Ben-Hur (1959 film)

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	Ben-Hur (1959 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
		Ben-Hur is a 1959 film directed by William Wyler and is, today, the best-known film version of Lew Wallace's novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880).
		The movie was filmed in a process known as "MGM Camera 65", 65mm negative stock from which was made a 70 mm anamorphic print with an aspect ratio of 2.76:1, considered to be one of the widest prints ever made, having a width of almost three times its height.
		Filmed long before the advent of computer-generated effects, it took over three months to complete, using 8000 extras on the largest film set ever built, some 18 acres (73,000 m²).
	en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Ben-Hur_(1959_film) (1291 words)

	Ben-Hur (1959)
		By patterning his pod race in Star Wars: Episode I after the chariot race from William Wyler's 1959 production of Ben-Hur, George Lucas all but confirmed that the climactic scene has become a part of film lore.
		Though the film begins with the wise men paying tribute to baby Jesus in Bethlehem and ends with the Crucifixion, the entire middle focuses on the Roman world and Ben-Hur's quest to find himself and his imprisoned mother and sister.
		Twice, we learn, Ben-Hur saved the studio from bankruptcy, and there was a lot riding on the 1959 version.
	www.reel.com /movie.asp?MID=79&buy=closed&PID=10090378&Tab=reviews&CID=18 (755 words)

	REELINSIDER.COM - BEN - HUR (1959)
		Without question MGM's $15 million dollar 1959 update of their own 1925 masterwork, Ben-Hur, was one of the biggest gambles in movie history.
		Though the movie undoubtedly springs from this Roman preoccupation with destroying Jesus, Ben-Hur's world turning upside down is what gives the movie its motion.
		On-screen through most of the film Charlton Heston's reputation in Hollywood was secured with this performance in which he was stripped to little more than a loin cloth in certain key moments just as he was meant to demonstrate the dual physical and spiritual transformations implicit in the part.
	www.reelinsider.com /benhur.html (1745 words)

	Ben-Hur - Psychology Central
		Ben-Hur (1959 film) is a 1959 film starring Charleton Heston, and the best-known version
		Ben Hur (1907 film) is a 1907 silent film
		Ben Hur (2003 film) is a 2003 animated film in which Charleton Heston reprises the voice of Judah Ben-Hur
	psychcentral.com /psypsych/Ben-Hur (338 words)

	DVD Verdict Review - Ben-Hur
		The film is presented in anamorphic widescreen preserving the original aspect ratio of 2.76:1 and utilizing 61 scene selections.
		It had never really adapted to the changing landscape of the times—the advent of television, the film industry's loss of control over its theatre chains—and a succession of bloated films that failed or were only marginally successful at the box office had placed the fabled studio in jeopardy.
		Among this group were the French auteurists and their American counterparts who claimed the film confirmed that Wyler was but a commercial craftsman, undeserving of the acclaim accorded him by earlier film theorists.
	www.dvdverdict.com /reviews/benhur.shtml (1903 words)

	THE CINEMA LASER DVD REVIEW-- BEN-HUR
		BEN-HUR was filmed in MGM Camera 65, which remains the biggest and widest of all wide screen processes that deployed a single strip of film.
		However, I will talk about BEN-HUR simply because I love this movie.
		The bass channel is quite potent for a film of this vintage; this lends credibility to the hoof beats during the chariot race, as well creating an earthshaking rumble during the film's climatic crucifixion sequence.
	www.thecinemalaser.com /dvd_reviews/ben-hur-dvd.htm (1437 words)

	DVD review of Ben-Hur - DVD Town
		The film is so long it requires both sides of a dual-layered disc to accommodate it, and a turnover is necessary at the intermission (two hours and twenty-one minutes in).
		Rear-channel reproduction is limited mainly to musical ambiance for the first three-quarters of the film, but then in the climactic crucifixion scene, the rears come to life in noises of wind and storm.
		The film's major drawback, its extreme length (over three-and-a-half hours), may also be for many viewers one of its chief strengths.
	www.dvdtown.com /reviews/review.asp?id=6402&reviewid=617 (1285 words)

	The Film Tribune - Ben-Hur (1959)
		And while the 1959 film is technically more advanced than its predecessor, it is imbued with an undeserved solemnity which is more apparent than in the silent version.
		The silent film's version of this episode, which spent more time on the battle itself, is undoubtedly the most cinematic of the two, with better direction, editing, and attention to detail.
		Together, these two scenes last approximately twenty minutes; the rest of the film is unnaturally stretched out, and between these two events, tedium quickly takes over as we are left waiting for the climactic chariot race, which in any case is nowhere near the end of the picture, to begin.
	www.filmtribune.com /benhur.html (1009 words)

	1959 in film - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
		November 18 - William Wyler's film Ben-Hur premieres at Loew's Theater in New York City.
		The Three Stooges make their 180th and last short film, Sappy Bullfighters.
		Some Like It Hot, starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon
	en.wikipedia.org /wiki/1959_in_film (156 words)

	Urban Legends Reference Page: Movies (Ben-Hur)
		Ben Hur (Heston) avoids Messala and makes another chariot crash into the wall, dumping the driver.
		Filmed at Livorno, Italy, it used hundreds of local extras, many of whom apparently lied about being able to swim.
		During filming, the staged fire on one of the triremes got out of control, sending armor-clad extras overboard.
	www.snopes.com /movies/films/benhur.htm (1215 words)

	Ben-Hur Movie Review at Hollywood Video
		On the one hand, the script he adapted from General Lew Wallace's popular novel, Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ, was good enough for the film to earn an unprecedented 12 Academy Award nominations.
		Shot in 65mm widescreen and Technicolor, the film is a milestone for Hollywood, which shows how far motion pictures had come in just 34 years—and that includes the standards for acting.
		This set includes a scaled-down replica (minus a few "character" pages) of the original color souvenir booklet, which may remind those who saw it in theaters that no concessions were permitted to be sold during the film's showing.
	www.hollywoodvideo.com /movies/movie.aspx?MID=79 (1063 words)

	Movie Review - Ben-Hur - eFilmCritic
		Once it’s fully broken and once Judah is sent to the galleys, the whole film up and beyond the chariot race is driven by revenge, until Ben Hur realizes he’s taken it a step too far.
		Despite the fact that Arrius embraces him and insist on him to stay in Rome, Ben Hur is determined to lay vengeance on Messala for what he did to him and his family.
		The story of Ben Hur is a work of fiction set in the time that Jesus Christ lived.
	efilmcritic.com /hbs.cgi?movie=3740 (1194 words)

	DVDFILE.com
		With a film this old, it’s impossible to claim that the transfer on this DVD release is flawless, but I’ll be damned if this Ben-Hur transfer doesn’t come close to perfection.
		Disc three holds the 140-minute 1925 silent version of Ben-Hur – long lost in the world of home entertainment.
		There are purists who claim that revamping sound mixes from the mid-20th century from mono or stereo into elephantine and technologically magical mega-mixes doesn’t allow the film to be preserved in the fashion with which it was originally intended.
	www.dvdfile.com /index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5124&Itemid=3 (1157 words)

	Ben-Hur (Four-Disc Collector's Edition) - Christianity Today Movies
		The 1925 film's chariot race holds its own against the one in the remake, but its sea battle is arguably even better than the one that came later, partly because it seems to rely less on miniatures and more on the life-size galleys that were easier to build back when Hollywood worked with non-union crews.
		The film clocks in at 2 hours and 23 minutes, and devotes the first 15 minutes alone to the Nativity; later scenes incorporate the teachings of Christ, including the Sermon on the Mount and his defense of the woman caught in adultery, as well as Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, and the Crucifixion.
		Both films are now available in a four-disc DVD set, which also comes with several hours of bonus features, including two documentaries on the film and its legacy, an audio commentary, and various newsreels, screen tests and other bits of archival footage.
	www.christianitytoday.com /movies/roundup/benhur.html (1641 words)

	DVD Review - Ben-Hur
		The first half of the film, up to the Intermission, is presented on Side One (with an RSDL layer-switch in chapter 15).
		The film is set in the Middle East, beginning in the time of Christ's birth.
		You'll also be pleased to know that the film is presented in full anamorphic widescreen on DVD, meaning that you've simply never seen this film looking so good at home before.
	www.thedigitalbits.com /reviews2/benhur.html (1345 words)

	ipedia.com: Tribune Article
		In the classic 1959 film Ben Hur, the chief villan Messala was a Roman Tribune.
		However, in the film, Messala was a military commander and also deputy governor of Judea.
		As such, his duties did not fit the historic description of the Tribune office.
	www.ipedia.com /tribune.html (550 words)

	DVD Talk > Reviews > Ben-Hur
		The film really benefits from a few truly powerful musical pieces and having the chance to listen to them sans dialogue is a treat as they're just as emotive and strong without the action playing out over top as they are with the added dialogue and sound effects.
		Pretty much everything you've ever wanted to know about the many incarnations of Ben-Hur is covered in this segment and it makes for a very interesting watch that complements the feature attraction very nicely.
		While the middle part of the film might not be as action packed as some might hope for there is plenty of solid character development and interesting plot twists throughout that should hold most viewers' attention without too much trouble.
	www.dvdtalk.com /reviews/read.php?ID=17563 (3058 words)

	Film Score Monthly Message Board
		Ben-Hur (1959) is IMO an outstanding achievement in film and a thoroughly moving experience, if you let it happen, and I'm not talking of its religious contents.
		When I watch Ben-Hur today on my television, I do kind of try and imagine how it appeared in all of it's glory.
		That does aid the film in some respects, but the story itself is at the heart of it, and yes, it does require some understanding of spiritual things to make complete sense.
	www.filmscoremonthly.com /board/posts.asp?threadID=31850&forumID=1 (2649 words)

	deseretnews.com Studio buffs up 'Ben Hur' DVD
		Charlton Heston drives a chariot in "Ben Hur." The race sequence is still regarded by critics as one of the top action scenes on film.
		Additionally, there are a new making-of featurette (with comments by George Lucas and Ridley Scott, among others), an array of vintage newsreels (one with Oscar clips), and a small booklet that replicates the hardback program book that accompanied the film in 1959 (minus a three-page foldout photo of the chariot scene).
		In addition, there is a disc devoted to the 1925 silent version of the film — which also remains a fine film in its own right (and it could be argued that the sea battle is even better than the '59 version).
	deseretnews.com /dn/view/0,1249,605154776,00.html (852 words)

	Ben-Hur: Collector's Edition (1959)
		However, their happy reunion soon goes sour when Judah learns of the poor way that Messala tends to treat his people, and not long after that, Ben-Hur and his family are severely punished for an accident that vaguely threatened a Roman governor.
		The 1959 movie offers a more subtle experience; 1925’s Judah is a simpler character, and the other personalities lack much nuance.
		That means we find a fair amount of filler during the film, as it seems to go on far too long for many segments.
	dvdmg.com /benhurce.shtml (3141 words)

	Amazon.co.uk: Retrospective: Ben-Hur
		His music for Ben-Hur is considered by many the greatest film score ever written, with John Williams paying clear homage via the "Flag Parade" march in The Phantom Menace (1999).
		There was nowhere to go but up, and inevitably the next film for Heston and Wyler was MGM's enormous remake of Ben-Hur.
		The result was that Rózsa defined the sound of the ancient world on film, and established the sound of the epic adventure for decades to come.
	www.amazon.co.uk /exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/220115/ref=br_bx_1_2 (1690 words)

	Why "Ben-Hur" is My Favorite Movie
		The film is indeed bracketed by two divine events: the first scenes concern the Adoration of the Magi and the final scenes take place in the shadow of Christ's Cross, as we witness shepherds tending to their flock.
		The film, among the 100 greatest selected by the American Film Institute, won an unprecedented eleven Academy Awards (tied in 1998 by "Titanic" [and in 2004 by "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"]), and has been celebrated by directors from Martin Scorsese to James Cameron for its immense artistic impact.
		The film focuses on how the central character moves from his own unjust imprisonment, to his self-imprisonment via the very vices he seeks to destroy, to his personal redemption.
	www.nyu.edu /projects/sciabarra/essays/benhur.htm (2668 words)

	New York State Writers Institute - Ben Hur Film Notes
		(One of the thousands of extras was a bewildered William Wyler, who would direct the 1959 remake of the film.) Shooting continued for weeks, until Eason, heedless of danger, had gotten exactly the detail shots he wanted to make the chariot race one of the most exciting action sequences ever filmed.
		The film's sea battle, which was intended to rival the trademark chariot race, proved nearly impossible to mount.
		The worst agonies were reserved for the film's climax, the chariot race.
	www.albany.edu /writers-inst/fnf98n5.html (1152 words)

	MRC FilmFinder-Full Record: Ben Hur
		The 1959 film of General Lew Wallace's best seller is epic film making of especially high quality, and was probably as deserving of all its awards and adulation as any film.
		The film's most famous scene, the chariot race was also the centerpiece for the Wyler version in 1959 as well.
		The final result was this massive, action packed film that was a huge popular and critical success.
	www.lib.unc.edu /house/mrc/films/full.php?film_id=583 (157 words)

	Ben-Hur
		The set design and the staging of the chariot race sequence in the 1959 film is obviously patterned after those of the earlier film, and the race itself is at least as thrilling.
		The emerging film industry quickly took note, and Kalem staged the novel in "sixteen magnificent scenes with illustrated titles" in a one-reeler in 1907.
		Although the sea fight was (mostly) filmed in Italy, the company was soon ordered home to America where the executives could keep a close eye on it.
	www.selu.edu /kslu/benhur.html (486 words)

	Ben-Hur (1959)
		Director William Wyler's film was a remake of the spectacular silent film of the same name (director Fred Niblo's and MGM's Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)).
		MGM's Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925), featuring a cast of 125,000, cost about $4 million to make after shooting began on location in Italy, in 1923, and starred silent screen idols Ramon Novarro and Francis X. Bushman.
		There are contradictory reports about the fatality of a stuntman during the dangerous scene in the film, yet no published discussions of the film mention the accident, and Charlton Heston's 1995 autobiography In the Arena specifically stated that no one was seriously injured (beyond a cut on the chin) during the filming of the scene.
	www.filmsite.org /benh.html (3800 words)

	BBC - h2g2 - 'Ben-Hur' - The 1959 Film
		Filming was undertaken in 'glorious color' using 65mm camera lenses to achieve sharp, deep focus.
		An unfortunate extra fell in during filming and had to retire from the film on full pay to allow time for the blue dye to fade from his skin.
		In 1959 the same movie studio released a remake that boasted the tagline 'The Entertainment Experience of a Lifetime!'.
	www.bbc.co.uk /dna/ww2/A7440437 (1794 words)

	Amazon.com: Ben Hur (1959) (1959) : Video
		When members of the house of Hur accidentally disrupt a parade to welcome the new regional governor, Judah is sentenced to be a galley slave, and his mother and sister are locked up in a dungeon deep beneath the city.
		I first saw BEN-HUR as a young boy at a theater; I was captivated throughout the three hours, thoroughly entertained and in awe of the majesty on the big screen.
		Discs one and two feature the classic 1959 version of the film starring Charlton Heston, the version that we all know and love.
	www.amazon.com /exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6303014194?v=glance (2764 words)

	DVD Times - Ben-Hur (Four-Disc Collector's Edition)
		A silent film that is accompanied here by a score from composer Carl Davis, this version of Ben-Hur is a convincing argument for recognising silent films as being the equal of those that followed the talkie revolution of the late-twenties.
		Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema (57m42s): Produced this year and featuring archive interviews with William Wyler and Charlton Heston, as well as Ridley Scott, Ben Burtt and George Lucas amongst many others, this is a wonderfully detailed and structured look back at Ben-Hur and it's place in film history.
		Editor Ralph Winters, co-writer Gore Vidal and the film historian Rudy Behlmer, who has contributed to the DVD releases of Casablanca and The Adventures of Robin Hood, are interviewed and discuss, in an impressive amount of detail, the stage shows and the 1925 and 1959 films.
	www.dvdtimes.co.uk /content.php?contentid=58817 (6026 words)

	Ben-Hur (1959)
		That means that they used 70mm film, and each frame is four times the size of a regular 35mm frame - the same size film artefact will only appear one quarter the size.
		On the second side there is no layer change; they have placed the rest of the film on one layer, and the extras on the other.
		It would be extraordinary if there were not, in a film over forty years old.
	www.michaeldvd.com.au /Reviews/Reviews.asp?ReviewID=273 (2625 words)

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In the News (Mon 28 May 12)