8mm Forum: Ben Hur/54mins.3x400ft/col/snd.

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Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on July 30, 2006, 11:19 AM:

Here's my views on this classic 1959 movie,released by m.g.m.
Well hang on fellow members because this is "the greatest"three
parter ever released on super8mm.Anyway here goes...
The original title sequence leads us into the crowded streets
of Jerusalem as the new Roman governor and his legions march thru the city gates-a colourful spectacle indeed.He is welcomed by
Tribune Messala(Stephen Boyd),a ruthless individual who will stop
at nothing to impress his superior.As the proccession winds thru
the streets,we see Judah Ben Hur(Charlton Heston) and his younger
sister Tirzah(Cathy O'Donnell),watching from the roof.Leaning over,Tirzah innocently dislodges a slate;it crashes down near the
Governor's horse which rears up and throws the Roman to the ground.The roman soldiers immediately arrest both Tirzah and her
mother,Miriam(Martha Scott),together with Judah who later pleads
for their lives.But the power crazed Messala yells,"By making an
example of you,a friend,i will be feared and discourage treason!"
Hearded across the desert with all the other prisoners,Judah is
near death as the guards refuse him a drink of water.A serene figure steps forward,ignores the roman soldiers;and offers water.
Judah's strength is renewed as he gazes into this stranger's eyes-this man from Nazarerth.
Judah's imprisonment then leads to him being chained below decks
as a oarsman on a Roman galley.He's known only as number41.
The Commander Qunitius Arrius(JACK HAWKINS)comments:you've hate
in your eyes 41..that's good, hate keeps men alive...
Neverless Arrius admires 41,who is of noble birth.
Arrius has Judah's chain unlocked,before the sea battle begins.
Then we see a great sea battle;their ship is rammed,Judah releases his fellow slaves and the commander is flung into the fiery sea.
For this act of bravery,Arrius adopts Judah as a worthy successor
to his own dead son.Free and once again weathly,Judah heads back
to Jerusalem.While his caravan rests,he first meets Balthassar(FINLEY CURRIE)and then the amusing Sheik IIderim(Hugh Griffith)-the latter is vainly trying to train his four superb white stallions for chariot racing.On hearing that Judah is skilled in this sport,he begs him to make his four run as one.
Judah shows little interest-until he hear that Messala is now
champion of the chariot race.Confronting the Roman,he issues a challenge and demandes the were abouts of his mother and sister.
Later,his intended Esther(Haya Harareet)revels they are both dead.Thus he goes into the chariot race with a new desire for revenge...
What else can be said about the famous chariot race that follows.
The great stunt director Yakima Canutt,took the reins and filmed
one if not thee most brilliant piece of filming ever put on the
screen.Hell even raiders of the lost ark and star wars prt 1,pay
homage this spectecle..
Messala is as evil as ever as he first forces other competitors to crash,then resorts to whipping Judad as their chariots draw alongside each other.His recklessness leads to his downfall as,
trampled under foot Messala is left broken and bleeding!.
With his dying breath he is determind to destroy Judah;as he
splutters"The race is not over-look for your mother and sister
in the valley of the lepers-if you can recoginse them.."
At first Esther begs Judah not to see them-she knows it would
tear them apart.But after hearing Jesus give his sermon on the mount,Esther feels if Miriam and Tirzah could meet him,this would
help them face the future.
Covering their scars Judah takes them into the city-only to arrivein time to see Jesus lead away for execution.As he stumbles
by carrying the heavy cross,Judah offers water-only to realize that it is the same man who had saved his own life in the desert.
Jesus is crucified as Tirzah and her mother watch from a cave.
As the strom rages,the scars leave their faces-a true miracle.
Reuntied with Judah,the halleluijah chorus builds to a tremendous climax as the end title appears.
This is in my view,the greastest of all the holywood epices.
This condensation does it full justice,its deeply moving,the editing is first class;print and sound are still good.
Be it scope or flat this is big screen action at its best.
If,like me your a fan of this movie;but can't affored the full
feature,then track one of those down.Outstanding in every way.Andy.

Posted by Jan Bister (Member # 332) on July 30, 2006, 12:29 PM:

Great review, thanks Andrew - now this one's definitely getting on my must-have list. (I've actually never seen the whole feature [Eek!]

)

Posted by Robert Aragon (Member # 181) on July 30, 2006, 12:50 PM:

Good review and I can only say, it TRULY IS A GREAT edit job. GREAT SHARP IMAGE TOO. Once redone into STEREO...you WILL FLIP when this runs on your projector! One of my favortie Digests!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 30, 2006, 01:48 PM:

I've always wanted to get the scope 3x400 ft. version of this, and now I'd love to. Do you know if the 1x400ft scope version has footage not in the 3x400ft. version?

Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on July 30, 2006, 02:35 PM:

Osi,Idont know about the 400ft version having sequnces cut from
the 3x400ft one.Prehaps a dealer could tell us.
I know paul foster films had the scope version 3x400ft.
Give him a try.he's web site is on this forum.Andy.

Posted by Mal Brake (Member # 14) on July 31, 2006, 11:58 AM:

Yes, this is a great cut-down. The plot is easier to follow (I lose track during the 3hour version) and the Cineavision print has held up well over the years.
There are a couple of scenes in the Cineavision 400 footer that could be added to the 3x400, I never got round to doing it though.
Mal

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on August 03, 2006, 12:01 PM:

Andrew,

Teriffic review of
this digest.
Is the chariot race complete,
or is it slightly edited?
Is the MGM digest presented
in letterbox or full screen?

I was also wondering if the
Cinevision 3 parter contained
the complete chariot scene too.

Michael

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on August 03, 2006, 01:55 PM:

Thanks for that review Andrew.

I agree that this IS one of the most skillfully edited digests to ever grace the super 8 screen. And the colors (were) so rich back when I bought it brand new. Although some fading has occurred, its still a beautiful color print. Nice clamshell boxes with origional MGM poster artwork too.

No, the flat print is not masked at all, but the pan and scan is very professionally done, so you don't feel such a big loss of picture.

I'm not sure if the chariot race is 100 percent intact. I imagine that they may have edited just a little bit of it, but it is long enough that it doesnt feel shortened.

Nick.

Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on August 03, 2006, 01:58 PM:

HI MICHEAL,The chairot race is cut down;beauifully i
may add.The digest was availble in both scope and flat.
I would think All versions of BEN HUR famous sequence
was edited.Andy.

Posted by Eberhard Nuffer (Member # 410) on August 05, 2006, 07:40 AM:

Michael,

the MGM-three-parter was also offered in Germany by UFA. It's printed full frame, and the editing is the same as with the scope-prints by Animex/Cineavision - apart from the commentary "This is a Super 8 Cineavision universally protected reduction" which proceeds the credits.
Around 1988, Dietrich Kempski (there was another posting about him a couple of months ago), released a scope-reel containing the chariot race full length (200m/about 660ft), which was meant to be interspliced into the Animex/Cineavision one- or three-parters. Unlike the Cineavision prints, the Kempski-prints were not fitted with black bars at the left and right edges.

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on August 05, 2006, 01:09 PM:

Eberhard,

Do you know if
the Kempski scope
chariot race extracts
were printed in Low Fade
Stock, and how they would
match into the 3x400 versions?

Michael

Posted by Eberhard Nuffer (Member # 410) on August 05, 2006, 07:21 PM:

[ August 09, 2006, 05:09 PM: Message edited by: Eberhard Nuffer ]

Posted by Eberhard Nuffer (Member # 410) on August 05, 2006, 07:24 PM:

Michael,

I don't have the Kempski extract in my collection, but as it was released as late as 1988, I'm sure it must be on low fade stock (either Eastman or Agfa). Unfortunately this is not the case with the Cineavision three parter: My print is shifting towards red - my flat UFA print, which I sold when I got the scope version, had much better colours.

Posted by Barry Johnson (Member # 84) on August 09, 2006, 06:34 AM:

I have the scope version but its going red but is in excellent condition,mounted on a 1200ft spool.
If anyone is interested its up for sale,make me an offer.Silly money not required,about thirty quid tops would be ample,plus a bit of postage.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on October 29, 2008, 09:23 PM:

YAAAAAHOOOOOOOO!!!

Finally!! After three years of searching for the Ben Hur 1X400ft scope edition, I'm finally getting it.

I noticed that when I owned the faded 3X400ft Ben Hur, the only parts that had good color, was the parts from the 1X400. It appears that the 1X400ft part was printed on a very good stock, while the 3X400ft ... wasn't.

That 1X400ft was an extremely well edited digest and I proud to finally own it!

Posted by Laksmi Breathwaite (Member # 2320) on February 15, 2011, 07:11 PM:

Wow ! I can't believe I got it the 1X400 BEN HUR. It is beautiful with clear no fade color. After all these years I have had this film with me all over the world. I got it in hot Hawaii back in the 80's and had it in cold London in the 90s plus hot hot Las Vegas up to 2011! THe film still wholes up.The edit is really nice all the best scenes are there in this digest. Don't be jealous!

Posted by Chris Fries (Member # 2719) on February 03, 2012, 07:59 PM:

I finally own the 3x400 BEN-HUR and I must say, I love it! As much as I liked the 1x400 (sold mine some time ago) I like this better. The 1x400 always seemed a bit rushed. Plus, the 3x400 has the actual end of the film.

It was mentioned that there were some scenes in the 1x400 that are not in the 3x400. The one that immediately comes to mind is at the beginning of reel 2. After Judah has rescued Quintus Arrius and is being paraded in front of the Romans, Quintus speaks to Emperor Tiberius about Judah. There may be more. I will have to watch my video of the 1x400 to see what.

Posted by Colin Robert Hunt (Member # 433) on February 04, 2012, 03:35 PM:

I have the Cineavision scope print of both the 3 part and the 400ft part. You are right that there is much you can cut from the 400ft version. The one's you mention is just straight cuts. You can cut more into the chariot race by just inserting the scenes from the 400 footer into the 3 part. It depends how the prints match and how much you want to put in. I have extended the whole film with the 400ft and 3 parter plus extended the music final on the end just to give some more music than the rather abrupt cut off on the film. Have fun.

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