Count of Monte Cristo (1 Viewer)

[Steve_Tk]

DVDfile says anamorphic widescreen.

 

[Frank ten Hove]

Allow me to post that I can confirm that the street date is Sept. 10th...not the 3rd as posted above.

Oops sorry!:b DVDReview is my #1 source for DVD info and I didn't look any further on other sites! Sorry again!

 

[Willem Vos]

from amazon:
DVD Features:
Commentary by Kevin Reynolds
Theatrical trailer(s)
The Pen (feature on Alexandre Dumas)
Adapting A Classic (screenwriting feature)
The Napoleonic World (production design feature)
The Clash Of Steel (fight choreography feature)
Deleted Scenes
Sword Choreography
The Final Duel
Layer By Layer Sound Design
Edmonds Escape
Full-screen format
They're kidding... right?!

 

[David Lambert]

I think they're kidding. I'm looking at the Press Release for this item right this second. It says:

BURBANK, Calif., August 20, 2002 – The rousing action film THE COUNT OF
MONTE CRISTO comes to DVD (with bonus materials) and is available to rent on
VHS on September 10, from Touchstone Home Entertainment. Based on the timeless
novel by Alexandre Dumas, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO spins a classic tale of
betrayal and revenge, with a terrific cast that includes Jim Caviezel (“High Crimes,”
“Frequency”), Guy Pearce (“The Time Machine,” “Memento”) and double Oscar
nominee* Richard Harris (“Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone”). This
swashbuckling adventure will be available to own on DVD on September 10 for $29.99
DVD (S.R.P).
THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO on DVD includes the features:
Audio commentary with director Kevin Reynolds
“An Epic Reborn” making of program
“The Pen” feature on Alexandre Dumas
“Adapting A Classic” screenwriting feature
“The Napoleonic World” production design feature
Stunt choreography feature
(more)
THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO /PAGE TWO
Deleted Scenes
“En Garde” multi-angle dailies with director Kevin Reynolds commentary
Layer by layer sound design: “Edmond’s Escape”
French language track
Spanish subtitles
THX Certification
Dolby 5.1 Sound
Based on the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO
is a swashbuckling story of betrayal and revenge. Edmond Dantes (Caviezel) is betrayed
by his best friend, the villainous Fernand Mondego (Pearce) and left to die in a horrific,
isolated prison. Mondego, meanwhile, sets out to win over the disgraced Edmond’s love,
Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk, “Rock Star”) for himself. Edmond escapes his prison
with the help of a crafty fellow prisoner (Harris), and he uses a lost treasure to disguise
himself as “The Count of Monte Cristo.” With sword in hand, Edmond sets out to get
even with his enemies.
Street Date: September 10
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 formatted for 16x9 screens
Rated: “PG-13” For Adventure Violence/Swordplay And Some
Sensuality. DVD bonus features unrated.
Run Time: Approximately 131 minutes
Suggested Retail Price: $29.99
Touchstone Home Entertainment is distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment,
Inc., a recognized industry leader. Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. is the
marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood
Pictures, Miramax, Dimension and Buena Vista videocassettes and DVDs.

 

[Willem Vos]

Phew...

Thanks Dave

 

[Bryan Tuck]

My wife loved it, but after sitting through THE MUSKETEER I decided to pass. Since we will be buying the DVD, I'll be checking it out anyway.

This is a lot better than The Musketeer. I hope we're not building it up too much; it's not Citizen Kane, after all. But it is a highly entertaining, extremely well-crafted old-school swashbuckler, and I will definitely be picking up the DVD as well.

 

[Brenton]

I haven't seen the film, but it looks terrific, and I'm a fan of Jim Caviezel. Partially because he's from Mount Vernon, Washington, a twenty minute drive from my home. (This is Smalltown USA up here, so having a celebrity come from your area is big news for us).

Heh, according to my dad, my great aunt was like a mother to Caviezel's father (Jim Caviezel, Sr.), and Jim Sr. sometimes comes to family reunions. My dad also works as a barber in Mount Vernon and he cut Jim Sr's hair.:p)

This has been... The Six Degrees of Nowheresville, WA.

 

[Tim Glover]

I just recently bought this book on sale on Waldenbooks. They were having an incredible classic hardcover sale and couldn't resist. Inside the dust jacket, it states that The Count of Monte Cristo has been hailed as one of the top ten novels of all time. I haven't read it yet; did see the movie and thought it was good. Alot of similarities to Mask of Zorro. However, after I was chastised by a more literate fan stating that Zorro borrowed from Cristo, I realized he was right.

 

[BillM]

Read the book when I was a kid (13 or 14) and distinctly remember it being the first book I ever read that I couldn't put down. Loved it!!!!
I thought the movie was good, but I think my experience with the book will stale anything in comparison.
If you have a kid - give it to them one summer to read!!!

Bill

 

[Dmitry]

I thought the movie was good, but I think my experience with the book will stale anything in comparison.

I have a similar feeling. The movie was good... if I managed to completely dissociate it from the book. The book has a lot more different storylines, much deeper character development and a little less glamour to some of the characters. So if you treat the book and the movie as two completely different animals, you might like both

 

[John Chow]

That was my problem, the movie so totally desecrated the book, I was unable to disassociate the two. LOTR, on the other hand, although not 100% perfect, managed to capture the general feel/spirit of things, so I was able to disassociate movie from book.

 

[David Illingworth II]

I like the movie a lot (except for the tacked on ending), so I read the book. It was hard to find an unabridged version (all 1100 pages!), but it was worth it. Easily one of the best books I've ever read, I couldn't put it down. It's right up there with Pride and Prejudice as my favorite. I recommend any fan of the movie to check out the book, but I don't see how the movie could stick with it. You would really have to do a miniseries. Jim Caviezel is perfect as Dantes and the Count, though. If they just could have not gone with that ending . . .

 

[Ron-P]

Have yet to see this movie, but I will buy the DVD.
Peace Out~

 

[Quint van der Vaart]

I loved this movie, I am a real fan of period-time movies.
Come 10th September this will be in my collection

 

[David Illingworth II]

Though she's not in this version of the movie, I think a perfect choice for Eugenie Danglars would be Michelle Rodriguez. Beautiful but masculine. Admittedly, that's a little off-topic, but one can't help but speculate on a version which would encompass all the great characters of the book.

 

[Peter Kim]

I'm happy to see this receive more than cursory treatment on dvd. I went into this movie understanding that it was impossible to capture the exquisiteness of the book. As a result, I was able to enjoy the film as almost a distinct and autonomous work.

I read the book (and reread many times thereafter) in 6th grade. It was my first taste of literary addiction - I can attribute my myopia to reading this book under the covers for many long nights in a row.

Buy the dvd...but please, read the book afterwards. I cannot say many more things with any more conviction.

 

[andrew markworthy]

I'd urge anyone who likes the story to get the 2-disc set of the late 1990s French TV series of The Count of Monte Cristo, starring Gerard Depardieu (readily available, last time I checked, in both R1 and R2). It still takes some liberties with the book, but it's really gripping. It's also a surprisingly big-budget affair.
Incidentally, if you developed an aversion to the book by being made to read it at school/college, try it again! I hated the book when I was a kid, but found it a great read when I was older.
Incidentally, the R2 version is at budget price and even comes with a copy of the book from some retailers. Try Link Removed

 

[JulianK]

Here are the durations of some of the extras, courtesy of the BBFC (total duration, 62m):

00:04:44:24 | ACCUSED
00:06:34:21 | ACCUSED BONUS MATERIAL THE PEN
00:08:47:12 | ACCUSED BONUS MATERIAL BUILD REEL 1 W/AN EPIC RE-BORN AND DELETED SCENES
00:08:10:24 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL THE NAPOLEONIC WORLD
00:10:19:00 | ACCUSED THE CLASH OF STEEL
00:00:42:21 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL DELETED/ALTERNATE SCENES INTRODUCTION
00:02:51:19 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL DELETED/ALTERNATE SCENES FERNAND AND DANGLARS
00:02:03:00 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL DELETED/ALTERNATE SCENES THE VILLEFORTS
00:02:49:07 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL DELETED/ALTERNATE SCENES MERCEDES AND FERNAND
00:03:03:10 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL DELETED/ALTERNATE SCENES VILLEFONT'S ARREST
00:01:27:03 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL BUILD REEL 2 W/SWORD CHOREOGRAPHY & EN GARDE MULTI-ANGLES
00:01:33:11 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL SWORD CHOREOGRAPHY THE FINAL DUEL
00:02:59:24 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL EN GARDE - MULTI ANGLE DAILIES ANGLE 1 - COMPOSITE
00:02:59:24 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL EN GARDE - MULTI-ANGLE DAILIES ANGLE 2 - CAMERA A
00:02:59:24 | ACCUSED DVD BONUS MATERIAL EN GARDE - MULTI ANGLE DAILIES ANGLE 2 - CAMERA B

 

[JulianK]

It's also worth noting that the UK version of this will be cut by six seconds.

The BBFC offered Buena Vista an uncut "15" rating, but they decided instead to make cuts to a hanging scene in order to get a "PG" rating (the same rating it had for its theatrical release).

 

[Dmitry]

I'd urge anyone who likes the story to get the 2-disc set of the late 1990s French TV series of The Count of Monte Cristo, starring Gerard Depardieu

A word of caution about R1 release: it's a MAR-ed edition :frowning: