Ben Hur (50th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]

The phrase "as big as Ben-Hur" is an informal, often comical, way to say something is huge, extravagant, or a monumental production. It refers to the epic scale of the 1959 film Ben-Hur, specifically its massive sets, huge number of actors, and elaborate chariot race scene, which was the most expensive and elaborate action sequence of its time. Yes, 'Ben-Hur' is definitely BIG in every sense of the word. For me, 'Ben-Hur' represents what true cinema is really all about. I saw this movie on the big screen with my father and I was held spellbound for over 3 hours. From the opening credits, and the amazing music of Miklos Rozsa, to the rolling of the final credits, I jumped into this movie and became part of Ben-Hur's incredible journey that was filled with great highs and great lows. It was one of movie's greatest villains, Messala (Stephen Boyd), who originally upset the life of noble Jewish Prince Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), who lives happily with his family in palatial surroundings. Ben-Hur is a gentle man who is highly respected by all in the community. Enter Messala, an ambitious Roman commander who wants to impress Emperor Ceasar by bringing law and order to the rebellious Judea and crushing all dissent. Of course, Ben-Hur is not happy about this and takes umbrage when Messala suggests that he (Ben-Hur) should betray his people and hand over the names of all troublemakers to the Roman authorities. This sets the two main protagonists on course for a showdown which will reach its climax at the great circus in Jerusalem where Ben-Hur and Messala will compete against each other in a chariot race to the death. When you watch 'Ben-Hur' it as if you are watching reality unfold before your very eyes. These are not 2-dimensional characters up there on the screen but real human beings expressing powerful emotions. Heston and Boyd are amazing in the lead roles, but other actors (and the characters they play) are just as amazing. Of particular note is Haya Harareet who plays Ben-Hur's love interest 'Ester'. It is painful watching Ester try and fall in love with Ben-Hur, a man who has no time for love after being betrayed by his boyhood friend Messala. It is revenge that drives Ben-Hur and he will not rest (or find time for love) until he has vanquised Messala. Sadly, Israeli actress Harareet passed away on 3 February 2021 at her home in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, at age 89 from natural causes. At the time of her death, she was the last surviving credited cast member of 'Ben-Hur'. There are other great performances from Jack Hawkins, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell, Sam Jaffe, Finlay Currie, and Frank Thring. All of these actors bring so much energy and emotion to their their respective roles that by the end of the movie you could claim to 'know' them personally. Cathy O'Donnell, for example, who had starred in director William Wyler's earlier 1946 film 'The Best Years of Our Lives', brings such a tenderness and fragility to her role as Ben-Hur's sister that one cannot help but reach for the tissue box whenever she appears on screen. Likewise with Martha Scott, who plays Ben-Hur's ailing mother. The glue that holds all of these great actors together and makes 'Ben-Hur' such an organic movie, whereby all the parts complement the whole, is director William Wyler. Wyler was a genius and pefectionist. He was obsessed with retakes and ensuring that he got it right. When Charlton Heston quizzed the director about the supposed shortcomings of his performance in 'Ben-Hur', Wyler simply told Heston to "Be better!" No wonder Wyler ended up with the nickname "40-take Wyler". But his perfectionism paid off, with the actors and actresses who had starred in his films winning 14 Oscars, including Bette Davis in 'Jezebel' (1938), Olivia de Havilland in 'The Heiress' (1949); Audrey Hepburn in her debut film 'Roman Holiday' (1953); Charlton Heston in 'Ben-Hur' (1959); and Barbra Streisand in her debut film, 'Funny Girl' (1968). As director Wyler picked up 12 Academy Awards, which is a record. 'Ben-Hur' is a big film and it will have a big impact on your emotions. It is definitely a roller coaster ride and an enthralling movie experience. If you haven't seen it, then get comfy on your sofa this weekend, head over to Amazon Prime, and enjoy "The Entertainment Experience of a Lifetime".

If you like Ben Hur in particular and classic epic movies in general then you’ll ‘need’ to add this box set to your collection. 4K UHD Picture and sound quality is outstanding and definitely worth the investment. A quality package in all respects. Highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An example of how 4K restoration should be done for older films. It is arguably the best 4K UHD disk that I've ever seen so far as of 2026, and I've seen many. The details in a picture are second to none. Colors are highly vibrant, you can clearly see every single piece of a detail in nearly every frame. To thing that a film from 1959 in 4K looks better today then majority of modern movies released today says everything you need to know about it. It is a must own for any movie enthusiast, and a great 4K lovers. It is a perfect 4K disk.

Today the news told of the death of Charlton Heston. I have owned this set for some time and have waited for the right opportunity to watch the main feature - today seemed to be that day. In tribute I watched the 1959 version of Ben-Hur that is on this DVD set. The 1959 version we all know is spread over two discs, and is presented in a 2.76 aspect ratio which is very wide. Visually it is mostly excellent, with great clarity and vibrancy lending an intimacy and opulence (or oppression) to scenes that compels the viewer. Colour, light and shadow are used to great effect and most scenes have a detail and depth to them that is rare, especially so for a film nearly 50 years old. As I understand it from the extras disc, the camera system used was brand new at the time, utilising a 65mm film that was about four times the size of conventional film. Alas there are some flaws, although they can be forgiven when so much is so good. The most glaring flaw is I believe a product of the DVD encoding process, where solid reds such as the Roman cloaks are jaggedly framed against high contrast backgrounds and the body of red colour is rendered unsightly. This is evident mostly in medium and close shots and at times it is so artificial looking that the cloaks appear as if they are CGI additions. Fortunately the film is so detailed and intricate it is no burden to look elsewhere to avoid occasional visual offence. I've seen this in other discs also (the bar scene in Glengarry Glen Ross with the solid red background comes to mind). That or my DVD player is showing its age. The audio is in Dolby 5.1 and is excellent throughout. The surround channels even get a bit of a workout in some scenes, adding further to the film. The 1925 version is included on it's own disc. I watched this a few weeks ago and found it a reasonably compelling film. The story is the same, but details differ. This is apparent in the slightly different trajectory of the characters' developments, which seems to take the momentum out of some scenes. I was surprised to see the sea battle and the chariot race in there, and I was even more surprised at how good they were. Particular mention goes to the use of primitive monochrome colours used in some scenes. The sound accompaniment was a little overwhelming for me, as it never lets up. I prefer the 1959 version in every way, but it still stands up as a good film and a great extra in this set. The remaining disc is full of extras, which will probably tell you everything you might ever want to know about the two films. I found the screen tests most interesting. I must mention that there is a commentary for the 1959 version by Charlton Heston and T. G. Hatcher (film historian) that I look forward to listening to in the future. If I've learnt anything from Charlton Heston, it is to never break a stare and never blink, just let the look convey the scene. He does that a lot as Ben-Hur. Charlton Heston is gone now, but we can hold the stare and let the eyes glaze. That is enough to convey the loss. This is most definitely one of the greatest films made and this DVD set is superb. Aside from a few forgivable flaws the film as presented here is excellent and most highly recommended.

The picture quality of the 4K remaster is outstanding and highlights the real benefits UHD offers even older movies particularly if the original has been shot on 70mm or similar formats. This is the finest 4K UHD disc I have seen. I look forward to the forthcoming release of the original West Side Story and Gone with the Wind in 4KUHD later this year, hopefully they will emulate this spectacular release. As for the accompanying collectors material I am somewhat disappointed. The double sided, resized, lobby stills offer a part set of the originals, heavily folded posters (double sided again) are impracticable when it comes to framing and the booklet is so small 20/20 vision is a requirement. In comparison to the Ben Hur 50th Anniversary Collectors set a complete letdown. However the 3 discs in the Steelbook are the real highlight here and the delivery of the collectors set in a thick protective box emblazoned with the Warner Bros logo ensures your valuable purchase arrives in good shape! Don’t miss this.

This film has long been a favourite of mine. While this is epic moviemaking on the grand scale, it has some wonderful intimate moments that help to make it all the more memorable. Director William Wyler knew exactly what he wanted from his cast. Charlton Heston was never better as the eponymous hero and Stephen Boyd is equally compelling as the villain, Messala. The script is near-perfect and only stumbles occasionally it's hard to believe that a condemned galley slave would be allowed to enter a Roman General's bedroom unaccompanied )but the dialogue for the most part is excellent. For a film that is over 50 years old, the special effects hold up very well and the action sequences - especially the famous chariot race - are more realistic than anything you can see in today's clinical digital age. This new, magnificently-restored Blu-ray presentation ensures that the film is now seen at its very best making the viewing pleasure greater than ever. But be sure to view it on a large screen where you can fully appreciate the excellence of this newly restored master. In its de-luxe version, this three-disc set is nicely-packaged in a sturdy box containing two hardback books. One devoted to the press coverage of the film and the second a reproduction of Charlton Heston's personal day-to-day diary of the many months he spent making Ben-Hur. The main feature is spread across two discs - to ensure an optimum bitrate for maximum visual and audio clarity. I think you'll agree that "Ben-Hur" has never looked or sounded as good as it does here. Special Features include two documentaries, one new - "Charlton Heston's Journey through Ben-Hur" introduced and narrated by his son, Fraser C. Heston and illustrated by original 16 mm home movies shot by Mrs. Charlton Heston. The second is the previously-released "Ben-Hur. The Epic That Changed Cinema." Alongside these are various screen tests and excerpts from the 1960 Academy Awards plus the 1925 silent version with an excellent music score from Carl Davis which may not be as grand as the monumental 1959 Miklos Rosza score - but it's pretty good all the same. All of these "extras" except for the first documentary were featured on the previous 4-disc DVD edition of "Ben-Hur" and this brings me to my one disappointment with this release. The absence of the wonderful 58-minute "The Making of Ben-Hur" narrated by Christopher Plummer that was such a highlight of the previous edition. Clearly, this would have called for a fourth disc - but if Paramount can do a six-disc Blu-ray of Cecil B. De Mille's "The Ten Commandments" which has much better packaging than this release ), why couldn't Warners have gone the extra mile and given us the whole enchilada ? This package,however, is still worth adding to any collection. But if, like me, you treasure "The Making of Ben-Hur" you'd better hang on to your old DVD issue as an adjunct to this package.

Well here it is.... The greatest epic of all time. This almost perfect movie is given the 4k treatment and it's a stunner. This 1959 master piece was nominated for 12 oscars and wins 11. A record that would stand until Titanic in 1997. We all know the story of Judah Ben Hur (Heston) and his former boyhood friend Messala (Boyd). To watch this story play out is just prue cinema magic. Everything about this film is flawless and the 4k treatment is stunning beyond words. The colours Pop and the sound pumps out Mikos Roza brilliant score. I repeat if you ever wonder if 4k is worth the upgrade this is the discs that will leave you in no doubt. This film is quite simply the greatest epic movie ever made. No questions. Add to your collection now.

That's for film but have to say this big bad Panasonic 450eb struggle to do more than 30 minds without drop outs and freezing of picture seriously not good layer no stsrs

Elegantissima la confezione, grandissima la qualità del blu ray, un'oggetto cult...Compratelo!!! fantastico il copione personale di Heston, ricchissimi i contributi speciali.

I watched this movie from my Dad's VHS collection of old films in California. I was so impressed with it so that I decided to also own this movie in DVD format which I purchased from Amazon. My friends and I were just inspired by it that we decided to give it 5 stars. The actors Charlton Heston,Stephen Boyd,Jack Hawkins,Haya Harraret,etc,etc did wonderful performances in our opinion. The movie's beginning shows two childhood friends Messala the Roman and Judah Ben Hur the Hebrew who met each other again as adults. Messala this time became a Roman Tribune. A serious conflict between the two arose when Ben Hur refused Messala's offer to help him capture suspected Jewish conspirators against Rome. Ben Hur refused to be treacherous to his own people or be branded as a traitor. One day, a loose tile from the roof of the Hur house fell and accidentally hit a Roman official on the road below. Although innocent, Ben Hur together with his mother and his sister were arrested and imprisoned. BenHur was then sent to the Roman ships (galleys) as one of the enslaved oarsmen. On the way to Rome, the entire ship sank. Ben Hur managed to save the life of the Roman Ship Commander named Arrius until they were rescued by other Romans. Arrius then later adopted him as a son. This led to his becoming in charge of the horses in the stables and eventually to the magnificent breathtaking 4-horse chariot races in the Circus Maximus (wherever) with BenHur as one of the charioteers. It so happened that Messala the Tribune was also a charioteer and the two former childhood friends met again as enemies. Since this is a movie review, I will not go further to tell the end or the events leading to the movie's ending. One has to watch this movie from its beginning to its ending to fully appreciate its magnificence and beauty. BenHur's encounter with Jesus Christ earlier and then up to His crucifixion is unquestionably very inspiring. It is also fascinating to watch officials climbing certain steps to get to the top of the magninicent buildings (there were no elevators of today then) in order to give the signals that the race is about to begin. The blaring of multiple Roman trumpets to announce the appearance of the Roman emperor was very majestic. Then during this brutalizing race, there were chariot accidents with serious injuries (even being trampled). The appearance of the Roman "paramedics or ambulances (very ambulatory indeed) " to get the injured safely out of the tracks are thrilling to watch. One reviewer actually said that one of these Hollywood stuntmen sustained serious injuries during the filming. The filming it was said was made in Rome or somewhere in Italy (not Hollywood) and no "green screens" were used. At that time there were also no computer generated tricks that could be used. The closeups and the audio and the editing,etc,were just amazing as the risks taken to film the chariot race. Some reviewers are actual movie filming technology experts and some of their criticisms appear valid. The task of judging the movie for its PRECISE OPTIMAL TECHNOLOGY belongs to these professionals which certainly is not me or not most of us. However,the good quality of the video-audio of my DVD copy (not BluRay) as well as the MESSAGE that this movie brings are sufficient enough for us to give it 5 stars. We recommend young or old to watch this outstanding movie. We believe that however old the movie maybe, it will never be forgotten.

Great looking film, if you are looking for the best version on blue ray.....this is it

Glad to have the DVD's of this great movie. Something we watch every Easter or Christmas in our family. Spiritual.

When I first saw Ben-Hur on VHS, I remember being wowed by the spectacle. When it was released on DVD, I was still wowed, but also disappointed with the faded colour palate which made it seem like a lesser epic in comparison to Lawrence of Arabia and Bridge on the River Kwai. Well, it is faded no more! This blu-ray presentation is in a word spectacular. The colours are full and vivid and detail is ever-present. This movie looks so good on blu-ray my entire opinion of the film itself has been raised. I've seen some pretty great video quality from blu-ray restorations of classic films, but Ben-Hur may just be the best of them all.