Ben-Hur (DVD)
Warner Brothers, 4-Disc Collector's Edition
APPROX. 222 MINS. - PROD. YEAR: 1959 - MPA RATING: NR
DVD Specifications
| Release date: | Sep 13, 2005 |
|---|---|
| Studio: | Warner Brothers |
| Year: | 1959 |
| Video: |
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Anamorphic - Enhanced for Widescreen TVs. |
| Audio: |
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 French: Dolby Digital 5.1 |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Subtitles: | English, French |
Special Features
- Disc One:
- "Ben-Hur" (1959), Part One
- Transferred from restored 65mm prints
- Audio commentary by Film Historian T. Gene Hatcher and scene-specific comments by star Charlton Heston
- Music-only track showcasing Miklos Rozsa's score
- Disc Two:
- "Ben-Hur" (1959), Part Two
- Transferred from restored 65mm prints
- Audio commentary by Film Historian T. Gene Hatcher and scene-specific comments by star Charlton Heston
- Music-only track showcasing Miklos Rozsa's score
- Disc Three:
- "Ben-Hur" (1925 silent version)
- Black-and-white, with color sequences
- Stereo orchestral score by composer Carl Davis
- Disc Four:
- New documentary: "Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema"
- 1994 documentary: "Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic," hosted by Christopher Plummer
- Featurette: "Ben-Hur: A Journey Through Pictures"
- Vintage newsreels gallery
- Highlights from the 1960 Academy Awards ceremony
- Theatrical trailer gallery
- Outtakes and screen tests of Leslie Nielsen and Cesare Danova
- Leslie Nielsen and Yale Wexler
- George Baker and William Russell
- Haya Harareet hair and make-up tests
Synopsis
"A Rich And Glowing Drama That Transcends The Bounds Of Spectacle." -Bosley Crowther, THE NEW YORK TIMESThe numbers speak volumes: 100,000 costumes, 8,000 extras, 300 sets and a staggering budget in its day the largest in movie history. Ben-Hur's creators made it the best, the greatest Biblical-era epic ever.
Charlton Heston brings a muscular physical and moral presence to the role of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish nobleman in Palestine whose heroic odyssey includes enslavement by the Romans, a bold escape from an embattled slave galley, vengeance against his tormentors during a furious arena chariot race and fateful encounters with Jesus Christ. Heston's charismatic performance brought him the Best Actor Oscar; the winner as 1959's Best Picture with the legendary William Wyler earning his third Best Director trophy, the film won a total 11 Academy Awards - a tally unequaled until 1997's Titanic set sail.
Cast & Crew
Warner Brothers
presents
Charlton HestonStephen BoydHugh GriffithHaya HarareetJack HawkinsSam JaffeCathy O'DonnellMartha Scott
"Ben-Hur"
Written byKarl Tunbergproduced bySam Zimbalist
directed byWilliam Wyler
Production Year: 1959
"Ben-Hur"
Written byKarl Tunbergproduced bySam Zimbalist
directed byWilliam Wyler
Production Year: 1959
