The Ten Commandments 4K UHD (1956)

[Dunemoon]

Originally Posted by slimdude

Upset? What the hell are you talking about!

You being upset.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by Dunemoon

You being upset.

I'm just as happy as a lark.

[PissedOffPeoN]

Originally Posted by reanimator

Gave this UHD a spin last night. Another example of where I expected to watch a few minutes just to check the quality of a disc -- and then it's suddenly four hours later and the movie is over.

TEN COMMANDMENTS plays better and better for me as the years go by. The first two-thirds centers around palace-intrigue and political maneuvering ala GAME OF THRONES. And the last third emphasizes the consequences of the new path Moses has chosen. As a kid, the first portion always bored me, but I now find it fascinating -- Moses' rejection of his destiny, and his questioning of how a God could ever exist that would allow so much suffering in the world -- it's very relatable drama that hasn't aged a day. Heston and Brenner are terrific in their respective roles.

When I saw the screencaps, I was expecting only a modest improvement from the original BD. This was not the case at all, as the PQ improvement here is easy to see. The caps would suggest only a slightly more detailed image, when the true result is obviously higher definition and sharpness. Let's be clear, the original BD is fantastic -- one of the very best on the BD format. If anything, we may simply be "hitting the ceiling" of definable detail from the source elements. My guess is a modern scan might yield a little more detail, but not much.

The bigger note here is the HDR color grade, which is extremely impressive. The colors on display are everything you would hope for -- truly looking like a Technicolor film print. Specular-highlights dance before your eyes every time someone in Egyptian armor comes marching onto screen, it's very striking. The burning bush and the pillar of fire VFX both benefit from the expanded brightness range -- and in fact, any time you see someone holding a fiery torch you're likely to be impressed.

The highlight for me was the plague of Egypt and the first Passover. There is an eeriness in this presentation that no other video version has ever matched. The color and darkness range just looks so cinematic. When people say, "it's like seeing it for the first time" -- this truly is the case here. I've never before felt the impact of this sequence the way I did while watching the 4K. There's a shot where Moses comes walking back into the palace at night, and Pharaoh finally gives-in to his demands -- the color and the darkness is just gorgeous. Unearthly green flames pouring from cauldrons, creating pools of mysterious darkness and light. I immediately checked that same scene on the BD, and there is simply no comparison -- the BD looking bright, washed-out and colorless, robbing the scene of its dread-filling impact.

SPARTACUS retains it's title for best image detail, but we may have a new champ for classic-era color. A genuine Hollywood landmark now has it's ultimate home video release -- and at a great price. If you can't tell, I certainly recommend TEN COMMANDMENTS and I can't wait to watch it again.

Does Spartacus beat Lawrence of Arabia?

[Space_Butler]

Originally Posted by slimdude

Is your username bradnoyes? He doesn't need you or anybody else to answer for him. If he has anything to say he can speak for himself.

A personality disorder isn't a personality, and you don't how how a forum works.

Originally Posted by slimdude

It's about time.

Consider getting a life instead of obsessing over a poster's reply time to you on a Saturday.

[dougkuhn]

Watching it now. Good lord, that transfer is just amazing. Not one blemish or flaw to be found anywhere.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by Space_Butler

A personality disorder isn't a personality, and you don't how how a forum works.


Consider getting a life instead of obsessing over a poster's reply time to you on a Saturday.

Consider getting a life and start minding your own business.

[heavyharmonies]

The way you ladies are behaving towards one another would make Jesus cry.

[Sky_Captain]

[vjo81]

I'm watching this now. The DV image is excellent and the DTSHD 5.1 track expanded out by Neural:X gets it done. The one thing that has always irked me about the movie, and still does, is Anne Baxter's almost comical over-acting. The script writers did her no favors, nor did Mr. DeMille.

[COBill]

What irks me is people judging the style of 1950s epics by modern standards.

Look at any other DeMille film, or Ben-Hur for comparison.

It was a stylistic choice that you disagree with.

[slumcat]

Originally Posted by vjo81

I'm watching this now. The DV image is excellent and the DTSHD 5.1 track expanded out by Neural:X gets it done. The one thing that has always irked me about the movie, and still does, is Anne Baxter's almost comical over-acting. The script writers did her no favors, nor did Mr. DeMille.

She's a very good actress of course. I imagine you have seen All About Eve.

Her acting in this movie is completely intentional. It is meant to be theatrical style acting - not just from her but from almost everyone.

This is a highly stylized picture that way - it is meant to be very very tableau-y.

[Ernest Rister]

Where's Your Messiah Now? - YouTube

[COBill]

Yes, in fact the actions of many of the actors are intended to exactly replicate famous paintings of the same scenes.

[MattJ1991]

Originally Posted by slimdude

Consider getting a life and start minding your own business.

[MattJ1991]

I got this and I'm very excited to check it out tomorrow. I've never seen it, but I'm very much in a classic mood so I think I'll really dig it. I did spot check it briefly and I think it looks absolutely gorgeous.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by slumcat

She's a very good actress of course. I imagine you have seen All About Eve.

Her acting in this movie is completely intentional. It is meant to be theatrical style acting - not just from her but from almost everyone.

This is a highly stylized picture that way - it is meant to be very very tableau-y.

It's a reboot of DeMille's own silent film epic of the same name and he was widely known in the silent movie era as a big, bold showman. He was always one to be quite a bit on the stagey side of cinema with broad strokes and little subtlety in his directorial style.

That's why this film almost felt like it could have been a throwback product of early cinema rather than even coming from the 1950's in its over the top acting and theatrical dramatics.

[Dunemoon]

Originally Posted by slimdude

I'm just as happy as a lark.

Ok Unhappydude.

Anyway, TTC 4K is magnificent. I can see myself rewatching it 2-3 times a year.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Dunemoon

Ok Unhappydude.

Anyway, TTC 4K is magnificent. I can see myself rewatching it 2-3 times a year.

I cancelled my pre-order when I read it was the same master as the Blu which I already own...mistake?

[TravisTylerBlack]

Originally Posted by slimdude

So basically you've bought The Ten Commandments in 4K UHD just for eye candy, not because you like biblical movies.

I'm not religious at all but always look forward to my annual screening of The Ten Commandments. Whether the viewer believes the subject matter to be fact, fiction, or somewhere in-between is entirely irrelevant. The immense power and overall message of the story is universal.

A good movie is a good movie.
If it happens to be derived from scripture, then cool.

[TravisTylerBlack]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

I cancelled my pre-order when I read it was the same master as the Blu which I already own...mistake?

Derived from the same 4K restoration but this is not the same transfer as presented on the, albeit already excellent, blu.

It's a stunning upgrade IMO.