Warner to release Ben-Hur on Blu-ray in 2009 (?), or..... - Page 11

Quote:

Originally Posted by benbess 

That's good to hear. Sounds like we might get it then if the heavy lifting has already been done. Like the rest of you I still have not only DVDs but some VHS tapes of favorite films. It's just that I vastly prefer a good blu-ray....

 

Let us not leave laserdiscs out of the equation.  And I'm sure there are still some with Beta and CEDs.

RAH

And I have Ben-Hur on Super 8 too. 18mins of concentrated action.

William Wyler's Ben-Hur is my no.1 favourite film btw. (I have to mention this in every Ben-Hur thread, sorry)

Can't wait for the Blu-ray,

I never sell old DVDs or laserdiscs when purchasing a title on BluRay.  I'll get the BluRay of Ben-Hur to go along with my CAV laserdisc box set, with its irreplaceable booklet inside, my first-generation DVD and my multi-disc DVD box set.

I even like to save pre-restoration versions of titles like "My Fair Lady" (the CBS-Fox laserdisc has a nice gatefold jacket, terrific jacket notes and that piece of film dirt in Jack Warner's credit card that was integral to the film for so many years), and "The Bridge on the River Kwai" with Pierre Boulle's screenplay credit.  I only wish I had the old, pre-1983 pan-and-scan version of "A Star is Born" as a remembrance of how I knew the film on TV in my youth.

The first time I saw Ben-Hur in a theatre back in the sixties, there was no Nativity pre-title sequence and the film ran a bit under three hours.  I'd love to see that cut just to see what else is missing from the version I've enjoyed on video all these years.

The first time I saw Ben-Hur was when it was re-released in cinemas here in the UK in the early 70's. I still have the souvenir booklet. the last time I saw it on the big screen was at a West End cinema in the early 80's.

Amazon.UK is listing Ben Hur blu-ray without the big box. Currently for sale for 11.99 pounds . Listed as Region Free. Release date is September 5, 2011

Description

This 1959 version of Lew Wallace's best-selling novel, which had already seen screen versions in 1907 and 1926, went on to win 11 Academy Awards. Adapted by Karl Tunberg and a raft of uncredited writers including Gore Vidal and Maxwell Anderson, the film once more recounts the tale of Jewish prince Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), who lives in Judea with his family during the time that Jesus Christ was becoming known for his "radical" teachings.

Ben-Hur's childhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd) is now an ambitious Roman tribune; when Ben-Hur refuses to help Messala round up local dissidents on behalf of the emperor, Messala pounces on the first opportunity to exact revenge on his onetime friend. Tried on a trumped-up charge of attempting to kill the provincial governor (whose head was accidentally hit by a falling tile), Ben-Hur is condemned to the Roman galleys, while his mother (Martha Scott) and sister (Cathy O'Donnell) are imprisoned. But during a sea battle, Ben-Hur saves the life of commander Quintus Arrius (Jack Hawkins), who, in gratitude, adopts Ben-Hur as his son and gives him full control over his stable of racing horses. Ben-Hur never gives up trying to find his family or exact revenge on Messala. At crucial junctures in his life, he also crosses the path of Jesus, and each time he benefits from it. The highlight of the film's 212 minutes is its now-legendary chariot race, staged largely by stunt expert Yakima Canutt. Ben-Hur's Oscar haul included Best Picture, Best Director for the legendary William Wyler, Best Actor for Heston, and Best Supporting Actor for Welsh actor Hugh Griffith as an Arab sheik.

Extra Content

• Charlton Heston & Ben-Hur: A Personal Journey
• Ben Hur 1925 Version
• Ben Hur:The Epic That Changed Cinema
• Ben Hur: The Making of an Epic
• Ben Hur: A Journey Through Pictures
• Screen Tests: Leslie Nielsen and Cesare Danoya
• Screen Tests: Leslie Nielsen and Yale Wexler
• Screen Tests: George Baker and William Russell
• Screen Tests: Haya Harareet Hair and Make-Up Test
• Vintage Newsreels: Costliest Film Makes Screen History
• Vintage Newsreels: The Night Ben Hur Comes to Broadway
• Vintage Newsreels: West Coast Welcomes Ben Hur
• Vintage Newsreels: VIP Opening: Capital Welcome for Ben Hur
• Vintage Newsreels: Japan's Emperor Goes To The Movies
• Vintage Newsreels: Oscar Likes Ben Hur
• Highlights from 4/4/1960 Academy Awards Ceremony
• Commentary with T. Gene Hatcher and Charlton Heston Part 2
• Music Only Track Part 2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003BNY6XU/ref=nosim?tag=dvdbeaver-21&link_code=as2&creativeASIN=B003BNY6XU&creative=374929&camp=211189

It comes to a little over 13 pounds ( Sorry I don't have pound symbol on my keyboard) to the US when you remove VAT and add standard shipping.

That listing description may turn out to be problematic, Gary.

On amazon.com.uk it says DVD Description and all of the reviews are for a 2006 DVD release.  The DVD description also references a DD 5.1 audio track and gives makes other references to make me believe that description doesn't represent--at all--what will be on this release. 

You may be right as far as the extras are concerned. As far as the reviews being from the earlier DVD version, Amazon seems to always put the reviews of a  prior DVD release for a film which is being released on blu-ray for the first time. I also don't believe this will be a single disc release, as it says at Amazon.co.uk  as I believe the US blu-ray will be 2 discs. I also thought that since Warner blu rays are generally region free, that they release the same discs all over the world. I think that was the case with Gone With The Wind, where the only difference in video content between the US big box and the later Scarlett edition in the US and the first UK version was that the UK didn't have the DVD of MGM : When The Lion Roars. I am sure if this is wrong I will hear about it.

If this indeed is a one disc set, I would guess it will be disc 1 of the US 2 disc set and probably a movie only edition with what ever commentaries are on disc 1.

Well...the title plainly says "region free" blu-ray. 

That part seems a lock.  I just wonder what else, if anything, will be included with the film.  And, like you said, if it will be a 2-disc set.

I'm betting it'll be the film and all of the bonus material without the swag, especially once you consider that this'll likely be the only edition the UK market gets.

This has been the pattern so far for WHV releases in the UK in relation to their US counterparts (Oz, Gone with the Wind, etc;). All content minus the box of swag. If that price holds, we should be able to get it shipped stateside for under $20.00 - which is about right, since this is what I paid for the UK Gone with the Wind. It's a shame that WHV isn't worldwide rights-wise on Citizen Kane.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon 

That listing description may turn out to be problematic, Gary.

 

On amazon.com.uk it says DVD Description and all of the reviews are for a 2006 DVD release.  The DVD description also references a DD 5.1 audio track and gives makes other references to make me believe that description doesn't represent--at all--what will be on this release. 

True, we may have to wait and see, but if the non-box release includes the 1925 version of the film, I'll definitely be passing on the box.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReggieW 

I'm betting it'll be the film and all of the bonus material without the swag, especially once you consider that this'll likely be the only edition the UK market gets.

 

 

If that turns out to be the case, I'll jump on it without hesitation.