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DVD Description
In this new adaptation of the colossal classic, Ben Hur - The Complete Series delivers more action, passion and revenge than ever before. The timeless story follows two friends who become bitter enemies and the historic events of the time as told through the eyes of Judah Ben-Hur. Born a wealthy Jewish merchant's son, he is destined to live many lives: a powerful businessman, a dutiful slave, a fierce gladiator, a Roman nobleman, and finally... a conquering hero. This extraordinary adventure-filled saga is the historic epic for a new generation.
Synopsis
Best friends become bitter enemies in this epic Mini-Series. A Roman and a Jew grow up like brothers until, as young men, they are forced to face their destinies. Fans of the original classic and new viewers alike will love the historic epic adventure that's one of the greatest stories ever told.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 30 people found the following review helpful
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I watched this over the Christmas period (2011) on TV. If you've seen the Heston version, you'll know the story. But this version has just enough variations to make it interesting. Please watch this without preconceived ideas. It's not the Heston version, but that's not to say it's bad.
The main characters do a commendable job when you consider that the Heston version is a renowned "classic" of the cinema and this version had nothing like the budget of that film.
I thought the confrontational scenes between the main characters were excellent and the major scenes (the lost of the slave-rowed ship at sea and the chariot race) were well done. I particularly liked the opening scenes where the viewer learns (just a little) more of the relationship between Judah and Messala as children.
This version is much nearer to the book's more religious approach to forgiveness than the Heston film, but equally, the meetings (and their results) between Judah and Christ are treated in a far different fashion.
Well worth a watch and, at this price, good value. I've already pre-booked my copy of the DVD for when it's issued (30 Jan 2012)
Recommended
The main characters do a commendable job when you consider that the Heston version is a renowned "classic" of the cinema and this version had nothing like the budget of that film.
I thought the confrontational scenes between the main characters were excellent and the major scenes (the lost of the slave-rowed ship at sea and the chariot race) were well done. I particularly liked the opening scenes where the viewer learns (just a little) more of the relationship between Judah and Messala as children.
This version is much nearer to the book's more religious approach to forgiveness than the Heston film, but equally, the meetings (and their results) between Judah and Christ are treated in a far different fashion.
Well worth a watch and, at this price, good value. I've already pre-booked my copy of the DVD for when it's issued (30 Jan 2012)
Recommended
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
this is well done for a tv series, the acting also was very good
the only thing was if your gonna have a hero ,he has to be big and muscular.
the lad who played ben hur acted the part brilliant, but he just looked
like a lad, but it was a good show.
the only thing was if your gonna have a hero ,he has to be big and muscular.
the lad who played ben hur acted the part brilliant, but he just looked
like a lad, but it was a good show.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
I quite enjoy these TV miniseries based on Greek and Roman history and mythology although I seldom feel any compulsion to watch them a second time. As I had occasion to observe in an Amazon review of Hercules, the production values are often quite decent but their Achilles heel (if you'll excuse the classical allusion) is usually the indifferent casting and I found this TV Ben-Hur to be no exception. I had rather high expectations to begin with as I noted that Hugh Bonneville of Downton Abbey fame was in the cast and I assumed, wrongly as it turned out, that he would play the aristocratic naval commander Quintus Arrius who adopts Judah Ben-Hur. He actually plays, none too convincingly, a less than aristocratic-sounding Pontius Pilate. But my heart really sank when Arrius made his appearance played by none other than husky-voiced cockney bruiser Ray Winstone mumbling his dialogue and swallowing his glottal stops. It's the most egregious piece of miscasting I've yet seen in one of these miniseries. The rest of the casting is simply ho-hum with hardly a Mediterrranean or semitic-looking face in sight and with nearly all the main protagonists looking and sounding very 21st century British. And the guy playing Jesus has all the charisma of an ageing hippy. In fairness to the actors they have to contend with some clunking dialogue: "There was another set-to at the Joppa gate" and "Are you covetous of my position" being two examples. There are some embellishments to Lew Wallace's story which on the whole are not too injurious, for example Judah fighting as a gladiator for emperor Tiberius on Capri and enjoying plenty of rumpy-pumpy with a Greek vamp (one of the few authentic-looking faces but unfortunately not a great actress.) As for the spectacle, the chariot race is an absolute dud with no circus set and the chariots simply flying around a dirt track cheered on by a gaggle of extras (compare it to the monumental 85 year-old silent version which is still an absolute wow.) The sea battle is also feebly handled and despite the heavy reliance on CGI effects, which you might have expected to conjure up a whole fleet, Quintus Arrius appears to be in command of a couple of tubs bobbing around in the Med. Frankly it's silly to try to do Ben-Hur on a tight budget. I stuck with this one to the bitter end for the sake of the chariot race which turned out to be not worth the effort. I'm sorry to say I found this to be one of the less impressive entries in the TV sword-and-sandal genre. (But if like me you have a soft spot for this sort of thing check out the impressive 1980s miniseries The Last Days of Pompeii, now available as a German release Die Letzten Tage von Pompeji with original English soundtrack, which has a quality cast including Nicholas Clay, Franco Nero, Anthony Quayle and Laurence Olivier, and is based on another 19th century classic by Bulwer-Lytton, the only example of its kind I've watched more than once.)
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ben Hur
I absolutely loved this version. I think it is better than the Charleton Heston version, and I liked that in its time.
Published 1 month ago by pigley
Brilliant
The product itself is fantastic. I have only seen this version of Ben Hur and particuarly appreciated the familiar acting style of Joseph Morgan. Read more
Published 1 month ago by C. Mascall
Ben Hur
Must have missed this when it played on sky but for the price it is well worth a watch, not to the same standard as blood and sand etc but a decent dvd to waste a few hours with. Read more
Published 2 months ago by D. S. Hammond
Pretty good Ben Hur re-make
I am a huge fan of the original Ben Hur so was surprised and somewhat sceptical about a re-make of such a classic and epic film. Read more
Published 3 months ago by MartinandKashka
Ben Hur (2011)
Okay so this isn't a huge Hollywood version/remake of the Charlton Heston classic but it's still very good, well acted and has more than enough in it to keep you watching. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Je Salter
Pale shadow of the real thing
If you have read the book and seen the original film version, you cannot but regard this as a very feeble attempt, totally lacking in "soul" and not at all true to the story. Read more
Published 3 months ago by BenHurFan
Ben Hur without the carpenter
The 2010 mini-series "Ben Hur" isn't bad, as light Friday night entertainment goes. Still, "Ben Hur" without the Christ seems very strange indeed. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ashtar Command
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