Ben-Hur

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georgan g While this movie is impressive, especially for a 1925 silent genre, there was too much I could not tolerate. Humane filming is not totally done even today, but nearly 100 years ago it was grim & cruel. The horses killed during the chariot race was horrendous. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member I was lucky enough to see this film with a live orchestra with Stuart Copeland of the Police. He's worked with this film many times, and you should beg him to come to your theatre and perform it again because it is mesmerizing. I have never had an experience at the theatre like that in my whole life, and I saw Chaplin's "City Lights" with a live orchestra. This is what you pay money to see, musicians sweating out the old time capsule in its full regalia. I had to remind myself to breathe while in the theatre with this beast, as it was breathtaking. There was quite a bit of horse abuse in the making of this film, and as someone who's sensitive to that, I thought it might be too much to see. I had searched before the film "How many horses died?"...Up to 150 is that answer. Jesus Christ! is right. However, if the jackasses were gonna kill like that, at least they made a powerful film. It shakes the soul, and still is an effective and very emotional artifact. The urinals exploded in our theatre the night this was performed, as the tension of the piece was too much for even the plumbing to handle. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Ethan S A visual treat with a compelling story and excellent action sequences. The physicality and expression of the acting helps to eliminate the need for a lot of intertitle exposition also, though probably my familiarity with the later Heston sound-version of the story might make me a little biased in that respect. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/02/21 Full Review s r Epic to say the least. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review charles f It's okay pretty entertained. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review kevin w The thing about silent films is that their limitations are often their strongest selling points. Yes, overacting to make a point. But often as well, sublime delivery. This outing of Lew Wallace's curious tale of a rich guy stripped of his wealth by The Man (the Romans) only to gain redemption and revenge in a horse race (?!?) is laden with Christian symbolism like a bakery has frosting, and is perhaps just as tempting, if such is your wont. Certainly everything is done in huge style here, and in the grandeur is its charm. Still, silent films are an acquired taste anymore, and for me of necessity needs a decent musical soundtrack to carry it. Having that, then this is a superior version to William Wyler's acclaimed Academy Award winner. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Ben-Hur

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