One of my favorite movies ever.

I just enjoy watching it.

That was fast Nebs!!!

Talk about a film that is known for only one thing. Chariots!!

This film is the film that defines the whole epic genre. When we think of epic's we think of this and Lawerene of Arabia. The latter is a much better film in every way possible though. It is a famous film and it helped MGM stay alive. It is a film that made Heston famous and the man who know defines the Epic Genre.

The film itself starts slowly and it gets rather good after that to about when Ben-Hur wins the race. After the race the film really gets way to long and boring and the film starts to get very religious. The acting is over the top by all the actors apart from the Roman Consul and governor who are pretty good. Heston is good in the action scenes but his acting gets rather ridiculous by the end.

The film has about 3 good parts and you really wait for those parts and the film really lags between those parts.

The Galley Scene is rather good and entertaining and such and was well done and God knows how many movies have copied that scene.The 2nd scene is when the Triumph happens in Rome, which looks really cool and EPIC!

The 3rd scene which we all know about is the famous Chariot Scene. It is a 50 year old action scenes and usually action scenes in films this old are not that good. However, this scene is timeless as even half a century it was made it still mesmerizes people. It is a scene that is really well done, which has many legends and myths about and it is well known scene. I would call it an iconic scene like the shower scene in Psycho. It is a scene even today that still sucks you in and amazes you. I also watched it on a 32 inch box tv, I wonder how it would look on the big screen or on a Blue ray disk on a widescreen tv. I was literally amazed by the scene like how I was amazed by the action scenes in Transformers. It just shows us how ahead of its time the scene is and how great it truly was and STILL is.

The score was quite Epic as well.


So, the film is the epics of all epics however it is not really good apart for a few scenes. The Chariot scene is the only reason why this film is still well known today.

B+

I guess I agree on your big scenes and I always have loved the rowing scenes, etc.

But also I think the smaller scenes are wonderfully acted and make this a very special movie: talking to the roman on the boat, the shiek and the old man with the horses, his scenes with friend both before and after they become enemies, some of the Jesus interaction, etc, etc, etc.

The chariot scene is probably the best action sequence of all-time, but after that the film JUST GOES ON AND ON AND ON AND ON FOREVER.

the film really goes downhill after the chariot scene.


I think the reason why Heston won the Oscar was not for his acting but how he made the action scenes so great. His stiff strong really adds to the Chariot scene.

It is prehaps one of the few times anyone won a Oscar based on their action sequences rather for traditional acting.

I don't know, I won't debate the Oscar question bacause I think the whole movie was Oscar worthy.

Perhaps you have the unrated version?!



(I'm also a big fan of Ben Hur, and rate it second to the king of the biblical epics, The Ten Commandments. The Roman galley scene is my fave.)

and both staring Chuck. Nice.

Can't recall much about the film as I haven't watched it in quite some time but the Chariot sequence tops it all and that deserves an A by itself.

Well to me there are two types of old films...

The ones that are remembered for being a great movie with great acting and scenes and lines.

The others are films that are decent but have many great scenes. Ben-Hur is this kind of film and really the film feels EPIC. To me the modern days Epics apart from Lotr appear to be on such a large scale.

One of my top 10 favorite films, i think its the best of the epics.

I want to Switch my grade from B+ to A-.

It is not the best Epic as I consider Spartacus to be a better film.

I saw it again and no movie since this one was more epic then this film.

Lawrence of Arabia was epic scenery wise but there was not that knockout scene like the chariot scene. However Lawrence is a better film and well LOTR is computer generated.

This movie is EPIC in every way possible. It should be dictionary example of the word EPIC.

When the music plays, your like woh this is EPIC!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnarek31cGU

Really listen, the music just elevates you and makes everything feel so grand and EPIC!!!

An Easter tradition in my household was to sit down together and watch this and The Ten Commandments whenever they came on TV that week. I don't think they play these movies anymore as much during Easter, and my family hasn't watched this movie together in years, though I own the 4-disc DVD ed. that came out not too long ago.

Ben-Hur is a film that I basically grew up with. Along with The Ten Commandments it was one of the first movies that made me fall in love with movies. To this day I still love the music. I can hear it in my mind if I think about it.

Watch it on Blue Ray...

Okay hands down this is the King Of EPIC films...

The Chariot Scene was the most amazing scene ever..

However the film dragging on afterward stops the film from being the greatest epic of all time.

A-

So, I've finally watched this. I really liked it for the first 3 hours or so, the chariot scene was indeed pretty great given how old the movie is, but the 3rd act is way too long and a letdown.

Film drags down at the end as it just gets to be way too long.