Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49731 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-09-16
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Formats: Box set, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 213 minutes

Special Features
Wide Screen
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital 5.1
Audio Commentary By Charlton Heston
Behind The Scenes Documentary Ben Hur The Making Of An Epic
Screen Test Of Near Final And Final Cast Members
On Set Photo Gallery
Theatrical Trailer

Synopsis
Anno Domini: the seventh year of Augustus Caesar's reign. In the Roman province of Judea, Jews return to the city of their birth for the census. A bright star in the night over Bethlehem marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Years later, Roman commander Messala (Stephen Boyd), who was brought up in Judea, takes command of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem. His Jewish boyhood friend Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) greets him. Messala is delighted. But when Judah refuses to name Jewish patriots, Messala sentences him to the slave galleys and imprisons his mother, Miriam (Martha Scott), and sister, Tirzah (Cathy O'Donnell). Judah vows revenge.
In BEN-HUR, William Wyler's much-lauded epic, the story of Judah's search for his mother and sister and his quest for revenge intersects with crucial biblical events such as the Sermon on the Mount and the crucifixion. Wyler gets fine performances from Heston, Boyd, Jack Hawkins (as a Roman admiral who befriends Judah), and Hugh Griffith (as an Arab sheik who dreams of racing his beautiful white horses against Messala). Among BEN-HUR's vivid dramatic sequences are a violent sea battle and the famous chariot race that pits Judah against Messala in one of cinema's great action sequences.

Customer Reviews

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Prince Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston of Ten Commandments fame) was raised up with his best Roman buddy Messala (Stephen Boyd). Little did they know at the time that they would grow up become adversaries, and as a result this would lead to may adventures. In the process Judah leads many different lives that parallels and crosses the life of Jesus.

We see Judah in the mines, on the galleys, and even adopted by a roman Noble man as young Arrius. Mean time back at home his family is incarcerated by Messala leading to trials and tribulation that only Jesus can correct.
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A lot of time and money went into this MGM production that netted 11 Academy Awards, along with many others such as BAFAT, David di Donatello, Directors Guild of America, Golden Globes, Laurel, Writers Guild of America, ...etc.

You will be so intrigued that you may not notice the 212+ minutes depending on the version.

One highlight, the chariot race was reproduced many times in various forms.