Ben-Hur (1959)

9.25.2005
First viewing
DVD (Netflix)
Movie: A+
Audio: A
Video: A

I have to admit, I was blown away by Ben-Hur. A nearly-4-hour-long biblical epic starring Charlton Heston (I'm not his biggest fan)? No thanks, I thought. I was expecting this film to be slow, boring, and tedious. But there's a reason that many people consider it the best movie ever filmed. In fact, there's several reasons.

The story itself is epic in proportion, and totally and completely captivating. While the pace slows near the middle of the film, it never gets boring. From the opening scenes portraying the birth of Christ to the famous chariot race, I was glued to the screen for the entire running time. The cast gave splendid performances, with Heston being the obvious standout. He has a tendency to overact, but his style fit Ben-Hur perfectly. He was delightfully charming at first, but once his family was imprisoned he became another beast entirely. Everyone can relate to the anguish one would feel when separated from one's family. You can see the helplessness in Heston's eyes, and you can feel the rage and anger lurking below the surface. With a running time of almost four hours, the characters can become so much more than just what the viewer sees on the surface.

Technically, Ben-Hur is simply amazing. This movie was made in 1959, and, for the most part, every bit of it holds up 45 years later. The special effects are still dazzling, the stunt work is jaw-dropping, and the scale of the film is still epic. I've never seen anything like the chariot race scene. Words can't describe it, so I won't even try. It is hands down one of the most amazing scenes I have ever seen in any movie, period. If for nothing else, Ben-Hur is worth watching for this scene alone.

In short, Ben-Hur is a wonderful movie and no part of the movie is anything less than outstanding. And yet, the sum of the parts manages to be even greater than the parts themselves. The direction, the acting, the writing, the stunts and effects, the score... They all add up to create one of the most amazing films I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. Ben-Hur deserved every Academy Award it won, and then some. If you haven't seen it, go find a copy. Don't be scared off by the length or the subject matter. I honestly believe everyone can find something to like about Ben-Hur.

The DVD followed suit and was equally impressive. The video transfer was superb. The colors were vibrant without bleeding. The picture seemed to jump off the screen with detail. Contrast levels were great and the blacks were deep and solid. I didn't see any pixelation or artifacting. Ben-Hur looked dazzling. The audio was powerful and moving. The score swelled nicely, filling all six speakers with beautiful music. The dialogue was clear, the highs were crisp, and the bass was tight. The 5.1 mix sounded like it was faithful to the original track. Most of the sound information was focused in the front channels, while the surrounds were used for some thunder effect and the score. The result felt appropriate for the film and allowed the score to really shine. Overall, an outstanding presentation.