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Ben-Hur

Ben-Hur

List Price: $19.96
Your Price: $14.97
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Only One Rating for this
Review: When it comes to movies like this, there is only one rating, "5". This is a Master Classic that should be in every collection. Charlton Heston and Jack Hawkins are flawless in this movie and the Chariot Race says it all.
There are very few Classic Movie's that are better than this one. Classic movies like these are a relief from the... films which are filled with mostly Foul Language and Sexual content that are being made these days.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: See what it takes to win a Roman chariot race!
Review: A fabulous cinematic classic! The record holder for Academy Awards won (11) which was just recently tied by "Titanic". This is a well-made cinematic presentation of the General Lew Wallace story of a wealthy Judean who is betrayed by his Roman friend turned adversary and his struggle to regain freedom for himself and his family. This is another one of those long, big-budget biblical films made in the fifties, but just about everyone can enjoy this even if a viewer has no knowledge of this part of the world in this period of time. Judah Ben-Hur gets some help along the way from a carpenter from the town of Nazareth whose face is never revealed in this film. Sound gives this picture an added dimension that the 1926 silent version didn't have. Charlton Heston won a well-deserved Oscar for his performance of Judah Ben-Hur.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie; great DVD
Review: Just about everybody agrees that the 1959 version of "Ben-Hur" is a great movie. The DVD itself is what I'm reviewing here. The picture quality is very good, sound is nice, and the optional French dubbing is very well done. The movie is shown in its original (very) widescreen format. I've seen Ben-Hur on HBO, and they ridiculously show it in full-screen format. You're missing half the picture that way. This movie was specifically created to take advantage of the widescreen process. There is a very long and informative documentary that includes: info about General Lew Wallace and the publication of his book Ben-Hur, the making of both Ben-Hur movies, interviews with writers, plenty of behind the scenes photos and film clips. Most interesting bonus is the screen test with Leslie Nielson, who was almost cast as Messala. The script they were using was not as refined or eloquent as the final version that made it into the movie.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: BEN HUR
Review: NOT REALLY A TALE ABOUT CHRIST BUT AN EXCELLENT STORY OF A MAN DEALING WITH ANGER AND CHRIST COMING TO HIS AID. PROVING THAT A COINCIDENCE IS GODS WAY OF REMAINING ANONYMOUS AND TURNING A NON-BELIEVER INTO A BELIEVER. FIVE STARS FROM THIS MOVIE GOER.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Tha best movies I've ever seen.
Review: Charlton Heston is raelly the most convincing actor in the world and he is perfect in this great story about the second world war.
I actually sufferd with him during this time in the concentration camp. I was also very fond of the scene when he tells his enemy how much he hates weapons and violence.
My only problem is that I can't remember the scene that's shown on the poster.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Gladiators! Are you ready?
Review: So you thought you are just going to see a 1950's remake of Ridley Scotts Gladiator. Oh no Son. This is a big movie, not the sharp end of a building. So grab a Speights, mate and sit down for the next 3 hours, and see what great filmaking is really all about. This film is an epic in itself. With elements of soap opera, opera, thriller, escapism, redemption, gladiatorial action, with biblical undertones to boot. No DVD collection is really complete without this one. Just make sure you have plenty of popcorn at the ready.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fabulous movie!
Review: What can I say that hasn't already been said below? I guess: GET THEE THIS MOVIE! :-) There is a reason why this movie is in the top 50 of all time movies ever produced as judged by the American Film Institute.

Some interesting points that may interest you:

The DVD has a featurette on the history of Ben Hur from the written story to the first plays and the silent movies. They show a lot of clips from the early attempts, too. It's narrated by Christopher Plummer. Top quality.

The DVD also has a commentary by Heston that is very interesting to listen to. It doesn't run the whole length of the feature but is in snippets (it fast forwards to the next one). I think that makes the commentary more accessible.

The movie itself still holds up well in story, characters, and in production. One interesting note comes from the featurette. The Christianity in this movie is a little toned down from the book and the first silent film (also worth watching). This is due to the changing times. In the book and first movie the conversion of Ben-Hur is clear but it's less clear here.

Still, the portrayal of Christ indirectly and the life of Ben Hur is wonderful and sure to please any audience.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Great Classic And One Of My Top 20 Of All Time
Review: I want to write this review because I have both the DVD and the VCR of Ben Hur and the DVD is so much better that it is difficult to believe. The clarity and detail of the DVD make watching this great film a whole new experience. The chariot race is the greatest action sequence ever filmed and it is thrilling to watch with DVD. I have quite a collection of VCR movies but I've purchased this movie and about two dozen others for the joy of REALLY seeing it as I never have before. The added features about the making of the movie are also very enjoyable.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Here is one of my fav 5 films
Review: Can't I give more than 5 stars? Well...
I just tried to make 5 fimls list of my all time favorite (You know how difficult it is). Cleverly, I tried to choose 5 top movies which will stay in the list whatever happens instead of trying to choose solid five. After five filmes popped upt, I shut the door quickly. Here is the five (No order).

Ben-Hur
Chinese ghost story (I)
Jesus Christ Superstar
My life as a dog
The good, the bad and the ugly

The greatest Ben-hur has everything. Don't you agree? Epic, romance (not ugly though), history, God, chariots(!), battle at sea, revenge...but most importantly, everything was handled very well unlike the other so called epics. This is a real full range movie, greatest of all greatest. What can I say more? Well, here's my personal story though.

When I was a little boy, there was no VCR and my dad used to make me jealous by saying he and his girlfriend (turned out to be my mom, surely) watched it at a theater which had biggest screen in our country at that time. I'd have to wait until 1982. Until then I had to be satisfied with a book of ben hur which was not that great. When I finally got a chance to watch this, I was a middle school student. Wow! I still remember the excitement when I saw a poster of Ben-Hur. The day, though, I was late due to some reason which I cannot remember. When I entered the theater, the scene of underground prison scene was going on. Roman soldiers realize their prisoners (Judah's mom and sister) are SICK as I still remember so vividly. I cannot believe it was 20 yrs ago... This movie easily deserves the title of THE GREATEST. You would agree with me.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantastic Movie
Review: Set in the time of Christ during the height of the mighty Roman Empire, historical epic Ben-Hur follows the lives of two former childhood friends Judah Ben Hur (Charlton Heston) and Messala (Steven Boyd). They become the bitterest of enemies as they grow older, as the latter shows unswerving blind loyalty to the Roman Empire.

After Ben Hur refuses to help Messala round up what he perceives to be enemies of the Empire, he is framed for a crime he did not commit and is sentenced to a life of living hell on a galley ship as a slave.

His blind belief in his fate coupled with a thirst for vengeance helps him to survive this torturous existence. For three years, he is chained to an oar until during a battle with Greek pirates he saves the life of the Roman commander Quintas (Jack Hawkins), who takes Ben-Hur under his wing and frees him from his life of bondage. He becomes the main trainer of Quintas's stables and in time his adopted son and heir. Believing that Massala has killed his mother and sister, Ben-Hur exacts revenge by challenging him to a chariot race.

The 40 minute race took three months to shoot, in an arena that was a year in the making, and was one of the most ambitious set pieces ever staged by a major Hollywood studio, forming the focal point of the movie.

The DVD version of this movie has to be seen to be believed! The restore picture quality is awesome!


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