#bille august

[haveyouseenthismovie-poll]

Have you seen Les Misérables (1998)?

Yes

No

Haven’t even heard of this movie

Voting ended onSep 13, 2025

[tyronepowerbottom]

Lars Simonsen and Adam Tønsberg in Twist and Shout, 1984 Director: Bille August

[mzannthropy]

Another good The Count of Monte Cristo series video from PBS Masterpiece, this time concerning their filming locations.

[thishadoscarbuzz]

390 - Les Miserables (1998)

We're back after our May Miniseries and it's Tonys week! Rather than a musical, we're talking about a movie that disappointed in part because it wasn't a big screen version of the Broadway smash... In 1998, director Bille August brought a condensed version of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables to the screen. With Liam Neeson headlining as the legendary man imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread, Jean Valjean, the film is a hyper focused version of Hugo's sprawl that is nevertheless a droning bore.

This episode, we talk about August's two Palme d'Or wins and what this story loses by focusing so closely on only the Valjean/Javert storyline. We also talk about Neeson's period between his sole Oscar nomination and becoming an action star, Geoffrey Rush cementing his typecast here, and Uma Thurman back-to-back misfires in Batman and Robin and The Avengers.

Topics also include this year's Cannes, Shine as forgotten Oscar winner, and Claire Danes backbackback again.

The 1998 Academy Awards

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[oldshrewsburyian]

Get To Know You -- I was tagged by @tinydooms ages ago

Reading: Rashomon Gate, by I.J. Parker. I also am making incremental progress in Sanam Mahloudji's The Persians, which is good, but the changing POV and non-linear timeline slow my momentum

Last Series Watched: Bille August's adaptation of Le Comte de Monte Cristo, about which I have somewhat mixed feelings. More specifically, this is the 3rd adaptation project of this director's about which I have said: "Wow! visually stunning! does not really capture the thematic richness of the book!" Would love to talk about it with people, though. And Jeremy Irons' Abbé Faria did make me cry.

Last Film: I'm in the comfort-rewatch phase of the end of the semester, recently featuring The Court Jester

Last Song: Florence + The Machine, "Kraken"

Sweet or Salty: Salty

Coffee or Tea: Tea

Working on: Now that my grades are in, I really need to give serious attention to the house and garden

Tagging, with no obligation: @kivrin, @shredsandpatches, @to-the-fishies

[blake-ritson-love]

The Count of Monte Cristo - international airdates - List to be updated

The Count of Monte Cristo is a new adaptation of Alexander Dumas's titular classic story, with 8 episodes, each about 50 minutes long. The series is an European co-production, directed by Bille August and starring an international cast.

• France - As Le Comte de Monte-Cristo on France Télévisions - Some sites, including IMDb, state December 11, 2024 as the French premiere date, but this seems like incorrect information.

• Switzerland - As Le Comte de Monte-Cristo on December 15 on RTS 1, airing two episodes consecutively

• Sweden - As Greven av Monte Cristo December 18, 2024 on SVT - The whole series will be available on SVT Play in Sweden. The SVT website also hosts the first English-language teaser (which is viewable worldwide).

• Italy - as Il Conte di Monte Cristo on Rai 1, no official airdate yet, but multiple sites are stating January 13, 2025

• Denmark - as Greven af Monte Cristo, the full series will be released online on December 20 on DRTV.

• UK - 2025 on BBC, according to Hollywood Spy.

So far, there's no information on any US broadcast.

[msclaritea]

Given all the stale, regurgitated crap coming out of Hollywood, there are some pieces they will never get right, or refuse to. Last year, Hollywood produced over 40% Reboots/Remakes/Sequels, so it takes a very good production of something that's been done before, to hold interest. I recently found it, in the new The Count of Monte Cristo, directed by Bille August, produced by Mediawan with Palomar in Italy, and starring Sam Claflin as Edmond Dantes/The Count. The series is so fresh, with just enough Modernizing to make it relatable, while still feeling classic. I enjoyed all of the characters, but especially those on The Count's team; Caderousse and Jacopo.

The pros:

Claflin is very believable, showing anguish, obsession, and cold calculation. His being a Character actor, I had to look Claflin up, and while I think I'll avoid some of the stuff he's done in the past, I am not surprised he played the Sailor who falls for the Mermaid in The Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

The production approaches Race in a very adult, realistic manner. Of course France had Black residents, so this post-America France rings true.

I have to mention the Opera, which Communists in the Film Industry have been targeting, using little tools like Timothy Chalamet, to target things like Ballet.. I take personal offense to that. Nearly every art form we have started out as a creation from the Poor; a needed outlet or way to put food on the table. Unfortunately, the Wealth class takes over and ruins nearly everything, and just because THEY do not wish others to benefit, they either gatekeep or destroy it. I took singing lessons as a teen. My teacher used to have me practice Operatic pieces. There is something actually calming and definitely Heart-opening about Opera music. It requires developing discipline which anyone would benefit from, and you don't have to be rich. You don't even have to speak the Language you sing, although, it does encourage learning it. The Count of Monte Cristo rightly uses Opera as another character, matching pieces with scenes, very well.

Con: Just one. I wish this version of The Count of Monte Cristo had been in the theater. It's deserving. The tension holds all the way through to the final episode.

[geekcavepodcast]

The Count of Monte Cristo Trailer

Edmond Dantès is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned without trial in an island fortress off Marseille, France. Dantès escapes and discovers an immense treasure. Under the identity of The Count of Monte Cristo, Dantès infiltrates high society to find the men who framed him and have his revenge.

The Count of Monte Cristo, based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas, stars Sam Claflin (Edmond Dantès / The Count of Monte Cristo), Ana Girardot (Mercedes), Jeremy Irons (Abbé Faria), and Blake Ritson (Danglars). The series is directed by Bille August.

The Count of Monte Cristo streams with PBS Passport on March 1, 2026. The series will then premiere on TV on Masterpiece PBS on March 22, 2026.