“COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO”

 Retold numerous times, Alexandre Dumas’ “THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO” is such a timeless tale, that Director Kevin Reynolds has proven with the newest version of it, that it can be revitalized again. 

 Jim Cavaziel plays Edmund Dantes, an ordinary man trying his hardest to get ahead in a world that only honors nobility.  In a unique updating of the famous tale, the film’s opening has Dantes and his best friend, Fernand meeting Napoleon during his exile. Napoleon gives Dantes a message to deliver for him.  Unbeknownst to Dantes, this message will be used to unjustly accuse him of treason.  Worse, the man behind this accusation is none other than Fernand, jealous of Dantes’ relationship with his beautiful fiancé, Mercedes. 

 Dantes is sent away to a horrible prison on a desolate, cliff-ridden island, with no hope for freedom or rescue, until he meets a neighboring prisoner, played by the great Richard Harris.  The two develop a great friendship and the fellow prisoner, Abbe, not only provides the means for him to escape, but also the location of a huge, stolen treasure, hidden far away from discovery. When Dantes finds this treasure, he begins to plan his revenge on those that have wronged him.

 “THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO” is pure, fantastic entertainment, from beginning to end!  It’s undoubtedly Kevin Reynold’s best film, and it provides great cinematography, editing, writing, acting, music and everything else that used to be common in the heyday of great Hollywood films.

BUENA VISTA has preserved the correct 1.85:1 aspect ratio with 16:9 enhancement.  It’s a demonstration quality transfer!  There’s incredible resolution and depth in every scene.  Colors are rich throughout.  Contrast is also flawless, offering some of the deepest blacks and grays that we’ve ever seen.  Fleshtones are perfectly natural. 

BUENA VISTA has provided a DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1 mix. While surrounds are used for effects on occasion, they’re used mostly to boost the wonderful score, as well as ambient effects.  There are various directional effects presented in the front soundstage. Dialogue is always intelligible and free from distortion.

BUENA VISTA has also included numerous supplements for this release.

Director Kevin Reynolds offers a running commentary, focusing on numerous aspects of the film’s production, from development to editing and more! It’s a great track for aspiring filmmakers, but also entertaining on its own.

“AN EPIC REBORN” is a documentary exploring Dumas’ novels, the film adaptation process, the production design, and the fight sequences.

“EN GARDE: MULTI-ANGLE DAILIES” is narrated by Reynolds, as we learn how two different angles were used to create the film’s climatic swordfight.

“LAYER BY LAYER: SOUND DESIGN” demonstrates how the audio tracks are created, utilizing samples of differing tracks, e.g. Sound effects only, music only, etc.

And, there is also a “DELETED SCENES” segment, made up of four deleted scenes, with optional commentary from Reynolds and the film’s editor, explaining why they were cut.

For those wanting to ensure their equipment is set for the best performance, BUENA VISTA has even included a “THX” optimizer/video test section!