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A Few Words About A few words about...™ Ben-Hur -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Ed Lachmann

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With Barabbas, it's a case of Sony getting around to it (& they may have already done the work for all I know), there's a few sixties Columbia films that I hope will get a great looking release next year.

The French Sidonis (unremovable subs) blu-ray of Barabbas is certainly underwhelming as far as image sharpness is concerned. I'm hopeful, too, that Sony has or will soon do a new scan. This genre is my favorite and I'd like to add the Fox MIAs Story of Ruth, Esther and the King and, if a decent print exists somewhere, Sodom and Gomorrah. Guess that is up to Disney now. For sheer fun I'd also LOVE to see The Silver Chalice and The Prodigal from WB. Still, Helen, Pharaohs and Barabbas are top of my list, too.
 

ptb2017fr

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Land of the Pharoahs had a lovely HD broadcast on BBCHD last year.
Esther, Story Of Ruth, Francis of Assisi, and especially Helen of Troy are ones I’d love to see get a decent Blu release. The Silver Chalice i saw recently, not a very good print, but it’s hysterically funny, though they didn’t Intend it to be, but Paul Newman looked at his most beautiful. Sodom is another guilty pleasure I’d like to see get a decent release, the last time it was shown on tv it looked pretty bad. Barabbas is indeed out in France but I’ve not seen it as it’s not a movie I like.
 

Alan Tully

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I dunno, how come I missed the BBC HD broadcast of Land Of The Pharaohs last year? I always check what films are on TV. Damn!
 

ptb2017fr

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Why have costume epics gone out of fashion? I'm getting really bored with super heroes!
Meant to ask why El Cid and Fall of the Roman Empire haven't had decent restorations? Pinewood did a gorgeous one on two other Bronston epics, 55 Days at Peking and Circus World, so why not the others. El Cid deserves a really good restoration, and Fall having been remade as Gladiator, without the religion, and with easily the biggest and best sets ever, you'd think someone would take it on. Shown on BBC tv last weekend in 1.85:1 so sides were cut off, but the colour was gorgeous!
 

richardburton84

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Meant to ask why El Cid and Fall of the Roman Empire haven't had decent restorations? Pinewood did a gorgeous one on two other Bronston epics, 55 Days at Peking and Circus World, so why not the others. El Cid deserves a really good restoration, and Fall having been remade as Gladiator, without the religion, and with easily the biggest and best sets ever, you'd think someone would take it on. Shown on BBC tv last weekend in 1.85:1 so sides were cut off, but the colour was gorgeous!

I think I read somewhere that the presence of some mediocre international Blu-rays may have hurt the feasibility of restored Blu-rays of those films. I’m pretty sure I also read that Pinewood doesn’t have the necessary equipment to scan the 65mm negative for Fall. Also, which of the two films in question was shown on BBC?
 

DP 70

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Pinewood only has 35mm but it can scan Techirama as it did a fantastic job on 55 Days at Peking.
 

ptb2017fr

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I think I read somewhere that the presence of some mediocre international Blu-rays may have hurt the feasibility of restored Blu-rays of those films. I’m pretty sure I also read that Pinewood doesn’t have the necessary equipment to scan the 65mm negative for Fall. Also, which of the two films in question was shown on BBC?

Fall was the one shown 1.85:1 last weekend. Sorry not to be clearer.
 

Alan Tully

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I wonder if any company is still using a Sprit telecine (or datacine if you want to be pedantic) they can scan Technirama. As for 65mm, I wonder how many scanners there are that can do that (& any in the UK?).
 

Nelson Au

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Hey guys-

i wanted to comment on the 2011 blu ray of the 1959 Ben Hur as I watched it over the weekend. I had just watched the new 4K UHD blu ray of The Ten Commandments last weekend and I was kind of in the mood to follow up with another epic movie.

I’ve seen The Ten Commandments quite a few times before, but it was quite a revelation on the new 4K disc plus I have just upgraded my display from a 65” plasma to an 83” OLED. The upgrade to the larger screen really surprised me in many ways. The improved image quality of the UHD disc and color rendering plus the size of the screen makes watching the film so involving.

So I was curious what the 2011 blu ray of Ben Hur will look like. Since I got this new OLED, I was really surprised how great well done standard blu rays look on the new display. I have only seen Ben Hur maybe 4 complete times. Other times I’d seen It on TV years ago. It wasn’t till the last 4 viewings did I really follow the story and it’s quite an epic tale. So watching this on the new OLED was just as immersive and engaging as The Ten Commandments is. Though the aspect ratio is really wide, so it was really great to have a slightly larger screen now.

I thought the clarity of the large format image was amazing. And the colors popped. I really felt more immersed in the story and really got into the intimate nature of Judah’s story of betrayal by his childhood friend.

I split the viewing over two nights using the break at the intermission point. I really looked forward to seeing the second half! The famous chariot race was a nail biter. Though my sound system is a 5.1 non atmos system. I think it’s fairly well set up. So it was kind of hard to hear much going on behind me. It wasn’t till the thunder storm after the crucifixion sequence that I could hear surround. If there was a lot of surround going on during the sea battle and the chariot race, I didn’t notice It. I think I was far more engaged with the story and watching the images. Maybe I’ll have to re-view those sequences to check. :)

The last time I watched Ben Hur, I read up on it and learned it is based on a book. So I have a bit more understanding of it as a piece of fiction. And it’s a really good movie and story and not so much a biblical story. I can see where George Lucas got inspiration for the Star Wars prequels.

I think there’s been a lot of curiosity to when this title will get a 4K blu ray release. I was impressed with the 2011 blu ray now that I can better appreciate it on a slightly larger screen. I could see that the darker scenes in Judah’s house when he returns from Rome and the leper caves would likely look blacker on a UHD version.
 

KPmusmag

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Back in the 1980s or early 90s I saw Ben-Hur at the Hollywood Cinerama Dome. Truly epic and a special memory. My brother went with me and neither of us could believe that it is as long as it is because we got so wrapped up in it. I do like the blu-ray very much and I can't believe it is 11 years old!
 
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ptb2017fr

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One of those movies that has to be seen on a giant screen! Saw it many times in the cinema. Would love to see it again on a giant screen, but I doubt any 70mm prints still exist. It was breathtaking. Have watched it so many times since on first dvd then finally Blu ray. I have the special big box set which is wonderful.
 
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DP 70

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The last time I saw a 70mm print was at the Plaza and the ABC 2 Shaftsbury Avenue in London in 1977, that was a 2.20 version , but I did see a 4K DCP on the Cinerama screen in Bradford a few years ago that was the full 2.76 version and it did look excellent for a digital screening.
 
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ptb2017fr

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The last time I saw a 70mm print was at the Plaza and the ABC 2 Shaftsbury Avenue in London in 1977, that was a 2.20 version , but I did see a 4K DCP on the Cinerama screen in Bradford a few years ago that was the full 2.76 version and it did look excellent for a digital screening.
I saw it at the Plaza sometime during the early 90s I think. Not 2.76 though. Lucky you seeing it on that wonderful screen in Bradford. Keep hoping an Imax will have a showing some time. Here in France it would get a full house. Went to see Once Upon A Time In the West at a revival in Toulouse a year ago expecting to be in a half empty place, but it was packed. They really love their cinema the French.
 
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