THE TEN COMMANDMENTS [1923 / 1956 / 2020] [Blu-ray] [DigiBook] [USA Release] The Greatest Event in Motion Picture History!
Throughout film history, Hollywood has produced a number of sweeping epics and generation-defining films. However, one Biblical saga – Cecil B. DeMille’s ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ – has withstood the test of time.
Beginning with the original 1923 ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ silent film, a powerful story unfolds comparing the Old Testament morality to contemporary immorality.
The 1956 film is universally acknowledged among critics as a cinematic masterpiece with a legendary cast including Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, and Anne Baxter. From its Academy Award-winning director and revolutionary Oscar-winning special effects to its sweeping score and unforgettable sets, ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ presents the inspiring story of Moses in all its stunning glory.
Now available for the first time ever on Blu-ray and restored to a stunning new visual experience, ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1923 and 1956 can be relived in the best ever picture and sound possible.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1923 FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1924 Photoplay Awards: Win: Best Pictures of the Month (February). Win: Best Performances of the Month (February) for Rod La Rocque. Nominated: Medal of Honor for the 1923 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.’
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1923 FILM FACT No.2: ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1923 was lauded for its "immense and stupendous" scenes, use of Technicolor process 2, and parting of the Red Sea sequence, the expensive film proved to be a box-office hit upon release. It is the first in DeMille's biblical trilogy, followed by ‘The King of Kings’ [1927] and ‘The Sign of the Cross’ [1932]. The idea for the film was based upon the winning submission to a contest in which the public suggested ideas for Cecil DeMille's next film. The winner was F.C. Nelson of Lansing, Michigan; the first line of his suggestion read: "You cannot break the Ten Commandments — they will break you." Production on the film started on the 21st May 1923 and ended on August 16, 1923. ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ is one of many works from 1923 that entered the public domain in the United States in 2019. ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1923 premiered at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood on the 4th December, 1923. ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1923 were banned in the 1930’s in China under a category of “superstitious films” due to its religious subject matter involving gods and deities.
Cast: Theodore Roberts, Charles de Rochefort, Estelle Taylor, Julia Faye, Pat Moore, James Neill, Lawson Butt, Clarence Burton, Noble Johnson, Edythe Chapman, Richard Dix, Rod La Rocque, Leatrice Joy, Nita Naldi, Robert Edeson, Charles Ogle, Agnes Ayres, Leon Beaumon (uncredited), Genevieve Belasco (uncredited), Wilson Benge (uncredited), Virginia Bradford (uncredited), Arthur Edmund Carewe (uncredited), Camille Carlson (uncredited), Gino Corrado (uncredited), Dorothy Dale (uncredited), Cecilia de Mille (uncredited), Attilio Degasparis (uncredited), Louise Emmons (uncredited), Charles Farrell (uncredited), Viscount Glerawly (uncredited), Rex Ingram (uncredited), Roscoe Karns (uncredited), Jack Montgomery (uncredited), Kathleen O'Shee (uncredited), Guy Oliver (uncredited), Jack Padjan (uncredited), Eugene Pallette (uncredited), John J. Richardson (uncredited), Mabel Richardson (uncredited), Robert St. Angelo (uncredited), Abe Steinberg (uncredited), Betty Steinberg (uncredited) and Rose Steinberg (uncredited)
Director: Cecil B. DeMille
Producer: Cecil B. DeMille (uncredited)
Screenplay: Jeanie Macpherson (story)
Composers: Edward Falck (uncredited), Hugo Riesenfeld (uncredited), Karl Gutman (uncredited), Lazare Saminsky (uncredited) and Milan Roder (uncredited)
Costumes Design: Clare West (uncredited), Howard Greer (uncredited) and Julia Faye (uncredited)
Cinematography: Archie Stout (Director of Photography), Bert Glennon (Director of Photography), Fred Westerberg (Director of Photography), J. Peverell Marley (Director of Photography) and Ray Rennahan (color) (Director of Photography) (uncredited)
Special Effects: Roy Pomeroy (uncredited)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Black-and-White and Colour)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: French, Spanish and Português
Running Time: 136 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Andrew's Blu-ray Review: At the start of the film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ [1923] it says, “Our modern world is defined God as “religious complex” and laughed at the Ten Commandments as OLD FASHIONED. Then, through the laughter came the sheltering thunder of the World War. And now a blood-drenched, bitter world – no longer laughing – cries for a way out. There is but one way out. It existed before it was engraved upon Tablets of Stone. It will exist when stone has crumbled. The Ten Commandments are not rules to obey as a personal favour to God. They are fundamental principles without which mankind cannot live with. They are not laws – they are the LAW.
‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ [1923] film is Cecil B. DeMille's first screen version of ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ and is the silent film version and this version still has a similar grand and over-the-top production design as its 1956 counterpart. The 1923 version was grand for its time though since there are fewer extras and even lesser big-time sets. But much like the Charlton Heston version, the film pushes the boundaries of visual effects. For a silent film made in the 1920’s, the film does have some spectacular effects.
Silent films — especially ones made in the early 20th-century—are difficult films to watch for modern audiences. The off-putting eye makeup, the grand gestures, and jittery frame rates are something to get used to. But silent films are something of an acquired taste. But Cecil B. DeMille’s original silent ‘The Ten Commandments’ is not one of those great ones.
Unlike the Charlton Heston version, the silent version is more based on the Book of Exodus than the remake. It pulls excerpts from the Bible and uses it as dialogue for the intertitles. It doesn’t make sense at the time but soon enough you’ll find out why.
But with the 1923 film version of ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,’ the Lord has imposed a series of plagues upon Egypt does Rameses relent and permit the Exodus to take place and only to go back on his word a few moments later.
The scenes of thousands of Hebrews trekking across the desert, and the parting of the Red Sea, was an effect accomplished in part by splitting a bowl of gelatine down the middle and the pre-Commandments revelries before the Golden Calf – complete with a fetchingly undressed Estelle Taylor as Miriam and are produced on a spectacular scale... but this is only the beginning.
Just as Moses is invoking the “Wrath of God” upon the ungrateful Hebrews, the film dissolves to the present day 1923, that is. We are introduced to the MacTavish Family: pious, Bible-thumping Martha McTavish [Edythe Chapman] and her sons, straight-arrow John [Richard Dix] and hedonistic Dan [Rod LaRocque].
Both sons love Mary Leigh [Leatrice Joy], but the roguish Dan wins out. While John continues honouring the Ten Commandments, Dan breaks as many as he can get his hands on, especially after falling under the spell of Eurasian adventuress Sally Lung [Nita Naldi].
Before the uplifting climax, wherein John and Mary finally get together with it is implied, the blessings of Heaven, we are treated to a series of disastrous plot turns, including the death of mother McTavish in a collapsing church, Sally Lung's revelation that she has leprosy, and a wild speedboat chase. All that's missing is the kitchen sink.
Partially filmed in Technicolor at a then astronomical cost of $1.2 million and a sum that caused a decade-long rift between Cecil B. DeMille and Paramount Pictures. ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1923 film grossed several times that amount. Cecil B. DeMille would remake the story in 1956, dispensing with the modern story to concentrate on the life of Moses.
Please Note: ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1923 film composed music score was produced by Film Technology Company, Inc., and was performed by Gaylord Carter at the Sargent/Stark Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ in Hollywood, California.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1923 Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Audio Commentary by Katherine Orrison [Audio only] [2020] [1080p] [1.37:1] [135:55] With this featurette, we have the audio commentary by Katherine Orrison, author of “Written in Stone: Making Cecil B. DeMille’s Epic, The Ten Commandments” and is a very fascinating listen, and is easily a great expert and has a deep and vast knowledge about the movie and isn't afraid to show it off her credentials. Katherine Orrison talks about everything from shooting locations and how Cecil B. DeMille liked to work. Katherine Orrison also discusses, in-depth, the effects used in the movie and talks about how the projected backgrounds were filmed on location while the foreground with the actors was filmed on a soundstage in California. Katherine Orrison is also very perceptive and informed about her subject and it's actually a good deal of fun to listen to her. Katherine Orrison is also very rather energetic and provides a well thought out audio commentary for the 1923 film. As we get near to the end of Katherine Orrison audio commentary, and says we have a happy ending, and this is Katherine Orrison thanking you for listening to me while viewing this 1923 film, and I hope you enjoyed it, as much as I did, and especially Gaylord Carter at the Sargent/Stark Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ composed score. Due to the restriction on the space I am allowed to do this review of this audio commentary, I have had to give the briefest sample of this particular audio commentary, so I hope it will not spoil your enjoyment of this particular audio commentary review.
Special Feature: Hand-Tinted Footage of the Exodus and Parting of the Red Sea Sequence [1923] [1080i] [1.37:1] [21:05] With this featurette, we find out that teens of Max Handschiegl and Alvin Wyckoff invented the early “Handschiegl Color Process,” originally billed as the “DeMille-Wyckoff Process.” Max Handschiegl described the invention thus: A separate, black-and-white print for each color to be applied was made. Using an opaque paint, portions of the image where color was to be applied were blocked out. A duplicate negative was made from the painted print and developed in a tanning developer, which hardened the gelatine layer where it had been exposed and developed. Cecil B. DeMille was very fond of this process and he used it for producing color sequences in many of his silent films in the early twenties. Cecil B. DeMille really liked the process so much that when he had his personal prints made they would contain the scenes colored in the “Handschiegl Color Process.” The clip we get to view is from Cecil B. DeMille’s personal nitrate print of the 1923 version of ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,’ restored and conserved at the George Eastman Museum, Rochester, New York.
Special Feature: Two-Color Technicolor Segment [1923] [480i] [1.37:1] [8:43] With this featurette, we are informed that in 1922, Technicolor switched from their additive “Two-Color” cemented print process. This was called simply “Technicolor System Two.” Technicolor produced their own film ‘The Toll Of The Sea’ using this new color system. Now Technicolor needed to convince the Hollywood Studios to use the process, in 1923, Cecil B. DeMille was making the biggest film of the year, the 1923 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.’ Although Cecil B. DeMille preferred the “Handschiegl Color Process,” at this time, Cecil B. DeMille Technicolor to film alongside the B/W cameras, whose images would be later, is used in the “Handschiegl Color Process.” This allowed for the 1923 film version of ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ to become the first film to be released with sequences in the “Two-Color Technicolor” system Number 2. The film was released with the sequences in both Technicolor and the “Handschiegl Color Process.” The clip we get to view has the “Two-Color Technicolor” scenes represented.
Special Feature: Photo Gallery: With this featurette, we get to view 32 images related to the 1923 ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ film, that includes items like Information about the film, Critics Review, Western Union Telegrams, Black-and-White behind-the-scene images, as well as Black-and-White images from the 1923 film.
Special Feature: ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ – Making Miracles [2011] [1080p / 480i] [1.78:1 / 1.37:1] [73:14] With this featurette, we get to view a feature length documentary on the making of the 1956 version of ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,’ with full interviews with experts and historians about the production and the details of the Exodus story itself. This is so good; it could have been released as a very special featurette by itself. We get an introduction by Cecile B. DeMille, in-depth talk about the 1956 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,’ in-depth information about Cecil B. DeMille himself, and also an in-depth history behind both the 1923 and 1956 ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ films and which one worked the best. We also get to view old black-and-white and colour Paramount Archival Newsreel filming in the Egyptian location for the film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.’ Contributors include: Fraser C. Heston [Son of Charlton Heston/Filmmaker], Cecilia DeMille Presley [Granddaughter of Cecil B. DeMille], Scott Eyman [Author of “Empire of Dreams: The Epic Life of Cecil B. DeMille”], James D'Arc [Curator, Arts & Communications Archives, Brigham Young University], Lisa Mitchell [“Lulua” character], Katherine Orrison [Author of “Written in Stone: Making Cecil B. DeMille’s Epic The Ten Commandments”], Charlton Heston [“Moses” character / archive footage], Eugene Mazzola [“Rameses” Son character], Randall Thropp [Costume Archivist at Paramount Pictures], Jaci Rohr [Jewellery Archivist ay Paramount Picture], Aron Kincaid (Formally Norman Williams) [Visitor on Set/Actor at Paramount Pictures], Andrea Kalas [Vice President of Archives at Paramount Pictures], Ron Smith [Vice president, Preservation and Restoration at Paramount Pictures], Peter Bernstein [Son of Elmer Bernstein / Composer], Elmer Bernstein [2002 Interview archive footage] and Christopher Carey [Executive Vice President, Worldwide Tech Operation at Paramount Pictures].
Special Feature: Photo Gallery: With this featurette, we get to view nine individual 1080p photo galleries related to the 1956 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ and they are as follows: Storyboards and Concept Art [16 images]; Costumes [31 images]; Production [91 images]; Moses [8 images]; Press Kit [18 images]; The Stars [51 images]; Set Visitors [8 images]; Premiere [12 images] and Around The World [22 images].
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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956 FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1957 Academy Awards®: Win: Best Effects and Special Effects for John P. Fulton. Nomination: Best Picture for Cecil B. DeMille. Nomination: Best Cinematography in Colour for Loyal Griggs. Nomination: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration in Colour for Albert Nozaki, Hal Pereira, Ray Moyer, Sam Comer and Walter H. Tyler. Nomination: Best Costume Design in Colour for Arnold Friberg, Dorothy Jeakins, Edith Head, John Jensen and Ralph Jester. Nomination: Best Sound Recording for Loren L. Ryder (Paramount SSD). Nomination: Best Film Editing for Anne Bauchens. 1957 Golden Globes: Nomination: Best Actor in a Drama for Charlton Heston. 1957 Photoplay Awards: Win: Cecil B. DeMille for his creation of one of the screen's greatest emotional and religious experiences.
‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1956 FILM FACT No.2: The final shooting script was written by Aeneas MacKenzie, Jesse L. Lasky Jr., Jack Gariss, and Fredric M. Frank. It also contained material from the books Prince of Egypt by Dorothy Clarke Wilson, Pillar of Fire by Joseph Holt Ingraham, and On Eagle's Wings by Arthur Eustace Southon. Henry Noerdlinger, the film's researcher, consulted ancient historical texts such as the Midrash Rabbah, Philo's Life of Moses, and the writings of Josephus and Eusebius in order to “fill in” the missing years of Moses’ life, and as the film's last opening title card states, “The Holy Scriptures.”
Cast: Cecil B. DeMille (Narrator) Charlton Heston, Fraser Heston (Infant Moses), Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo, Debra Paget, John Derek, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nina Foch, Martha Scott, Judith Anderson, Vincent Price, John Carradine, Olive Deering, Douglass Dumbrille, Frank de Kova, Henry Wilcoxon, Eduard Franz, Donald Curtis, Lawrence Dobkin, H. B. Warner, Julia Faye, Lisa Mitchell, Noelle Williams, Joanna Merlin, Pat Richard, Joyce Vanderveen, Diane Hall, John Miljan, Francis J. McDonald, Ian Keith, Paul De Rolf, Woodrow Strode, Tommy Duran, Eugene Mazzola, Ramsay Hill, Joan Woodbury, Esther Brown, Babette Bain, Abdullah Abbas (uncredited), Gorgen Raymond Aghayan (uncredited), Luis Alberni (uncredited), Barbara Aler (uncredited), Ted Allan (uncredited), Herb Alpert (uncredited), Michael Ansara (uncredited), Joel Ashley (uncredited), Vicki Bakken (uncredited), Norman Bartold (uncredited), Arthur Batanides (uncredited), George Baxter (uncredited), Prudence Beers (uncredited), Dehl Berti (uncredited), Robert Bice (uncredited), Naaman Brown (uncredited), Herbert Butterfield (uncredited), Cliff Carnell (uncredited), Larry Chance (uncredited), Babs Christie (uncredited), Adalet Cimcoz (voice) (uncredited), Fred Coby (uncredited), Roger Creed (uncredited), Kio Cuddy (uncredited), Fairy Cunningham (uncredited), Adeline De Walt Reynolds (uncredited), John Diggs (uncredited), Hanaf Abou Esma (uncredited), Anthony Eustrel (uncredited), Richard Farnsworth (uncredited), Franklyn Farnum (uncredited), John Frederick (uncredited), Joe Gold (uncredited), Gavin Gordon (uncredited), Cliff Gould (uncredited), Robert Griffin (uncredited), John Hart (uncredited), Paul Harvey (uncredited), Donald Hayne (God’s voice) (uncredited), Herbert Heyes (uncredited), Ed Hinton (uncredited), Delos Jewkes (God’s voice) (uncredited), Max Keith (uncredited), Don Kent (uncredited), Mel Koontz (uncredited), Ethan Laidlaw (uncredited), Bob LaVarre (uncredited), Herbert Lytton (uncredited), Tony Marcos (uncredited), Jack Mather (uncredited), Gordon Mitchell (uncredited), Edmund Penney (voice) (uncredited), Stuart Randall (uncredited), Paul Salata (uncredited), Archie Savage (uncredited), Carl Saxe (uncredited), Mike Sill (uncredited), Ken Terrell (uncredited), Norman Wright (uncredited) and Vala Önengüt (Rameses voice) (uncredited)
Director: Cecil B. DeMille
Producers: Cecil B. DeMille and Henry Wilcoxon
Screenplay: A.E. Southon, Æneas MacKenzie, Dorothy Clarke, Fredric M. Frank, Jack Gariss, Jesse Lasky Jr. and Wilson, J.H. Ingraham
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
Costumes: Edith Head, Ralph Jester, John Jenson, Dorothy Jenkins and Arnold Friberg
Cinematography: Loyal Griggs, A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Additional Photography: John Peverell Marley, A.S.C., John F. Warren and W. Wallace Kelley, A.S.C.
Technicolor Color Consultant: Richard Mueller
Special Photographic Effects: John P. Fulton, A.S.C.
Image Resolution: 1080p (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (VistaVision)
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
English: 2.0 Surround Dolby Digital Audio
French: 2.0 Mono Dolby Digital Audio
Spanish: 2.0 Mono Dolby Digital Audio
Português: Surround Dolby Digital Audio
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Português and French SDH
Running Time: 231 minutes (Roadshow Version)
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Andrew's Blu-ray Review: No matter what your religious affiliation is, you cannot deny that the 1956 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ is one of the greatest epic classics from the golden age of Hollywood. Everything from the film just screams excess and wonderful majesty.
Before ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1956 film starts we get the magnificent OVERTURE which lasts 1 minute and 37 seconds, and gets us ready for the spectacular ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ film, then from behind a curtain we are greeted by director Cecil B. DeMille and says to us audience, “Ladies and gentlemen, young and old, and this may seem an unusual procedure, speaking to you before the picture begins, because we have an unusual subject, the story of the birth of freedom, the story of Moses. As many of you know, the Holly Bible omits some 30 years of Moses’s life, from the time he was a three months year old baby, he was found in the bulrushes by Bithiah [Pharaoh's daughter] and Moses was adopted into the court of Egypt, until he learned he was a Hebrew and killed an Egyptian, and because of those missing years of Moses, we turn to the ancient text historians such as Philo, Josephus, Eusebius, The Midrash and The Holy Scriptures wrote at the time that Jesus of Nazareth walked the Earth, and Josephus wrote some 50 years later and watched the destruction Jerusalem by the Romans. These historians had access to documents long since destroyed or perhaps probably lost like the Dead Sea Scrolls. The theme of this picture is that whether a man may not be ruled by God’s law or whether they are ruled by the whims of a dictator like Rameses. Are men the property of the state, or are they free souls and God. This same battle continues throughout the world today. Our intention was not to create a story, but to be worthy of divinely inspired story, created 3,000 years ago, from the five books of Moses. The story takes three hours and nine minutes to unfold, and there will be an Intermission. Thank you for your attention. At that point Cecil B. DeMille walks behind the large curtain and the epic and grandeur 1956 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ begins.
Charlton Heston stars as Prince Moses of Egypt, who is a Hebrew baby rescued from the Nile by Bithiah [Pharaoh's daughter] when he was only an infant. However, his adopted mother is the only one who knows this, and goes the extra mile to conceal it from her brother, Pharaoh Seti, and the royal court. Favoured by Pharaoh Seti and despised by his adopted cousin, Ramesses II [Yul Brynner], also known as Ramesses the Great, hears that Moses wins great military victories and builds magnificent cities all while romancing with the seductive Princess Nefertiti (1370 – c. 1330 BC).
But Moses lavish lifestyle comes to a grinding halt when a Hebrew swaddling cloth reveals his true identity. Unbeknownst to everyone else, he goes down to the mud pits and works like a slave to be with his “people.” In the course of his time there, he strangles an Egyptian taskmaster for trying to misuse an Israelite woman, Lilia, and for beating her lover, Joshua, who is apprehended and brought before Pharaoh’s throne to the shock of all. Joshua then boisterously declares that he is in favour of freedom for the slaves and is sent into exile in the desert.
One day Moses runs into Joshua, who has escaped from captivity and come to hail him as the Chosen One who will lead the Children of Israel out of bondage. Moses is sceptical at first, but then he spies a burning bush that is not consumed by the flames on top of the Holy Mountain and decides he must see it more closely. Moses has a mystical experience with God, and acknowledges his mission to lead his people to the Promised Land. But coming down from Sinai, he is no longer himself.
In Egypt, Moses and his brother Aaron go head-to-head with now Pharaoh Ramses, his old rival, who has married Nefretiri and has a small son. Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great, needless to say, isn’t particularly moved when Moses tells him to “Let my people go!” As a result, the famous plagues descend on Egypt. At the same time Princess Nefertiti tries to romantically reconnect with Moses, but he spurns her, and she in turn hardens Pharaoh even further against him.
When the final deadly plague slays the first-born of every house in Egypt, including the royal palace, the Hebrew people are finally allowed their freedom. But Pharaoh is soon goaded into changing his changing his mind by the embittered Princess Nefertiti who has lost both her old love and her child. A climactic chase ensues, ending up at the shores of The Red Sea and the parting of the waters for the Israelites. But the conflict is not over. While Moses ascends Mount Sinai once more to receive the Commandments of God, the Children of Israel will come up against their own worst enemy: their sinful nature.
‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ film takes some historical liberties with the early life of Moses. That said, the film certainly grabs the audience right away with its majestic opening, and the acting between Charlton Heston as Moses and Yul Brynner as Rameses superbly sets the stage for their later dramatic confrontation when Moses carries out God’s command to tell Pharaoh, “Let my people go!”
Most of the amazing special effects in ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ are totally magnificent and the parting of the Red Sea still holds up for today’s modern audiences. What doesn’t quite hold up as well is the “pillar of fire” sequence in the film that blocks the Egyptian army’s path as the Hebrews cross the Red Sea. Even so, the huge sets depicting Ancient Egypt are absolutely fantastic, and the restored Technicolor makes them stand out even more.
Best of all, in the film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,’ some of the best lines in the film occur after Moses talks to God at the burning bush. “He revealed His word to my mind and the word was God,” Moses tells Joshua and Sephora when they ask him about God. “He is not flesh but spirit, the light of eternal mind.” Then, when Joshua tells Moses he will go fashion weapons for the people to revolt against the Egyptians, Moses replies, “it is not by the sword that He will deliver His people but by the staff of a shepherd.” There is such a profound theological depth to these and other lines in the movie that it takes ones breathe away.
‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ is clearly a brilliant achievement in the history of film. Putting this superb epic film on this Blu-ray disc is a wonderful gift to all moviegoers, especially the parting of the Red Sea is justly famous as the costliest, most complex special-effects sequence attempted at the time; and especially being shot in the glorious and wonderful VistaVision onto Technicolor stock, this is a film where the colours are bright and saturated with vivid flesh tones, and a near impeccable print transfers to DVD this spectacle of scale and grandeur for a whole new generation to marvel over. Particularly impressive in 'Vista-Vibrance' is the “light of God” breaking through a fresh sky that in a later scene turns to an angry blood red in this wonderful fine image transfer, and since its release in 1956, ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ remains one of the most popular biblical films ever made and of course the film was a dream in the mind of Cecil B. DeMille beyond what anyone else had ever projected, and the director totally brought it off, and there is no other picture like it, and could be summed up in a word, the word would be definitely sublime.
Some films are classic that they should absolutely positively be seen at least once in one’s lifetime. With regards to the 1956 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,’ Cecil B. DeMille’s film has grown and thrived because it succeeded in his mission to make the Bible exciting and touched a chord for the post-war world trying to assess the true meaning of liberty.
Overall, the 1956 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ is a totally legendary film that deserves to be seen by all fans of cinema. Yes, the film is extremely long at 3 hours and 39 minutes. However, the film is so grand and so beautiful that you’ll be glued to the film throughout its duration!
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Blu-ray Image Quality – Paramount Pictures has presented us with a highly impressive 1080p upgrade for both films. It is described as “meticulously restored” and I have no reason to question this statement in regards to this Anniversary Edition of with its brilliant 1.37:1 aspect ratio for the 1923 film and the awesome VistaVision for the 1956 film, but here you get to view it in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The image presentation is wonderfully crisp and free of any artefacts, but there is an issue with the edge enhancement that are seen in some scenes in the film. Still to be fair, one might expect a bit of this from a film released in 1956. During the pivotal scene where Rameses banishes Moses to the wilderness of Sinai, there is a rather pronounced edge to the actors which is visible against the inserted background. It is clear that this scene was shot on the set in Hollywood; versus the next shot that has Charlton Heston walking into the real desert in Egypt. It happens a few times, but the reality is that the specific look is integral to the film. The black levels are quite strong, especially if you check out Cecil B. DeMille's suit during the introduction compared to his blue tie and the elaborate curtains behind him, where you get to witness a lot of shadow detail. You sometimes experience some softness in the image, and also a mild level of grain, but the overall magnificence of the transfer is truly inspiring, so bravo Paramount Pictures. It is almost impossible not to endorse this film itself, because it is totally overwhelming spectacular with this 100% improved image resolution that will give you a wide-eyed home theatre experience that is definitely worth the price of admission. I can certainly encourage purchasing this 1923 and 1956 DigiBook special release, as it certainly has the WOW factor!
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Paramount Pictures brings you another improvement with the ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1956 film, especially with the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, and almost as powerful as the spectacular image presentation. Here you experience a solid bass and effect separations are notable and very crisp and defined. Also this also a strong upgrade compared to the inferior DVD audio presentation. Elmer Bernstein created a masterful soundtrack for ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ and thankfully, Paramount Pictures have preserved a truly powerful 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio presentation. The opening overture is presented across the front three channels and while there is not a lot of rear channel support, it just sounds just right. The opening title sequence always brings tears to my eyes and has a more potent low end sound experience and it creates a solid foundation for the rest of the film. The centre speaker channel gets a great workout from this film; dialogue is very prominent and forceful sounding, and especially with excellent audio clarity. If you are looking for some action packed effects-laden soundtrack that will have you jumping out of your seat, well with this audio presentation it does not happen. Paramount Pictures has added some surround sound content, but it is mostly subtle and can be only noticed in very strategic places in the film, especially when Moses is banished to the Sinai desert and he is overtaken by the swirling, dusty winds or when Rameses is standing on his balcony and the hail begins to fall all over Egypt. It might be subtle, but is also quite effective. So all in all, this is a very good audio experience.
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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956 Blu-ray Special Features and Extras [DISC ONE]
Special Feature: Audio Commentary by Katherine Orrison [Part One] [Audio only] [2020] [1080p] [1.85:1] [135:35] With this featurette, we have the audio commentary by Author Katherine Orrison, author of “Written in Stone: Making Cecil B. DeMille's Epic, The Ten Commandments” and before we get to the Katherine Orrison audio commentary for the ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1956 film, you of course have to wait until the OVERTURE has finished, but also until the you get the introduction speech by director Cecil B. DeMille has finished, which altogether lasts for 4:04. Then of course, when the actual film starts, that is when Katherine Orrison introduces herself to us, and informs us that she spent a good seven years with producer Henry Wilcoxon and his wife Joan Woodberry in the 1980’s, where Katherine Orrison viewed the film, talking about the film, and writing about this film, and over that period in time, when talking to Henry Wilcoxon said Katherine Orrison, “I am an old man sweetheart, and I have chosen you to tell my stories to, so they will not be lost.” Katherine Orrison informs us that she is going to impart some things Henry Wilcoxon said to her, some of the things his wife said to her and all of the friends that Katherine met over that period in the 1980s that worked on ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ film. When the actual film starts, Katherine informs us that the artist impression of the Paramount Mountain was designed by Arnold Friberg (1913 – 2010), was an American illustrator and painter noted for his religious and patriotic works and is perhaps best known for his 1975 painting The Prayer at Valley Forge, a depiction of George Washington praying at Valley Forge. He is also well known for his 15 "pre-visualization" paintings for the Cecil B. DeMille film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ which were used to promote the film worldwide and for which he received an Academy Award nomination, but most importantly, he designed all the wording for the film credits at the start of the film, and the coloured backgrounds were leather. Katherine says that there was a great deal of negativity when Cecil B. DeMille announced he was going to embark on making ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ film, but of course he stuck to his guns and of course went onto prove his negative critics wrong, because the film turned out to be a massive world-wide box office success. When you see the baby being put into the reed basket, to be sent down the Nile, and when you see the mother open up the reed basket to check on the child, Katherine Orrison points out that the nappy is held together with a safety pin, which of course was never invented in Egypt in 1300 B.C., and of course when people went to see the film and seeing the film in VistaVision, the mistake was quite noticeable. Again, when Cecil B. DeMille started this mammoth task of making the film, he asked his technical staff to spend three years researching everything about Egyptian culture, because he wanted the look of the film to be 100% authentic, so people would point out negative inaccuracies of the Egyptian culture of 1300 B.C. in the film. Katherine informs us that Charlton Heston was not the first choice to play Moses, instead Cecil B. DeMille wanted William Boyd to play Moses, but the actor turned the role down, instead he wanted to concentrate his acting career in the medium of television, that was just started to get popular in America and eventually in the United Kingdom, and of course he went onto star in the cowboy hero TV Series “Hopalong Cassidy” (1952 – 1954). Katherine Orrison informs us that Cecil B. DeMille admired the English actress Jean Simmons and the English stage actor Michael Wilding and would of liked them both to appear in the film, but because both actors appeared in the film ‘The Egyptian’ [1954] Cecil B. DeMille could not allow them to appear in ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ because Cecil B. DeMille will not allow the same actors to appear in another of his films, as people will comment that those actors appeared in another Cecil B. DeMille film. When you see Charlton Heston has found out he is a Hebrew and we see him with the other Hebrew people with the mud, and it turned out to be the most difficult Paramount set, and all the actors treading the mud, had to work in ice cold mud, and the air conditioning, because of filming in Technicolor had to be at 55 degrees, and if the temperature had been higher, the mud would turned rock solid, and on top of all that, all the actors were sprayed with oi, to make them look like they were perspiring, and on top of all that, the actors had to wear hardly any clothing to make them look like they were working in extreme heat conditions, but of course they were working in extremely freezing temperatures. To be continued . . .
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956 Blu-ray Special Features and Extras [DISC TWO]
Special Feature: Audio Commentary by Katherine Orrison [Part Two] [Audio only] [2020] [1080p] [1.85:1] [135:35] With this featurette, we have the second audio commentary by Author Katherine Orrison, author of “Written in Stone: Making Cecil B. DeMille's Epic, The Ten Commandments,” and before we hear from Katherine Orrison, we have the ENTR’ACTE which lasts for 2:18 and as the film starts, Katherine Orrison says, Hi there, and you have the beautiful shot of the three pyramids that were rebuilt to make them look young and not old and they needed to look as though they had just been built and we being the second half of her audio commentary and Katherin orison says, “We being the second half of the movie, which is the fun part that everyone looks forward to,” and this is the final part of Katherine Orrison’s audio commentary. When you see the “Burning Bush” scene with Moses, they were not happy by the effects, as Cecil B. DeMille wanted it based on a clock he had that gave the same effect; despite this the director was more than happy with the result. As to the voice of God, this was actually the voice of Charlton Heston, who was made to do it in a very low voice in the recording studio, and with a few tweaks of the engineers, created the audio effect they wanted, as to the words that Charlton Heston had to say, these were the exact words from the King James Bible, and Katherine was 9 years old on seeing the film for the first time affected her greatly, but every time Katherine sees this scene with God’s words being spoken, gives her goose bumps even today. When Moses confronts Ramesses II on the edge of the Nile and it is about to be turned red, this was worked out by the special effects expert William Sapp, and the way he achieved the effect was with a garden hose, up against the wall, and he pushed it out at high pressure the red dye, so it stained the water when Moses put his staff in the water, and when Ramesses II has the little sacred jar he is about to pour, this had two chambers, one for the clear pure water, and the second chamber has the red dye in it. When you see the hail stones affect rain down upon Egypt, this was produced with people in the rafters releasing thousands of popcorn, and the sound department created the sound of solid hail stones. Katherine informs us that the reason Cecil B. DeMille wanted to make the film, because in 1956 America there was the civil rights movement and wanted the film to reflect the civil rights movement, and I suspect you will think this is a very strange rhetoric, because basically the film is about slavery, about oppression, and also says the film is also about enslaving people, but not of their minds. When we get to the Exodus scenes of the Hebrew people being led out of Egypt by Moses for the promised land, Katherine informs us that all the extras were the Egyptian Army and Cairo citizens and filming was done in one day, and done in three takes, one in the morning, one at noon, and one in the late afternoon, and you can tell with the shadows what time of the day they were filmed in. When Moses comes down from the mountain after meeting God with the two granite tablets that were cut from Mount Sinai in 1995 that you see the Ten Commandments words carved in them, and we are informed that what you view is actually ancient Proto-Sinaitic script [Sinaitic, Proto-Canaanite, Old Canaanite, or Canaanite] that was provided by a professor at the University of Chicago, that informed Cecil B. DeMille the exact script that was used at the time of Moses. As we finally come to the end of the film, Katherine says, “I hope you have enjoyed watching the film with her, as Katherine has enjoyed watching the film, especially with her in-depth comments about all aspects of the film, and Katherine hopes that she has done justice to the film, and also for Cecil B. DeMille’s work, thank you. Well I second that, as Katherine Orrison has been totally informative and you will never get bored of her rhetoric, as it is very indigently provided and you hear a lot more about the history of the film, that I was not able to write up with this audio commentary and you will hear things that are amazing and the 8 years Katherine Orrison worked on this project, it has really paid off and definitely and deservedly gets a 5 star rating from me.
Special Feature: Newsreel: ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ – Premiere in New York [1956] [1080p] [1.37:1] [2:24] With this featurette, we get to view The World Premiere of ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ film in black-and-white and was held in New York City on the 5th October, 1956 at the CRITERION Cinema. Here we get to see arriving is Charlton Heston and his wife, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo with her husband, Martha Scott and her husband and sons, Cecil B. DeMille and his daughter, William Holden and his wife, John Wayne and his wife, and Tony Curtis and his wife Janet Leigh, plus lots of other well-known celebrities for this glittering star studded premiere. Voice Narrator: Gregory Abbot.
Special Feature: “Making of” 1956 Trailer [1956] [1080p] [1.78:1] [10:01] With this featurette, we get to view the trailer for the film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,’ where Paramount Pictures announces the coming of Cecil B. DeMille’s production of the 1956 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,’ and here Cecil B. DeMille gives a personal invitation to his directed film, and goes into great depth on why he wanted to make this film, and of course we get a few clips from the film.
Special Feature: Theatrical Trailer [1956] [1080p] [1.85:1] [0:55] With this featurette, we get to view the first Original Theatrical Trailer for the Paramount Pictures 1956 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.’
Special Feature: Theatrical Trailer [1956] [1080p] [1.78:1] [1:43] With this featurette, we get to view the second Original Theatrical Trailer for the re-release of the Paramount Pictures 1956 film ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,’ and they announce it will be shown in new upgraded 6 track soundtrack and shown in the spectacular 70mm Super VistaVision for the audiences in 1989.
Please Note: With the above three trailers, you can either watch them separately or Play All.
BONUS: Here we have a wonderful 16-Page Booklet with very Rare Promotional black-and-white and colour Photos and in-depth background about both ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ films and it informs us that Cecil B. DeMille says, “Our intention was not to “create a story,” but to be worthy of “the Divinely inspired story” created three thousand years ago.” It also informs us that the 1923 version of ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ was the silent version, black-and-white, a two-part parable about the moral struggle between brothers in ancient Egypt, and subsequently, modern-day San Francisco. We also find out that to prepare the 1956 remake of ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ Cecil B. DeMille assembled a team to scour museums and libraries all over the world to analyse religious and historical writings, photographs and works of arts, to depict young Moses’ life. On the last page we are informed that Cecil B. DeMille passionately brought the life of Moses to the screen, not once, but twice. From its fantastic story, haunting score, gorgeous costumes, and all-star cast, breath-taking sets, and award winning special effects. ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ has earned its place in film history as a truly epic masterpiece.
Finally, ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1923 and 1956 Biblical film epics are from the golden era of those Hollywood periods. Cecil B. DeMille was an expert at serving up a feast for the eyes, and this was his ultimate extravaganza of panache and panorama. It’s a richly detailed drama, laden with sub-plots and character analysis as well as visual splendour. For the time period, the special effects were nothing less than stunning. Beyond these imaginative efforts, there are some truly grand scenes including the mass Exodus of the Children of Israel. It is so well choreographed, impressive in its scale but also intimate in the way it focuses on individuals, such as a little boy herding ducks and a woman giving birth to a baby and old man dying and asking for his shrub to be planted in the Promised Land. The subsequent chase by Pharaoh and his charioteers is also a masterpiece. The bulk of the main acting is pretty good. Charlton Heston shines once again as the man-against-the-odds, going from glory to griminess before remerging as liberator. Charlton Heston’s counterpart, Yul Brynner makes for a wonderfully villain that you almost find yourself admiring at given times. ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ for all its eccentricities and quirks, remains a masterpiece of storytelling and spectacle that cannot be repeated. I think the transcendence of it can be best captured in the scenes where Moses is struggling through the desert being poured out, bled dry, and left literally in the dust. With the films 1923 and 1956 ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ was directed by Cecil B. DeMille and was the last of the great gigantic epic productions, and packed with enormous crowd scenes, lavish spectacles, and amazing special effects orchestrated with dazzling brilliance. ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1923 and 1956 films remains one of the most popular biblical films ever made, and a magnificent achievement in the history of the film, with superb performances by all the actors in both films and equally wonderful is the direction by Cecil B. DeMille, who was one of Hollywood’s greatest showmen, and ‘THE TEN COMMANDMENTS’ 1923 and 1956 film versions is probably Cecil B. DeMille’s greatest masterpieces. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
