The Ten Commandments [DVD] [1956]

The Ten Commandments was made in Vistavision which was Paramount's answer to Cinemascope. Not as wide as Cinemascope, Vistavision had an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 which is almost exactly the same as a widescreen TV at 1.78:1. Standard 35mm film was used but it moved horizontally through the newly designed Vistavision cameras, the frames being photographed side by side instead of one over the other. This resulted in a bigger negative area and therefore better picture quality than Cinemascope.
To view the movie as intended you'd have had to visit a cinema equipped with the horizonal projectors. Most cinemas would have 35mm anamorphic prints which would crop the picture at top and bottom to give a scope aspect ratio of 2.35:1. TV of course, would crop the picture at the side to give a ratio of 1.37:1.
Paramount's Vistavision productions had a sharp, grain free look and it shows on this DVD. Ten Commandments is presented here in its correct aspect ratio with no black lines at top and bottom or at the sides.
The Ten Commandments was and is a ROADSHOW movie with an overture, intermission and exit music. In the 50s and 60s a roadshow movie often had special instructions sent to cinema projectionists on how it should be exhibited.
When the overture was playing the curtains were kept closed because there is no picture, the film has a soundtrack only at this point. When the picture appeared the curtains opened and the movie proper began. At the end of the first half the word "intermission" appeared briefly and then faded to black, the curtains closed. After about 15 minutes the second half of the movie began with the entr'acte music. Curtains were closed at this point because there is again, no picture. The curtains were opened when the picture appeared. In roadshow films there was never a title at this point, the second half just began on the next scene. - At the end of the movie after the end titles the film would go to black and the exit or walkout music would play while the curtains were closed.

The Ten Commandments is the only roadshow movie on DVD that I know of that is presented correctly. The screen is black during the overture, entr'acte and exit music. THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE. The word "overture" should not be present at the start, the word entr'acte should not be present at the start of the second half and, most heinous of all, there should not be a slide show during the intermission - ARE YOU LISTENING MGM WITH "DOCTOR ZHIVAGO?"

Cecil B. De Mille introduces the Ten Commandments after the overture, he's usually edited out as is all the additional music when it's shown on TV.

In this DVD everything is correct. Those of you with projector systems at home can replicate accurately the presentation of the Ten Commandments at its time of release. WELL DONE PARAMOUNT, FIVE GLOWING STARS FOR THIS ONE.

Some say there are inaccuracies in the storyline. Well, this is a movie and the movies have never been known for their accuracy. It's great filmaking though, made at a time when going to the cinema was a real event. It's all about showmanship. They don't make them like this any more. - Anyway, if you want the true word of God you should be reading your Bible...shouldn't you?

As a child I queued for 3 hours to get tickets for this film when it was released. It was the custom in those days to stay in the " pictures " for free repeat showings if the film was something special. However this film proved so popular that it was separate performances only and I could not afford to buy more tickets to see it over again.
The back row of the " picture houses " were the usual haunt for courting couples and I am sure that many a Commandment was broken by them and they never got to see the film or even remember the name of what was showing.

During the showing of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS I am absolutely positive that no Commandments were broken by any of the audience as it held our attention for the full 3 hours and 39 minutes.
This was 50 years ago and having just watched the DVD I can honestly say that for me it is still the best movie of its genre. The colour, sound and widescreen adds to the tremendous effects and enhances the close-ups. In the final orgy scene I was amused to see an extra hamming it up pretending to get his leg burned on the artificial fires smelting the gold. As an "EXTRA" myself I tend to look for that kind of thing but nothing else would prompt me to say anything negative about this great story. Todays' special computerized special effects cannot match the ones featured in this movie. I was reduced to tears during several scenes as I was as a child when I saw it for the first time. I got this DVD at a bargain price and the quality is SPARKLING. I think that this film should be released into cinemas again for todays' generation to see a masterpiece in true widescreen.

Let me start this review by stating that I am rather biased towards this film as it is my favourite film of all time.

In the interest of not wasting too much of your time and coming across as a bit fanatical I will keep the review as brief as possible.

The acting is top class especially Charlton Heston & Yul Brynner, yes i admit that some of the dialogue can be quite cheesy and at times OTT Sanctimonous but don't let that put you off.

The epic scale of the production is evident when you learn that the majority of the film was shot on location in Egypt and Sinai and this gives the film a genuine nature. The studio sets and props are beautifully (works of art in my opinion) realised and again add to the overall film.

This is one of Hollywood's golden moments and it must have been awesome for the audiences of 1956 to see such spectacles realised on film such as The Exodus, and the parting of the Red Sea which still stands today as a major special effect.

If you have an interest in The Bible, Religion this is a great movie to watch, but even if you don't the film is one of the best films of the 20th Century and is well worth a viewing.

A good purchase along with this film is the excellent book: 'Written In Stone' which is full of anecdotes and stories of the films production.