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The Ten Commandments
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The Ten Commandments is a 1956 epic film from Paramount Studios in VistaVision directed by Cecil B DeMille, which tells in the broadest Hollywood style the Bible story of Moses as he struggles to get Pharaoh Ramesses II to let the Israelites leave Egypt. It is the 5th highest grossing movie of all time, adjusted for inflation, with collections of $838,400,000. In non-adjusted dollars, it held the record as the highest-grossing film with a religious storyline until the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ. // Critics have argued that considerable liberties were taken with the Biblical story, affecting the films claim to authenticity, but this has had little effect on its popularity. For decades, a showing of The Ten Commandments was a popular fund-raiser among revivalist Christian churches, while the film was equally treasured among film buffs for DeMilles cast of thousands approach & the heroic but antiquated silent-screen-type acting. Posters Of The Ten CommandmentsI was hesitant to review this dvd since, in every credible theologians view, a fundamentalist approach to the Bible, ignorant of ancient & medieval civilizations & their languages, leads to erroneous interpretations But I believe DeMille, The Ten Commandments producer & director, & the son of a lay Episcopal minister, believed the Bible is the inerrant word of God AND that a historical-critical approach is necessary to understand it . The fact that in The Ten Commandments, the Red Sea, not a sea of reeds , parts, is perhaps an example of artistic license.
In a sense, The Ten Commandments is DeMilles Biblical commentary. Its a swan song , & a real labour of love .
Perhaps first & foremost, The Ten Commandments is great propaganda for democracy . Through it DeMille sought to help unite Jews, Christians & Muslims. It argues that all persons are equal & should be free, regardless of race, ethnicity or creed. It even alludes to the fact that according to the Bible, Moses married an Ethiopian princess .
STYLE & INFLUENCE: Its arguably one of the most spectacular, entertaining & influential films ever made. At Lucasfilm, a poster for it has hung on the wall for many years, & one can easily see the movies influence not only on Biblical films of the 50s & 60s, but also the Star Wars movies, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Arc & numerous other science fiction & fantasy films. Director Michael Powell considered DeMille the greatest magician in film history.
Perhaps the most under-rated aspect of The Ten Commandments is its production design: a marvelous hybrid of art deco & nineteenth century & ancient Egyptian art. Viewing The Ten Commandments is a bit like stepping into a painting by Alma-Tadema or a Pre-Raphaelite, or a book illustration by Dorè, & having the artwork come to life.
The score, by Elmer Bernstein, is extraordinary. Its part of the very essence of the film, & uses leitmotiv beautifully.
TRANSFER: Its excellent, & the next best thing to seeing the movie on a big screen. The colours are very rich & vibrant, & the sound, originally recorded with cutting edge stereo equipment, is nicely remastered & restored.
EXTRAS: Im SO glad I ordered the most recent dvd release , containing a commentary by Katherine Orrison & a six-part documentary about the making of. Both are extremely informative & entertaining. The latter features interviews with surviving cast & crew, as well as DeMilles granddaughter. Five stars for the film, five for the transfer, & five for the commentary & documentary!
Anne Baxter was an American actress. Born in Michigan City, Indiana, her maternal grandfather was architect Frank Lloyd Wright. By the age of 13, Anne had appeared on Broadway. During this period, Baxter learned her acting craft as a student of the famed teacher, Madame Ouspenskaya. Her first movie role was in 20 Mule Team in 1940. She was chosen by Orson Welles to appear in The Magnificent Ambersons, based on the novel by Booth Tarkington. Baxter didnt have a starring role until The Razors Edge in 1946, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 1950 she was chosen to star in All About Eve, largely because of a resemblance to Claudette Colbert, who had initially been chosen to co-star in the film. Baxter received a nomination for Best Actress for the role. In the 50s, Baxter was married to & then divorced from actor John Hodiak. That union produced Baxters oldest daughter Katrina. In 1961, Baxter & her second husband, Randolph Galt, left the United States to live & raise their kids on a cattle station in the Australian Outback. A True Story.
Posters Of Anne BaxterEditors Choice: The Ten Commandments, Three Violent People, All About Eve, Angel On My Shoulder, The Fighting Sullivans, Carnival Story, View DVDology
Nina Foch is a Dutch actress & leading lady in many 1940s films. Murder where she played character Carol Flemming in which she was killed by stragglation by her husband, Dr Ray Flemming, so he could start dating with another woman, Joan Hudson. Although Foch starred in that film her movie fame was during the height of the 1940s in which she played the leading lady of cool, aloof & often foreign women of sophistication. One noteworthy role for Foch was that of Bithia in Cecil B DeMille s The Ten Commandments. She played the Pharohs daugther who found Moses in the bullrushes wrapped in a cloth in a basket. Her task was to raise Moses, a Hebrew, as the Pharohs son. Nina Foch at the Internet Movie Database.
Posters Of The Ten CommandmentsEditors Choice: The Ten Commandments, View DVDology
Cecil Blount DeMille was one of the most successful filmmakers during the first half of the 20th century. He directed hundreds of silent shorts before coming into huge popularity during the 1920s, when he reached the apex of his popularity with such films as Dont Change Your Husband, The Ten Commandments & The King of Kings. Though most commonly referred to by the press as DeMille with a capital D, deMille preferred & even signed his checks as deMille with a small d. DeMilles business address for most of his career was 2010 DeMille Drive, Hollywood, California. In either case, the persona of the the larger than life showman was reinforced by such affectations & his status as an icon thrived. Cecil B Demille had a keen eye for talent & was known for being an instumental catalyst for the rising status of many a previously young, struggling, or unknown actor. Actor Richard Dix s best-remembered early role was in the silent version of Demilles The Ten Commandments.
Posters Of The Ten CommandmentsEditors Choice: The Ten Commandments, View DVDology
Nina Foch: | Wikipedia Article * |
Anne Baxter: | Wikipedia Article * |
The Ten Commandments: | Wikipedia Article * |