By Adam Bramwell
Recently I decided to watch these 2 "Epic" biblical dramas from the 50's. The fact that they are old and typically 3 and a half hours long will most likely put off most young film goers, which is understandable to a degree, yet ignorant in a sense. After being told countless times that Ben-Hur is one of the greatest films of all time, I decided it was about time to watch it after putting it off for a number of months. The first thing to note down is that with these films, you have to be in the right mood to sit there for such a long time. With the right mood set, I was ready to watch these 2 films in 2 days.
The Ten Commandments came first, however. After reading an article about the all time greatest epics, I remember this film being listed, and at the time I was looking into Biblical characters. This prompted me to download and watch it there and then, with the intention of watching Ben-Hur the next day. Charlton Heston, who some may know from "Planet of the Apes", plays the lead role in both films, and it is important to firstly mention the sheer quality of his acting, winning an Academy Award for Ben-Hur. In both films he portrays the "hero " figure brilliantly, giving the films that extra "powerful" feeling.
The cinematography and effects in the two films differ, even though they were released around the same time. Ben-Hur (1959/budget of $15 million), The Ten Commandments (1956/budget of $13 million) When comparing the biggest scene of each film, it is evident why Ben-Hur draws so much attention.
The fact that this scene contains no special effects and was completely real, will always amaze me and probably Hollywood forever. When comparing it to the scene where Moses parts the Red Sea, which used special effects that my Mum described as "amazing at the time", Ben-Hur comes out the winner, no question. Why? Simply because it stands the test of time. The cinematic shots in Ben-Hur are stunning, and without a doubt ahead of their time, as was Lawrence of Arabia (previously reviewed). Saying that, The Ten Commandments was equally as impressive in parts, but the main difference is that extra feeling you get from watching Ben-Hur, with it's soundtrack which will remain memorable, especially the scenes that contain Christ. On paper Ben-Hur is more powerful, a "bigger film".
When it comes down to my personal opinion on the films, I simply preferred The Ten Commandments. It tells the tale we all know of Moses, the Hebrew baby who was sent down the Nile in a basket by his mother, who despite having the opportunity to become an Egyptian Prince, decided to lead the slaves out of Egypt, becoming a leader to the people and preaching God's message and laws. It is an easy watch for such a long film and adds it's likeable added touch to the characters, making it very enjoyable. Ben-Hur was enjoyable but in a different way. Telling the story of Judah Ben-Hur, wrongly punished for an accident by childhood friend, a Roman Tribune who failed to convince Ben-Hur to betray his people, is sent to the ships in battle and becomes a chariot racer after saving a Roman Counsul A story of revenge and passion for family, drawing comparisons to the modern day gem "Gladiator". At the same time, the word of Jesus Christ is surfacing, who is very relevant in the film's outcome. A slower film, yet as I mentioned earlier more powerful in it's own right, there is not a lot in it when it comes to having to decide a score for these 2 very very good films.
Ben-Hur - IMDB Score: 8.2/My Score: 8.1
The Ten - IMDB Score: 7.9/My Score: 8.3
Commandments
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