The books of Alaxandre Dumas

[Eorl the Young]

I've read two books of Alexandre Dumas: the three muskettiers and hsi version of Robin Hood and I loved them both! As soon as it's available in the library and as soon as I've finished the Sil, I'm gonna read "the Count of .... " (what was that name again? Ahhrgg I can't rmember it! this is sooo embarasing) anyway does anyone like his books as much as I do or even more (or if you hate it). Let's see if we can get an interesting discussion about: Robin, the count or anyother of his characters and stories.

[Caligula]

Do you mean the Count of Monte Cristo?? Was that Dumas??

Well, I saw a stage production of The Three Musketeers. Before the show, I was whining and griping about not wanting to see the show (for reasons I will not mention). But, I must admit, it was incredible. Sure, it wasn't exactly the book- like it started with Dumas telling the audience why he wrote the book, and throughout the show, Dumas would be narrating, and the cast would follow what he said (which was cool when he stuttered or had writer's block- the characters would stare and yell at him, and there was even a scene they had to 'redo' because Dumas, while narrating, accidentally had the heroes killed off- they did everything in reverse until Dumas said they could stop.... it was fun).

I hope that made any sense to you.

So recap- I haven't read any of the books, but saw a production of The Three Musketeers, which I liked. Perhaps during the summer I'll read The Three Musketeers, which is only 26 school days away!! I have way too much homework right now for leisure reading.

[Amoraq]

Yeah, The Count of Monte Cristo. I loved that book! I saw a movie they made of that book...they really wrecked it by completeing changing the story.

I read the Three Musketeers, but I liked the Count of Monte Cristo better. That might be because I could only get the sbridged version of the three musketeers though...

[Eorl the Young]

That's a really funny play you saw Caligula! And I'm certain Dumas wrote The Count of Monte Cristo, but maybe it's just his version of the famous story. I'm really gonna read when I have the time.

[Lintefaniel]

Yes, Dumas wrote Count. It's my fav of all classics. I have seen several stage productions of Three Musketeers and even a production of The Count of Monte Cristo. They were the same director but his own interpretation of the stories. He started the stories in the middle and not at the beginning. Focusing the on another aspect of the story rather then revenge (Cristo) or honor(Musketeers). They were both superb productions. But the books are far better....

[Amoraq]

The books are always better. The movie that was made of Count last year was really bad though IMO.

[Lintefaniel]

It followed the storyline identical...and it could have been better but I enjoyed the action if nothing else...;)

[Mirkgirl]

Well I was in love with Duma's work few years ago... that particullary meant the Three Muskettiers and one other book I can't name for my life right now... I even searched to buy the last part of the Three Muskettiers ("20years later"?)... I never thught it'll be that hard to find such a book... I managed at last ofc... now it just gathers dust... blame it on my online time ;)

The Count of MC was something I read for school the last year... It was beautiful (at least it seemed so during the night I spend reading it before the class - never managed to break this habit) I decided to reread it soon after this... I found it quite naive for some reason... maybe I should give it a chance again sometime... or at least return it to the library heh

[Amoraq]

heh, you prolly should return it Mirky. :)

Naive? I thought it was a very nice work. Kind of...well, rather brutal in the way the Count just went around seeking vengeance on everybody, but I really enjoyed. *shrug* I like that type of book sometimes.

[Ereinion]

Fheeeww...I just knew there had to be a Dumas thread around here...:whoohoo: I really love his work.... I've spent my entire childhood reading his books.... The first time I read The Queen Margot, I've read for hours, non-stop....Finished it that same day :grin: That is definitly my fav Dumas book!

[Windwater Elf]

I have read The Three Musketeers, The Count Of Monte Cristo and The Man In The Iron Mask many years ago and my favourite is the last one. I would definitely recommend it to all of you fans of this author.

[Ereinion]

I've read them all too...I just love the way he writes,so full of hystorical things and characters....

[Melain]

I really like his books, The Three Muskateers was one of my favorite. I agree with Amoraq though The Count of Monte Cristo was a very good book, but the movie totally destroyed it, it did that with The Man in the Iron Mask as well.

[Ereinion]

Depends what movie your talking about, Melain. I saw a wonderful French movie once, I wish I remembered who was in it, but it's an old movie, and it was absolutely amazing! Exactly like in the book!
The Man in the Iron Mask was to Holywood-ish for my taste too... Just imagine identical twins, each from a different father! :o
You should read The Queen Margot... Amazing piece of literature...And Fourty Five Guardsmen too!
I can easily name Dumas as my favorite writer ever.... Tolkien would come second....

[Tig]

I've read Fernande, which I thought was lovely (has anyone else read that one?), and I saw the movie Queen Margot last May and have been trying to find the book since then - no luck though. :(

[Ereinion]

I wanna see that movie sooooo much....You're lucky....:grin: But the book is always better! Goodluck finding it!:thumbs:

[Gwaihir]

The Count of Monte Cristo (the book) is one of my favorite classics of all time! It:s so well written! I haven't seen the movie but I have heard that it is nothing like the book.

[Ereinion]

There's an old French mini-series that is just like the book.. I wish I remembered who's in it....:(

[Mirkgirl]

There is a movie (no idea who is in it though)... we got to see it when we were studying the book, it's not too good but it's interesting to see it on screen... I don't remember much of it, but it wasn't that different from the book

[Elendur]

.. quite a few movies made over the years most have been iffy.. I saw a French one too.. I think it was in two or three parts.. don't know if that was the same one.. but it was quite good. I actually thought the last one was not bad as the darker side to Dantes character was somewhat better explored.. however the book was great.
The three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask were also old favourites.. a little sad thought !:thumbs:

[Crinblanca]

In fact "The count of Montecristo" is one of my favs stories and books:thumbs:
This great story has been copy a thousand times in opera soups etc, but the original is the original

About the movie "Montecristo"
The movie was made totaly for the masses I think, they changed the story in order to make it easier and fast and with the "Happy ending" everybody likes. I Liked this movie, for enterteinment.
Also remember another movie with Richard Chamberlain, I think that one was more faithful to the original story.
:faramir:

[Mirkgirl]

Has anyone seen the two-part Hallmark movie "La femme Musketeer" (I mistyped something or everything here)... anyway I saw it couple of weeks ago and quite liked it... actually it made me want to reread the "Three Musketeers" ever since and I finally started last night... need to say that I stayed up almost till the morning and got just a couple of hours of slep... now being 10pm I have serious problems keeping my eyes open lol Someone hide the book from me tonight lol

[Melain]

Don't get me wrong the movie was a good movie, I absolutely loved Guy Peirde in it, but it was nothing like the book. I am now highly interested in seeing this french movie though.

[Mirkgirl]

I didn't claim that it's anything like the book... just that it kept enough from the spirit to make me enjoy it and remember that I want to reread the original (:

[Ereinion]

Originally posted by Mirkgirl
Has anyone seen the two-part Hallmark movie "La femme Musketeer" (I mistyped something or everything here)... anyway I saw it couple of weeks ago and quite liked it... actually it made me want to reread the "Three Musketeers" ever since and I finally started last night... need to say that I stayed up almost till the morning and got just a couple of hours of slep... now being 10pm I have serious problems keeping my eyes open lol Someone hide the book from me tonight lol

I saw it! Twice! It's such a great movie! The actors are really great and funny!
And it's not supposed to be like the book, but something like "three musketeers - the next generation".

By the way, Mirkgirl, are you reading it in Bulgarian or in English? If in Bulgarian, is the translation any good?

[Mirkgirl]

yup... that's why it's better than the movies on the original I think... it could be written for screen without hurting the idea of the book as such, basicaly, doesn't exist (:

It's funny you ask this as I was looking at the english edition in the bookstore for quite a while, but what stops me is that it's a translation as well, after all the original is french... and the bulgarian translation is good

[Ereinion]

:duh: Totally forgot it's French.... lol

The first time I read it was in Russian, and the translation was really good, but the Hebrew translation absolutely *use your imagination*...

[Lady Luthien]

I just wanted to say I thought the Movie of Count of Monte Cristo was brilliant...I'm not sure how similar it was the the book because I haven't read it yet...I'm planning to...but I do highly reccomend the movie ;)
Also...did Dumas write this book in the time period it took place in (early 1800's) or did he write it of that era from a different time period?

[Mirkgirl]

If I remember right from my literature lessons, he was born 1800-1810 and lived about 60-70 years, dying after going as a war correspondent to some war. Other thing I remember was that he was part negro (his grandma I think) and the first one (and most successful) in the european literature.

"Queen Margot" "Count MC" and "3 M" were simultaneously published in papers part by part... meaning every day he should have one part of all the 3 stories ready... to manage that, Dumas was hiring unknown authors and students... in the morning he'd tell them the ideas and by the evening he'd have the parts ready, read them, correct them, rewrite them if needed before giving them to the papers. Not too long after that his method was revealed in one french paper and it was a grand scandal. To save his backside he fleed to Russia.

Actually if you read carefully you can find quite a lot of mistakes in The Musketeers (I hate myself sometimes, why can't I enjoy a book without finding those) but it doesn't make the book any less enjoyable.

[Úcenite]

Originally posted by
Depends what movie your talking about, Melain. I saw a wonderful French movie once, I wish I remembered who was in it, but it's an old movie, and it was absolutely amazing! Exactly like in the book!.
Well I saw a 3part mini on TV with Gerárd Depardieu, "Le Comte de Monte Cristo" wich I liked very much couse was similar to the book.

The first Dumas book I read was The Lady of the Camellias and then The Count of Monte Cristo....love them both very much[. Haven`t read The musketeers, yet.

[Forfirith]

I've read the 2 principal books of Dumas.."Les trois Mousquetaires" and "Le comte de Monte Cristo"..I cant remember how you say it in english....Of course i've read them in frenhc..And this books are really briliant...I loved them...But there're a bit long so i cannot read them often...lol