Ben-Hur
|
List Price: Our Price: $13.69 You Save: $6.27 (31%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $6.19 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of Ben-Hur
Movie Review: Epic DVD for an Epic Movie
Summary: 5 Stars
Everyone knows that Ben-Hur is one of the greatest epic films of all time. The story is timeless, the acting is strong, direction is visionary, and the score is appropriately elegant. Many people have recently compared Gladiator to Ben-Hur and rightfully so. As you watch Ben-Hur, you will realize that many of the key plot points and twists match Gladiator's. Watch the chariot scene that still grips you today, and you think of The Phantom Menace's pod racing scene. Keep in mind that the story of Ben-Hur originates in the 19th century. That's how timeless and great this story is, in that movies winning Best Picture Oscars today still employ Ben-Hur's story points.As for the DVD, one will not be disappointed. They got the widescreen format perfectly proportioned to the original showing which used rare cameras to catch panoramic shots not seen today. This is a must if you want to watch Ben-Hur. If you get the chance, watch a pan-and-scan version of Ben-Hur and this DVD version. You'll not only notice the better picture/sound but also the amount of picture you miss with pan-and-scan. The difference is astonishing, and you'll wonder why you tolerated such a deprivation.
The special features on the DVD are in abundance and it's appropriate for a movie of such history. There is a Charlton Heston commentary, a making of documentary (in depth and intriguing especially when discussing the chariot scene,) photo gallery, and that rare screen test featuring The Naked Gun star, Leslie Nielson as Messala. Experience Ben-Hur properly with this DVD and see where most movies today get their ideas.
Movie Review: Ben-Hur EPIC DVD, 11 Oscars including Best Movie 1959 !!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Only a handful of motion pictures compare or even come close to this EPIC of EPIC's. (Voted as one of the greatest 100 movies of the last 100 years (1998) by the American Film Institute.Ben-Hur won 11 Oscar's in 1959 including the "Big 3", Picture, Director - William Wyler and Actor - Charleton Heston.
This widescreen digitally restored picture & full sound (stereoized) DVD version is an absolute joy to watch & listen to.
The cast was meticulously casted and proved to be the right combination to provide the drama for "General Lew Wallace's" epic story.
In summary; This story parallels the "The Story of the Christ" Wallaces actual book title of this tale.
The setting is a Roman conquered and imprisoned Judah. There is unrest & possible rebellion in the air. Judah Ben-Hur (Heston) a Jewish Prince and grown childhood friend Roman Centurian Messala (Stephen Boyd) clash with different adult views. Shortly after their falling out a serious accident occurs involving the new Roman Governor & the Hur family. Due to this accident Ben-Hur is arrested & sentenced to be Galley (slave) rower & his family is imprisoned to keep this possible rebellion from occuring. Hur promises he will return and seek Messala with a vengence.
The movie is a long interesting journey (over 3 hours)of Hur and Christ. Their paths crossing at key times in each ones life. The Sea Battle and the most famous & spectacluar 11 minute chariot race highlights this greatest of tales.
The DVD extras add to this package !! In closing a movie must for your library.
Movie Review: Bigger than Ben Hur? I don't think so!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ben Hur, William Wyler's best film, captured 11 Oscars in the year it was released. This feat remained until Titantic came along and was also matched this year by Lord of the Rings:Return of the King. I'ts easy to see why this film did so well, it is brilliant in almost every way.
For those who don't know, Ben Hur tells the tale of a young prince of Judah named Judah Ben-hur, (Charlton Heston), who has a falling out with his boyhood friend Messala, (Stephen Boyd), that has dramatic repercussions. After an accident involving his sister and a Roman Governor, Judah and his family are locked away by Messala. This begins an epic story of faith and struggle. Judah ends up in as a galley slave on a Roman vessel. After he saves the lifeof the new Roman leader on the ship Quintus Arius, (a brilliant Jack Hawkins, Judah gains prominance as a Charioteer and gets his chance for revenge.
Along the way, Judah has a few very moving meetings with Jesus of Nazereth, this scenes are some of the most touching of the movie. Charlton Heston gives a fantastic performance as does Stephen Boyd. It's an epic movie in every sense of the word and the chariot race is worth the price of the dvd alone.
The only real weakness in this otherwise perfect film is the charecter Esther, (played by Haya Harareet), I really wish they cast Jean Simmons or Deborah Kerr in this part.
Ben Hur deserves it's reputation as one of the greatest epics of all time and is worth repeated viewers, like a fine wine it seems to get better with age. I look forward to watching it every year at Easter time.
Happy viewing.
Movie Review: Awesome epic!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
When you hear the word epic, what does it make you think? A great hero's difficult journey? Well, that's what I think and Ben-Hur fits into that sub-genre perfectly. This film is remake of the 1925 master-piece of the same name. In my opinion, this is definitely the better version.
All aspects of this film are top notch. Charlton Heston, Hugh Griffith (who made the best performance) and the rest of the cast do an excellent job. William Wyler directs this film so well that it leaves no doubt in your mind that he has to be one of the gretest directors ever. The cinematography and the editing are breath-taking. The use of the 65mm camera was perfect for this epic because it gave the film the wide screen grandeur that it deserved. The rowing scene and the chariot race were edited almost flawlessly. And the other aspects were awesome too.
My only complaint is that the film is a little too long and has alot of dialogue in it but it's still really good. I also love the treatment they did of Christ. Instead of picturing His face in the scenes that He's in (which is only a couple), they just show His back or somehow edit around showing His face. Very good work because it leaves it to your imagination of what He might've looked like.
The film received an unprecidented 11 Academy Awards (only Titanic, which is horrible movie in my opinion and LOTR 3 have tied it) and I think it deserved every one of them. No film of it's time has come close to being as great as this film. If you want to see a great film, then this is it.
Movie Review: Classic Spectacle
Summary: 5 Stars
"Ben-Hur" is a great example of the kind of large scale film-making that Hollywood occasionally did and in this case they did it first rate. Probably what killed this kind of film-making is the excesses of later spectacles like "Cleopatra". Thankfully, with the help of CGI, it was revived with "Gladiator". Much has been said about the classic set-pieces (the chariot race, the battle at sea, etc.). The central conflict of this film between the former friends Judah(Charlton Heston), the Hebrew, and Messala(Stephen Boyd), the Roman Centurion is what is most compelling about this film. Boyd's rendering of the despicable Messala ranks as one of the great acts of villainy in screen history. Heston, who many dismiss unfairly as a lesser actor(probably because of his conservative politics and presidency in the NRA) gives a commanding performance which is not an easy task when you're working on an epic scale like this. His work in "The Ten Commandments" was probably good preparation for this film. Lest we forget this film is also subtitled "A Story of the Christ". Jesus makes appearances in this film, photographed from behind and usually with swelling music. Basically these scenes are a cue to forget our bitterness, no matter what injury has been done to us, because there are larger things in life than our current predicament. On a final note the DVD contains a first rate documentary as well as a great commentary track from Heston that dispels the legendary rumor that he was wearing a wristwatch during the chariot race scenes.