Ben-Hur

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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).


Ben-Hur scooped an unprecedented 11 Academy Awards® in 1959 and, unlike some later rivals, richly deserved every single one. This is epic filmmaking on a scale that had not been seen before and is unlikely ever to be seen again. But it's not just running time or a cast of thousands that makes an epic, it's the subject matter, and here the subject--Prince Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) and his estrangement from old Roman pal Messala (Stephen Boyd)--is rich, detailed, and sensitively handled. Director William Wyler, who had been a junior assistant on MGM's original silent version back in 1925, never sacrifices the human focus of the story in favor of spectacle, and is aided immeasurably by Miklos Rozsa's majestic musical score, arguably the greatest ever written for a Hollywood picture. At four hours it's a long haul (especially given some of the portentous dialogue), but all in all, Ben-Hur is a great movie, best seen on the biggest screen possible. --Mark Walker

Ben-Hur

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User Comments About Ben-Hur

one of the greatest stunts in film!

An extremely emotional story against the backdrop of the birth and crucifixion of Jesus Christ is one of the greatest epics ever filmed. That sequence alone takes the film out of the realm of greatness into an outstanding piece of visual cinema. The story of a prominent and wealthy Jewish family, whose feud with a Roman friend nearly destroys them. The chariot race is one of the most impressive and longest action pieces I've ever seen.

Timeless Epic

Pod racing looks great in Star Wars Episode 1 but it is entirely done digitally, something not available in 1959. His body completely broken, bathed in his own blood and waiting to die he uses little life left in him to make Judah suffer even more. Messala rides Greek chariot with black horses, equipped with metal spikes to crush other competitors because there are no rules that ban such thing. Everything is allowed. The only reason why he is waiting for Judah is not to show remorse or regret for his past actions against Judah and his family but to commit his final act of evil, his last words tell Judah that he can seek his mother and sister in "Valley of the Lepers", if he can recognize them.

Charlton Heston gave his best performance ever and won Oscar. This method creates spectacular panoramic shots which is important for epic movies with great action scenes. Rescue had to be made behind Soviet lines to prevent them from ending in Soviet hands as horsemeat. Movie is the winner of eleven Academy Awards. In 2005, when new 4-disc set of Ben-Hur was reissued, it was exactly 60 years from the time when general Patton rescued these horses from extinction. This is the best American movie ever made.

Only stallions are used for dressage. With no digital computer effects it is a true masterpiece. It is shame that Stephen Boyd didn't win it, he got only Golden Globe Award for best Supporting Actor. Chariot race is one of the best action sequences ever shot in a movie. As gray horses they are born black or bay but during their lifetime they become lighter every year and finally become white.

Judah uses this race to destroy Messala's ego and end his streak of invincibility in the Forum. On standard 4:3 TV black bars will occupy more space than the movie itself. Stephen Boyd portrayal of Messala is one of the best evil guy acts ever made. It is hard to find anything bad about this movie. They originate from farms around village Lipizza in Slovenia and they are used in the world oldest and most famous Spanish Ridding School (formed in 1572) in Vienna, Austria. Chariot race places Judah against his old buddy Messala who sent him to slavery and imprisoned his mother and sister.

Unlike racing horses, these live very long, reaching 30 eventually. In 36 page booklet about the production (included with 2005 edition) it is mentioned that Judah's horses in the movie are actually world famous Lipizzaners. Everything is done superbly.

Aspect ratio of this movie is incredible 2.76:1. After his chariot crashes, he refuses to be operated, he waits for Judah to come to him. We can only wish that George Lucas made Dart Vader more like Messala.

Great story, outstanding acting, fantastic picture made with 65mm cameras, masterful music score. Ben-Hur (Four-Disc Collector's Edition). During WWII, Nazis captured entire breeding stock and shipped it back to Germany.

The essence of well-done cinema

Grand, sweeping, yet intelligent, touching and intricate. A timeless classic. The very definition of an epic film. Exquisite acting performances by Heston and Boyd; lush sets; impressive music.

Classic

Fun to watch, powerful, touching at times - a must see. Ben-Hur is an epic tale of childhood friends who ended up on opposite sides of a very harsh line in the time of Christ. The movie is an undeniable classic, and epic in every way.

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