Old vs New - The Count of Monte Cristo

  Some things get better with age and other things don't.  Although the 2002 Count of Monte Cristo had a higher budget and the benefits of modern day filmmaking, I would still have to say that I enjoyed the 1934 version more.  To me, the original Count of Monte Cristo was much more entertaining because of the characters.  The Count himself was much more suave in the original, and I generally enjoyed his character much more because he seemed more virtuous and badass.  In the remake, I found the Count to be a less likeable character, for he didn't have the swashbuckling qualities that Robert Donat showed in his portrayal.  This goes for the rest of the characters as well, as while in the original they seemed much more unique and lively, while in the remake I found the supporting cast to be boring and unlikeable.  This to me, ultimatemly boiled down to the new film being too edgy for my liking.  While the original had so much character, the new version always seemed to be trying to hard to be dark.  For example, in the original the Abbe's room was very bright and exciting, while in the new version it was blander and darker.  The new film's darker tone could be attributed to it's vision of realism in comparison to the original, but I personally would still favor the original's personality over bland realism.  I was also dissapointed by the new versions conclusion, as it felt clumsy and less satisfying than the original film's.  In the original, the Count had a proper punishment for each of the antagonists, exploiting each of their deepest flaws and hubris perfectly, which was incredibly satisfying to watch.  In the new version however, it didn't feel as satisfying, for the punishments didn't feel as perfectly coordinated.  In comparison, the newer film is technically superior: the sets are more elaborate, the plot is streamlined and the budget is enormous, but all of these still can't trump the original film's undeniable charm and satisfying conclusion.