Today was better though. Mao informed me that Grumio, bless her, is having a party on Friday, the little Gorgon and I did get to the The Count of Monte Cristo (the anthro prof showed up with her family and sat in front of us; I considered talking loudly about the Dobe/ Ju' hoansi, then decided against it), and yes, spoilers are forthcoming.

First of all, it was not entirely faithful to the book. Naturally. But it was still very good. Very, very good. No Valentine, no Franz, no real Noirtier, no reading of the classics by Luigi Vampa (yes, I have a thing for bibliophilic bandits), no Caderousse, no Abbe Busomi, no cute little place in Auteuil (this Count apparantly has higher living standards) no Eugenie (drat), no Bertuccio (and drat, but Jacopo compensated well), no Haydee, no Ali, but I liked it. The cuts weren't so bad and fairly judicious.

So. Dantes, AKA the Time Traveler, was a initially a bit of a dolt. Really, one doesn't show up on the Isle of Elba during Napoleon's exile, fire one's pistol into the air, and yodel, "We're French sailors!" Nor does one bilssfully hop into a carriage that resembles a jail cell on wheels. I took a liking to the evil prison warden, probably due to the maniacal laugh, sadistic tendencies, and the line "God isn't usually in France this time of year." Mercedes "God is in everything-- even a kiss" Mondego aged remarkably well-- not a wrinkle or a grey hair in sixteen years; how disconcerting for poor Albert-- and was none too endearing. The whole Man in the Iron Mask element more or less disgusted me. Of course Albert, even when he is skipping through Rome like a drunken bat, is far too noble and brave to ever be the son of that wenching dirtbag Fernand, might as well make him Dantes' brat; heaven knows, the man and his new dysfunctional family could do with some closure. Danglars was frightening and astonishingly bitter; when he and Fernand, whom I also took a liking to, were drinking together, I couldn't resist turning to the little Gorgon and hissing, "Thenardier and Grantaire." They were that sort of people.

Let's see... Faria and Jacopo were both hilarious, as was Vampa, even though he didn't read. Fernand's role was a little different (that is, he was rich, and Dantes' best friend, and no one ever said a thing about him and Mercedes being related), but the boy drank and gambled and was terribly good with a sword. And Edmond's perverse discussion with Villefort in the sauna wasn't so bad either. Very nice touch with the empty gun.

All in all, excellent movie, but the book is still better.

Adieu.