who, after years of imprisonment, escapes and seeks revenge against those who wronged him, ultimately becoming the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo. Hollywood has always been fond of this property with several iterations including the 2002 movie starring Guy Pearce and Jim Caviezel. For Page it gives him another fun leading man role to sink his teeth into that not only gives him an opportunity to show of those acting chops but that leading man charisma that has turned him into one of the top leading men in town today. 'Bold, adventurous storytelling with heart is the reason I got into this business, and is the backbone of everything we're making.,' Page said. 'Working alongside incredible collaborators, A Mighty Stranger is building a slate of creative-led projects that will broaden the cultural lens through pure entertainment. That's why we're so excited to be bringing The Count Of Monte Cristo to global audiences, unlocking the depths of Dumas' work in ways not seen yet.' Nomaintaed for an Emmy, as well as two Screen Actos Guild Awards, for his lead role in the smash hit of Season 1 of "Bridgerton". Page stars alongside Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett in Steven Soderbergh's film Black Bag which Focus and Universal Pictures opened this past weekend. The movie has received rave reviews from critics and audiences. Page's other credits include the Paramount movie "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves", starring alongside Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez; the Russo Brothers' "The Gray Man", also starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans; Shonda Rhimes' series 'For the People'and his breakout role as "Chicken George" in 2016 in History Channel's "Roots", the miniseries nominated for seven Emmys. Department M additional upcoming movies include "Blood On Snow", starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Benedict Cumberbatch, directed by Emmy winner Cary Joji Fukunaga, and adapted by Tony Award winner Ben Power from the crime-thriller novel by Jo Nesbø, whose books have sold over 50 million copies worldwide; and "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle", from highly acclaimed Mexican writer-director Michelle Garza Cervera, remade from the classic 1992 thriller. Von Lintel was a Co-Producer on Spotlight, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay in addition to four other nominations. Before founding YouRoc, which develops, produces, and finances director-driven projects, von Lintel spent a decade working at Participant Media. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) News Ireland Replaces Former Israeli Embassy with Palestinian Museum News Israeli PM Diagnosed with Stage 3 Prostate Cancer Lifestyle Maguy Farah Reveals 2025 Expectations for Pisces News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple
