William Wyler's Oscar-winning BEN-HUR (1959), produced by Sam Zimbalist (who died of a heart attack near the end of filming) and based on a best-selling late 19th Century novel by Lew Wallace, is one hell of a movie experience.Watching a brand-new, pristine camera negative copy, I could not believe that the opening Nativity scene and the Resurrection finale were the same movie.There is just so much here.This remake of the 1925 silent epic, runs 3 hours and 45 minutes, including powerful roadshow bookend music by Miklos Rozsa.It takes its leisurely time in telling the story of a Jew (Charlton Heston) and a Roman (Stephen Boyd), raised as best friends, who become bitter enemies in the Holy Land of Jesus Christ's life.Director Wyler was always known as a painstaking perfectionist who would exhaust cast and crew by doing take after take after take of every scene.But the result for the audience is enthralling.Wyler had never made a Biblical epic before and wanted to work in every genre; his BEN-HUR is the one with a literate brain.It is hard to believe it had major writing problems, multiple writers, and scenes written the night before they would be filmed.It flows beautifully and is continually engrossing, despite its near four hour length.The cast is impeccable, including Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell, Jack Hawkins, lovely Haya Harareet, and Oscar winner Hugh Griffith.
If you are looking for the sea battle (directed by Andrew Marton), it is about 70 minutes into part one.If you are seeking out the greatest chariot race in movie history (choreographed and directed by Yakima Canutt), it is about ten minutes after the intermission.The Christ scenes are handled with taste and subtlety; we see only his back or his hand and never hear his voice.In fact, non-Christians might have a difficult time understanding what is going on in those scenes with Jesus, including an impressive Sermon on the Mount near the movie's end.The art direction and costumes are absolutely gorgeous, and Robert Surtees' use of ultra wide-screen Camera 65 is masterful.Most of all, Miklos Rozsa contributes the music score of a lifetime.Everyone won Oscars for their distinguished work.No wonder this BEN-HUR won eleven Oscars the same year as SOME LIKE IT HOT, NORTH BY NORTHWEST, and ANATOMY OF A MURDER.It is a masterpiece.The audio commentary, by scholar and author Gene Hatcher and Mr. Heston, is thoughtful and insightful.
The 1925 silent version, starring Ramon Novarro as Ben-Hur and Francis X. Bushman as Messala, is on disk three of the new and magnificentfour disk set.In some ways it is even more impressive than the remake.Novarro and Bushman give performances of a lifetime, the 143 minute length is a good 75 minutes shorter than the 1959 version, the color tinting is very beautiful, the sea battle and chariot race are sensationally good by any standards, and the silent version has far more Jesus Christ scenes and in two-color Technicolor.Carl Davis' orchestra score is outstanding, as always.
The disk four bonuses include two major documentaries, one for the 1994 tape version and one brand-new for this 2005 DVD restoration.We also get "BEN-HUR: A JOURNEY THROUGH PICTURES", several 1959 movie theatrical trailers, and a gallery of vintage newsreels heralding the arrival and covering the premiere of the lavish remake in 1959.This $40 DVD set is a work of art and deserves a place in every library, even if it takes you a while to see all four disks of material.Amazon.com has it for $30, not much more than the cost of a family of four going out to a new movie at night.With both the 1925 and 1959 versions included in flawless prints, this DVD set gets my highest recommendation.
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Product Description:
After his boyhood friend Messala's fanatic loyalty to Rome makes him a powerful enemy, Judah Ben-Hur is found guilty of an attempted murder he did not commit.His family is banished and he is enslaved on a warship.Through his ferocity in a raging sea battle, he is able to escape and become a horse trainer.To exact his revenge, Ben-Hur decides to compete against Messala in the Roman chariot races.They race, locked in a battle to the death.Barely surviving, Ben-Hur forsakes the sword for Christ and finally finds redemption.Winner of a record 11 Academy Award, including Best Picture and Actor (Charlton Heston).
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