This leads to the extras. Rózsa’s score is so powerful and important, it’s also available on the main discs as a standalone music-only track. Alas, it’s presented in plain-vanilla Dolby Digital 2.0, but the sections I listened to sounded great on my very sophisticated and very high-end audio system. I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon than reveling in what is arguably the finest work of one of the most respected film composers of his era. And from there, you can dive into the rest of the extras.
Full disclosure concerning The Charlton Factor: I came of age in the era of Heston’s Planet of the Apes (1968) and Soylent Green (1973). Sure, the guy also played Moses, Michelangelo, and John the Baptist as well as Judah Ben-Hur and many other characters. But I was never a fan. There was the lack of subtlety. Indeed, there was the tendency toward full-tilt scene-chewing, occasionally to the point of self-parody. Heston fares well in Ben-Hur, his star-making role. His intensity and his ability to convey suffering on a visceral level certainly fit the part. Still, I’d say that the movie achieved what it did in spite of him rather than because of him. And Heston is all over the extras.
That said, the physical materials inside this box include On the Set of Ben-Hur, a leather-bound replica of Heston’s personal journal, with a foreword by his son, Fraser. The reproduction is so faithful, it even has taped-in photos and tickets to promotional events for the movie. And it’s a real kick to read. Furthermore, Heston’s musings feel genuine, ranging from worries about his weight to thoughts on the creative process.
Delving further into the man behind the actor is a new 80-minute high-def documentary on the bonus disc. In exploring all things Charlton, it gathers reminiscences by family, friends, and colleagues (including, truth be told, an odd remembrance by Tom Selleck that feels out of place) as well as 16mm home-movie clips.
Then there’s the previously released commentary by T. Gene Hatcher, with remarks from Heston that were edited in after the fact. Together, the film historian and the movie star serve up some meaty production info and background.
Returning to the bonus disc, you get two making-of featurettes (shot in standard-def) from 1994 and 2005, each running about an hour. They present even more factoids and insight, including some salient observations from director George Lucas and film critic Elvis Mitchell. You also learn a lot about novelist Wallace.
The jewel of the extras may well be the inclusion of the 1925 version of Ben-Hur. After you watch the 1959 main event, wait a few days and then look in on its daddy, all 2 hours and 22 minutes of it. Wyler clearly drew more than just inspiration from director Fred Niblo’s silent movie. The basic narrative and several key scenes (including the chariot race) were laid out by Niblo, whose version stands on its own as a serious piece of early filmmaking. Fascinating.
But that’s not all. There’s another physical extra inside the box: a handsomely made hardcover book, with mini-profiles of all the key cast and crew members and loads of photos. And rounding out the disc extras are various trailers, a screen-test reel (where you can look for some familiar faces who didn’t make it into the movie), a collection of stills and storyboards set to Rózsa’s score, and newsreel footage chronicling the movie’s multiple premieres. You also get highlights from the 1960 Academy Awards telecast, when Ben-Hur owned the night in a way that wouldn’t be equaled until James Cameron’s Titanic sailed into town 40 years later.
I read with interest your review of Ben Hur but was curious as why you were inclined to include personal comments about Heston, particularly the one about the movie succeeding in spite of him, or that you never cared for him as an actor. Why not just say he didn't deserve the Oscar either. Why then were there no comments about the supporting actors such as Stephen Boyd or Jack Hawkins? I'd be disappointed if your commentary was grounded in your dislike of Heston's politics or colored by your own.
Posting negative comments about Charlton Heston is not suprising for the Sound & Vision staff. Any actor or film that is not on the left politically, is disliked by this staff. I have grown to despise the political views expressed by the staff at Sound & Vision, so much so that I let my subscription expire back in 2005 when a GLOWING review was published about Michael Moore's Farenheit 911. When readers wrote in to complain, all the editor stated was that they only received a "handful" of complaints. Maybe it was just a "handful", but the purpose of this magazine is NOT to promote political views, yet they continue to do it. It is obvious the staff are made up of New York liberals and feel that their position allows them to bash the right whenever they can. There were a number of Bush bashing comments made by S&V writers made while he was in office, I grew sick of it. I was a subscriber to Stereo Review, from 1974 until it changed to Sound & Vision and never recalll any political overtones in the writers from that period. Wake up Sound & Vision and get off the political bandwagon! Come on already Republicans love home theater too! Enough already drop the politics.
@stevo238, @rpjasin, you're certainly welcome to express your opinions (as are the writers), but so far as I can tell the only partisan sentiments expressed here are in your comments. If there's political content in our pieces that you'd like to discuss, please feel free to do so in the comments area for those pieces — but it just isn't here in this piece.
I'm looking back over the article now, and our reviewer writes that his lack of affection for Heston's acting stems from what he perceived as Heston's lack of subtlety and tendency towards scene-chewing, especially during the period he mentions having come into awareness of the actor's work (when he was playing outsized sci-fi lead roles in Apes, Soylent Green, etc). I think reviewers across the political spectrum would likely agree on this; even at the height of his powers Heston was never known for a soft touch, and his stage-informed epic approach was certainly out of fashion by the 70s.
Mberk, I suppose I chose to read between the lines of Mr. Horowitz's comments because there is a certain underlying dislike for Mr. Heston here. That's my perception, because I thought this was supposed to be a review of a blu ray transfer and not the umpteenth review of this movie or Mr. Horowitz's lack of affection for Mr. Heston's acting talents.
Thanks for your comments. But to cast my opinion of Charlton Heston's acting ability in political terms is an unfair and completely false characterization--and one that isn't supported in any way by the text of my review. In the past, I've written glowing testimonials to the talents of many Hollywood stars, including Sean Penn and Robert Duvall, two of the greatest actors working today. As most people know, Penn's views are considered well to the left of the mainstream and Duvall's well to the right. The fact is, they're great artists. Period. For the record, I've also written some uncomplimentary things about Keanu Reeves's acting over the years, and I have no idea where he stands on the political continuum.
In my opinion, Charlton Heston was a mediocre actor at best. I came to that opinion based solely on his work, not on his politics. Mberk sums it up nicely above: "...the only partisan sentiments expressed here are in your comments... " --Marc Horowitz
OK, fair enough, I'll admit my post was a bit strong. As I mentioned I was a Stereo Review/Sound & Vision reader for years until I couldn't take the political comments anymore and dropped my subscription. Having said that, I just upgraded my system with a new Panasonic DMP BDT-310 bluray player and a Denon AVR-1912 receiver. My interests have been rekindled so I decided to log on to the S&V site after a long departure. Naturally I was drawn to the Ben Hur bluray disc review and believed the comments to be anti-Heston because of Heston's strong political views on the right. After reading Marc Horowitz's above comments though, I acknowledge I was being unfair to him. I have no problem with a critic's dislike for an actors ability, just don't do it for political reasons, and as Marc has pointed out that was not his intent.
Ok, fair enough again. I just don't get the "Full disclosure concerning The Charlton Factor." What does that mean? Again, I thought this was a review about a blue ray transfer. I would recommend a more toned down performance by Heston in the movie "Will Penny"...for full disclosure of course.