Ben Hur

[Neil]

Anyone noticed that Ben Hur is f***ing awesome! It's going to be 50 years old next year!

An absolutely stunning piece of work!

Got to wonder if/when they will decide to remake it again! I suspect they'd have to downplay the religious elements of the story? But they that is a major part of it!?

8SOT0ofuscU

[Bub666]

Yeah,Ben Hur is a great movie.

[bassman]

Yeah, it really is fantastic. I have the four disc SE set and tend to watch it every 6 months or so. Great piece of work.

[Neil]

Yeah, it really is fantastic. I have the four disc SE set and tend to watch it every 6 months or so. Great piece of work.

Is the commentary worth listening to? I assume Chucks on it?

[bassman]

Is the commentary worth listening to? I assume Chucks on it?

This is the one I have. I'm not sure if it's only on R1 or not, but I imagine you probably have a region free player.

http://www.amazon.com/Ben-Hur-Four-Disc-Collectors-Christopher-Plummer/dp/B0009UZG1O/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1220968123&sr=8-2

The biggest commentary is by a film historian while Heston's commentary is only in certain scenes. The film historian commentary is quite interesting if you're into that sort of thing.

The set also comes with several featurettes and the original full 1925 film. It's a set that's definitely worth it's wait in gold. I've enjoyed in many times on many different occasions. It draws you back again and again.

And let's not forget how awesome the HUGE sets and matte paintings look in that WIDE widescreen on a DVD. If i'm not mistaken, the widescreen used on this film is the largest widescreen available and they actually don't use it anymore, but man it looks fantastic on DVD. And the score. Wow. Incredible.


Film: 10/10
DVD Set: 9.5/10

Get it.

[Neil]

Just spotted there is talk of a Ben Hur miniseries, produced by the son of William Wyler (the 1959 director)... Could be interesting...

http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKN4932749720080409


BTW - Here's youtube of the 1907 version :)

Cf2DN1KEyks

[MinionZombie]

This is the one I have. I'm not sure if it's only on R1 or not, but I imagine you probably have a region free player.

http://www.amazon.com/Ben-Hur-Four-Disc-Collectors-Christopher-Plummer/dp/B0009UZG1O/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1220968123&sr=8-2

The biggest commentary is by a film historian while Heston's commentary is only in certain scenes. The film historian commentary is quite interesting if you're into that sort of thing.

The set also comes with several featurettes and the original full 1925 film. It's a set that's definitely worth it's wait in gold. I've enjoyed in many times on many different occasions. It draws you back again and again.

And let's not forget how awesome the HUGE sets and matte paintings look in that WIDE widescreen on a DVD. If i'm not mistaken, the widescreen used on this film is the largest widescreen available and they actually don't use it anymore, but man it looks fantastic on DVD. And the score. Wow. Incredible.


Film: 10/10
DVD Set: 9.5/10

Get it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-Hur_(1959_film)#Aspect_ratio

Aspect ratio of 2.76:1 - the largest ever, indeed. Three times wide as it is high, interesting that it was often projected at 2.50:1 in cinemas ... I guess everybody would have appeared a bit tall and thin then eh?

Wasn't there a whole gay subtext thing in this between Heston's dude and his BFF? :)

[Neil]

Aspect ratio of 2.76:1 - the largest ever, indeed. Three times wide as it is high.

And the award for the most dim comment of the week goes to :rolleyes:

Actually it's 2.76 times as wide as it is high :)

[MaximusIncredulous]

It's even cooler when you consider that it was written by a Civil War General - Lew Wallace.

[SymphonicX]

Anyone noticed that Ben Hur is f***ing awesome! It's going to be 50 years old next year!

An absolutely stunning piece of work!

Got to wonder if/when they will decide to remake it again! I suspect they'd have to downplay the religious elements of the story? But they that is a major part of it!?

8SOT0ofuscU

hmm, a bit overlong for me...like the Heston film about Moses....whatever it's called....just...too....long...

and pretty boring...the chariot scene is what you wait for in Ben Hur...it's akin to waiting 172 minutes just to hear Pacino say "say hello to my little friend!"....

Defo not a movie I can enjoy...

oh also, i heard a rumour that you can see a car in the background of the chariot scene, is this confirmed?

[Neil]

hmm, a bit overlong for me...like the Heston film about Moses....whatever it's called....just...too....long...

and pretty boring...the chariot scene is what you wait for in Ben Hur...it's akin to waiting 172 minutes just to hear Pacino say "say hello to my little friend!"....

Defo not a movie I can enjoy...

Too long? Yes it is long, so I guess you have to be in the right mood to watch it, but it's a great story that's a real joy to sit through. I almost wish there was an extended version with more story in it...

[MinionZombie]

And the award for the most dim comment of the week goes to :rolleyes:

Actually it's 2.76 times as wide as it is high :)
*sigh* I was rounding up ...

What do you expect when I was jonesing for yet another sesh on Bad Company so I could blow the sh*t out of some more buildings. :D:rolleyes:

[Neil]

*sigh* I was rounding up ...
Do you find you have to round size up that much often? :)

[Bub666]

Do you find you have to round size up that much often? :)

:lol::lol::lol:

[MinionZombie]

Do you find you have to round size up that much often? :)
*sigh*

Only when I'm lazy and jonesing for Bad Company videogaming.

And it's not the width of your widescreen that counts, it's what's in the frame. :sneaky: