Adapting The Three Musketeers by Dr Andrew Watts

2026-01-26 11:56:56 UTC

The story framework is flexible and can adapt to the aesthetics of different eras (such as the action spectacles of silent films in 1921 and modern special effects scenes in 2023) and the expression of values.

2026-01-26 11:57:24 UTC

Recognisable story, lots of opportunity to take it in different directions and focus on different parts of the story. It's an 800 page novel so different directors can choose which scenes to include/leave out.

this is classic artwork， people can accept it easily.

2026-01-26 11:58:08 UTC

2026-01-26 11:58:30 UTC

My favorite is the Barbie version, which holds a cherished place in my childhood memories🥹

2026-01-26 11:58:46 UTC

People love french men with eyeliner and moustaches

2026-01-26 12:00:08 UTC

This is because it combines narrative flexibility, iconic characters, and enduring themes that translate easily across periods, cultures, and media.

2026-01-26 12:00:10 UTC

I think each version had its own charm and was evocative of the time period it was created in. I especially liked the second one visually, but found the most recent one easier to understand in terms of plot.

2026-01-26 12:00:22 UTC

The protagonist being in a hurry and upsetting the three musketeers at the same time

2026-01-26 12:00:30 UTC

We liked the first one the most because we enjoyed the more comedic take on it and because it was silent there were lots of opportunities for physical comedy.

2026-01-26 12:00:53 UTC

the story of the three musketeers is so classic and completed, it has mature construction with outstanding personalities of four main characters, and the human virtues will be accepted by people regardless of their historical context

2026-01-26 12:01:15 UTC

its a classic novel and it has deep means to explore

2026-01-26 12:01:18 UTC

Because it is classic, the plot is interesting

2026-01-26 12:01:47 UTC

They are always swordsmen, I thought they would have muskets but I guess not

2026-01-26 12:02:04 UTC

I like the 2023 version, because of the BGM and the handsome actor.

I like the last one to be more engaging as it is actually very compatible to my vieweing approach the colour saturation, the music and quality of video is captivating.

2026-01-26 12:02:12 UTC

2026-01-26 12:02:13 UTC

Key elements of drama, comedy and romance translates well across different adaptations

2026-01-26 12:03:14 UTC

Friendship, courage love, and loyalty

2026-01-26 12:03:23 UTC

From white and black to colorful, the image quality has been improved. Moreover, its shot sizes has also been delivered.

2026-01-26 12:03:41 UTC

The Versions have changed along with the technology and the ability that we have access to in the film and media world. Along side the need from the audience playing on more comical features in the first adaptation to a serious and grand tone in the last.

The first version or the original version of three musketeers got so much recognition that creating the later versions did not need much marketing strategies and audience recognition to make money.

2026-01-26 12:04:08 UTC

2026-01-26 12:04:15 UTC

I prefer the second version; the plot is more coherent and logical, with some humour thrown in, and the overall style of the scene is more satisfying.

2026-01-26 12:04:18 UTC

The third adaptation seemed more focused, but suffers from the same anaemia all current films do where the colour graders seem to avoid any colour that isn't brown

2026-01-26 12:04:21 UTC

I like the third version, I think the scene and the background music is the best one.

2026-01-26 12:04:32 UTC

The stair scene is in all of them and cements his role as underdog.

2026-01-26 12:04:39 UTC

I prefer the most recent adaptation because its expansive visual landscapes and carefully designed background music enhance immersion, drawing the audience more fully into the narrative world.

2026-01-26 12:04:42 UTC

Timeless Adventure & Friendship: Its core themes of loyalty, camaraderie, and swashbuckling adventure resonate across generations, making it universally appealing.
Flexibility of Tone: The story balances action, humor, romance, and political intrigue, allowing it to be reimagined as a serious drama, a lighthearted comedy, or even a modern parody.
Iconic Characters: D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis are memorable archetypes whose personalities and dynamics can be updated to fit new cultural contexts.
Enduring Source Material: Alexandre Dumas’ original novel is a classic of literature, ensuring a built-in audience and ongoing cultural relevance.

2026-01-26 12:04:55 UTC

It can be seen that with the development of science and technology, the movie picture began to have color and sound. The plots of these pictures are very similar, but compared with these three fragments, the earliest movie looks more like a slide, inserting words into the short plot. In the last fragment, the scene looks more grand, and there are also props such as muskets.

2026-01-26 12:04:56 UTC

I like the second part because compared with the third one, some of its plot adaptations are not particularly exaggerated

2026-01-26 12:04:57 UTC

With an attractive story and dramatic conflicts, it can adapt to different eras and cultural backgrounds.

2026-01-26 12:05:09 UTC

The first two focused more on the comedic elements and the clumsiness of the protagonist that led to him offending the three musketeers whereas the last one had a more awe-inspiring or vibe and elements of grandeur

2026-01-26 12:05:45 UTC

The main difference I’d say it’s how the king of musketeers interacted with Artagnan. The first two versions, he was expected, whereas the last one Artagnan followed the captain to have some words with him

2026-01-26 12:05:56 UTC

The second version has the brightest colours, and the third version has the richest soundtrack.

The known,

2026-01-26 12:06:23 UTC

while people enjoy elements of surprise and redirection adaptations can offer, audiences to a degree stick to the known and recognisable. It’s ensured that they will enjoy to some extent what they view and can align their expectations accordingly.

2026-01-26 12:06:43 UTC

I like the first one because I seldom see pantomime. Pantomime is rarely seen in today's era, and it attracts me more. Besides, the background music of the first one is also very beautiful.

2026-01-26 12:06:52 UTC

This novel has been adapted again and again because it’s simply so easy to work with.

It has fighting, adventure, romance, and court intrigue—audiences can understand it instantly, and it doesn’t easily become outdated.

Barbie and Three Musketeers

2026-01-26 12:07:07 UTC

Even though the Barbie version deviates a lot from the original plot, I think it has a really positive impact on the younger generation especially girls. It basically transforms a traditionally male-dominated story into a story about female power. Deconstructed the original heroic story of men.

2026-01-26 12:07:18 UTC

differences：film tone and narrative rhythm

2026-01-26 12:07:42 UTC

The first one is almost entirely set in one setting whereas with modern technology and more funding, the other two explore the surrounding area and brings the story more to life.

2026-01-26 12:07:47 UTC

The 1973 version. It balances action and wit really well—the characters feel lively and human, and the humor makes the friendships stand out without losing the adventure.

2026-01-26 12:07:52 UTC

I feel that an aspect that has been left out is the one where in the text, the Captain was suspicious of the protagonist's behaviour and advised him not to rush after the traitor or avenge himself

2026-01-26 12:08:18 UTC

The first and second one, he was acting more clumsy, but the third one he had a more direct personality

2026-01-26 12:08:41 UTC

The enduring allure of romantic heroism

2026-01-26 12:09:00 UTC

It is a classic IP with a timeless story that can be interpreted differently and endowed with new meanings in various eras. Additionally, it is highly lucrative to adapt classsic IP.

2026-01-26 12:09:14 UTC

I saw the fans make before in short video, not professional but entertainment

2026-01-26 12:10:18 UTC

Although I am not familiar with these two actors, the performance of the actors in 1973 is more life-oriented than that of the actors in 1921, probably because there is sound in the picture. The performance of the actors in 1921 seems to be closer to the performance of stage plays and plays, and they will show their emotions more exaggeratedly.

2026-01-26 12:10:19 UTC

The main character’s goal to join musketeers, the difficulties and the challenges and the two men he came across in the chasing way.

2026-01-26 12:10:48 UTC

2023.

There is no excessive entertainment, but through the calm rhythm and delicate character portrayal, Dardanian's ambition and uneasiness, Treville's majesty and transparency are more layered, which not only retains the core of the original work, but also has the immersion of modern films.

2026-01-26 12:11:15 UTC

The Three Musketeers make quite a few appearances/features in different video games

2026-01-26 12:11:29 UTC

I like the first version because the intertitle format feels quite novel to me, and with subtitles, it’s easier to follow.

2026-01-26 12:11:34 UTC

D'artagnan becomes manlier in each depiction, more assurance and self-efficacy. Fitting more into the model of a typical heroic male rather than the comedic underdog we see in the previous one (mainly the silent one). This lends itself more to the serious tone of the 2023 movie.

2026-01-26 12:12:14 UTC

The main part kept and shown in the cinematic adaptations were D'Artagnan's meeting and conversation with M. de Treville, which is the most important event in this chapter (followed by D'Artagnan's pursuit of the thief who stole his letter in the text). The silent film adaptation shows part of de Treville's interaction with the three Musketeers before he talks to D'Artagnan, but this is less focused on in the more recent adaptations.

2026-01-26 12:12:46 UTC

One reason may be that the original novel is widely loved, making it appealing to adapt for new audiences.

2026-01-26 12:13:15 UTC

Similarities: All three versions present a broadly similar plot and narrative structure,

Differences:

1. The transition to sound introduces dialogue, music, and sound effects.

2. White and black film to colour film.

3. Subtitles

2026-01-26 12:13:30 UTC

I think the obvious key element is that the protagonist always bumps into people when he runs out of the building to chase people. In the process, he bumps into two people and apologizes to them one after another, and then agrees on the time to meet. But in the latest version of the movie, the process is extended because the building is too big, and it weakens the plot of the protagonist entering the room to meet the master.

2026-01-26 12:14:14 UTC

I had the storybook version of the Barbie adaptation when I was younger : ) Since it was aimed at young girls and adapted from the movie, it was accompanied by lively illustrations which made it very appealing for me at the time. I could still animate/"see" the scenes in my head based on the stills and descriptions in the book.

2026-01-26 12:15:04 UTC

In the silent movie, D'Artagnan has to be more expressive and melodramatic because we don't have access to speech or an inner monologue. This adds to the comedic element of the movie.

2026-01-26 12:15:42 UTC

Similarities

Each adaptation shows the world of the musketeers in a visual form, usually through lively tavern or courtyard scenes.

Differences

The 1921 silent film relies on exaggerated physical comedy and dramatic action; the 1973 version balances cold humour with adventure plot; the 2023 film focusses on rough modern action drama, with more tense plot.

2026-01-26 12:16:19 UTC

Similarities:

The same plot pusher.

Differences:

Camera expression and director scheduling.

The 20’s version use more fixed camera expression and simple decorado.

While the 70 and 23’s version are more proficient in using photography techniques such as pushing, pulling, shaking and falling.

2026-01-26 12:17:42 UTC

Only the men on the stairs really made a lasting impression (other than D'artagnan) because they are intrinsically useful to understanding his character; The way D'artagnan interacts with them helps us to see how the director wants us to view him.

2026-01-26 12:19:15 UTC

The 1973 version stands out for its character-driven humour and more historically grounded costumes, reflecting the adaptation style of its era.

2026-01-26 12:19:18 UTC

For the 2023 one, I'd keep the grandeur of the shots portraying the musketeers training but would show more of the protagonist's clumsiness in the beginning so that him running into the musketeers later would make more sense. Since he is portrayed as very serious unlike the protagonists in the older adaptations, his encounter with the musketeers make a little less sense perhaps

2026-01-26 12:20:00 UTC

I liked the pacing and presentation of the most recent film adaptation most, because it conveyed a more serious but invigorated tone, which I feel suits the story. So I would probably approach this sequence similarly, rather than giving it more comedic effects/pacing.

I would probably still keep the conversation between D'Artagnan and de Treville in his office/chambers to translate the setting from the book more "accurately", but also to add more focus/importance on this specific interaction. Rather than it being a brief chat while the two characters are walking.

2026-01-26 12:20:50 UTC

I would make them women

2026-01-26 12:21:05 UTC

I haven't read the book so I'm not entirely sure which areas would be my primary focus. The stair scene seems a key focus in each so I would linger on that a bit more maybe.

2026-01-26 12:21:21 UTC

I will try to set the protagonist as a good person who is lost at first. At first, he wanted to join the Musketeer because of his own selfishness. The other three have their own shortcomings, such as being timid and reckless and magnifying these points.

2026-01-26 12:21:51 UTC

The little cat from shrek 2

2026-01-26 12:22:05 UTC

Puss in Boots: The Three Diablos was my first introduction to the story

2026-01-26 12:33:18 UTC

Across all three versions, this sequence emphasises friendship, honour and courage, showing how conflict can lead to mutual respect and unity.