UHD Review The Ten Commandments UHD Review (1 Viewer)

[Neil Middlemiss]

“Let my people go”. Charlton Heston’s casting is perhaps one of the greatest examples of finding the perfect person for the seemingly insurmountable task of bringing the larger-than-life biblical character of Moses to life. Heston’s chisel jaw, booming bass-rich voice, and stoic and grandly statuesque posturing comprised all the requisite theatrics and drama required to stand out-and not become swallowed by-the resplendent spectacle of a Cecile B. DeMille production.
The Ten Commandments was a monstrous success at the box office, grossing an enormous $65MM from a not small $15MM budget (that’s over $977MM adjusted for inflation). It would garner seven academy award nominations, winning for Visual Effects, and become a mainstay of Passover family entertainment on television after a long theatrical run and theatrical re-runs. It was considered good old-fashioned traditional filmmaking even in 1956 and was the antithesis of noir filmmaking (as Katherine Orrison so succinctly states in...

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[Robert Crawford]

Neil,

So based on your fine review, it's your recommendation that watching this 4K disc on 65" or smaller OLED will produce a clearly superior video presentation than the 2011 Blu-ray?

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Neil,

So based on your fine review, it's your recommendation that watching this 4K disc on 65" or smaller OLED will produce a clearly superior video presentation than the 2011 Blu-ray?

I saw an uptick watching on my 65" so others should be able to as well, though the 4k does make a little more obvious the blue screen effects. I think the large the better, though.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I saw an uptick watching on my 65" so others should be able to as well, though the 4k does make a little more obvious the blue screen effects. I think the large the better, though.

Just an uptick?

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Just an uptick?

Yeah. It wasn't night and day largely because the Blu-ray version I had was already so impressive. There's improvement in finer details, colors and contrast edged up and even more impressive, but again, not night and day. When I watch this film again in a couple of years it will be the 4K I pull off the shelf, though

 

[dpippel]

Thanks for the review, Neil! There are a few films that I just want to have in the very best version available, and The Ten Commandments is one of them. Slight uptick from the Blu-ray? Good enough for me!

 

[john a hunter]

I always thought, perhaps incorrectly, that the Overture you credit to Elmer Bernstein, was in fact composed by Victor Young who was originally going to compose the score.

I was taken to see this when originally released at a mid week matinee.
The cinema, the Odeon at Mile End in east London seated about 1500, and was full with many other school children.
During the film you could have heard a pin drop.
At the time I was bowled over by it.
Today not so much.
First half is fun-over ripe dialogue and acting especially.
Part two ponderous and boring but I can see why many enjoy it.
Give me Ben Hur any day.

 

[haineshisway]

The overture is clearly by Elmer.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Neil,

So based on your fine review, it's your recommendation that watching this 4K disc on 65" or smaller OLED will produce a clearly superior video presentation than the 2011 Blu-ray?

If you watch this on your OLED and don't think it looks great, I'll eat a bug!

 

[B-ROLL]

The overture is clearly by Elmer.

? ...

 

[Bryan Tuck]

Thanks for the review, Neil!

Am I understanding correctly that there actually is an English mono audio track included? If so, that's great; I don't think the film's original mono track has been heard in decades.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Thanks for the review, Neil!

Am I understanding correctly that there actually is an English mono audio track included? If so, that's great; I don't think the film's original mono track has been heard in decades.

No, there's no English mono track on the 4K - just DTS-HD MA 5.1.

French and German mono, though.

I assume the review lists English 1.0 as a cut and paste error. It happens to the best of us!

 

[Noel Aguirre]

No mention of the burning bush that looks straight out of Walt Disney? My favorite part!

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

No, there's no English mono track on the 4K - just DTS-HD MA 5.1.

French and German mono, though.

I assume the review lists English 1.0 as a cut and paste error. It happens to the best of us!

Yep! Exactly right. I removed the English mono tag from the review as it’s exactly as Colin says. Thanks, Colin.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Also, I had the privilege of interviewing Charlton Heston’s son, Fraser Heston, about this release today. Great conversation that I hope to have up in the next couple of days.

 

[skylark68]

I preordered awhile back. I’m looking forward to this one greatly. Thanks for the review. I love your enthusiasm for the film, I feel the same way. It’s on my top 5 films of all time.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

Yep! Exactly right. I removed the English mono tag from the review as it’s exactly as Colin says. Thanks, Colin.

Oh well. I do wish Paramount would take a cue from Sony, who have been pretty good about offering legacy audio tracks on UHDs lately. They even quietly reissued The Bridge on the River Kwai with the film's original mono track, which hadn't been included on any video release since at least the early 90s.

 

[BarryR]

I always say that DeMille intentionally made the movie as a grand pageant, deliberately bold and over the top. If you don't know that, of course it's going to seem a bit odd to young newcomers.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

My interview with Charlton Heston's son, Fraser Heston, is up if you'd like to check it out here:

 

[stevenHa]

Is there anyway to redeem the digital copy onto Amazon (it seems to only offers Hulu or Apple) ?