The film’s budget was $40 million.
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On Aug. 19, the Christian tale gets a reboot from Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Ben-Hur is a prince of Judea in 30 A.D. He has an adopted Roman brother, which is silly, but OK. Wallace’s novel is, after all, subtitled A Tale of the Christ. However, it was the film’s deeply emotional storyline that left him most affected.
This bears some resemblance to the original 1959 film. Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro gets more screen time than his predecessors as Jesus and handles the role with appropriate dignity. Great message. I can’t wait to see the movie now. So tell us a bit about the cast and also the director.
Directed without much flair or panache by the usually adventurous Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch, Wanted), this is the sixth screen version of the novel, including what has yielded a 2003 feature cartoon and a clumsy 2010 miniseries.
In the late 1950’s and early 60’s, when Hollywood was struggling to get people out of the house and away from the boob tube, they turned out quite a few huge spectacles that frequently ran as long as 4 hours. “It is time to tell the story again”.
Even amid the busy-ness of moviemaking, the couple still finds time to pray. It really helps portray the idea in the movie: “If the ship sinks, you go down with it”. Having said that, this mediocre remake has its own charm; but is yet no where close to the classic or has any potential of being one itself!
At his lowest low Ben Hur is nursed back to health by Ilderim (Morgan Freeman) and figures out ways to usurp Severus and reclaim the innocence of the land. Besides Freeman, there are several other actors of color, though Judah and Messala are both played by white Britons.
“And they’re not necessarily paying off when they’re spending that much”, Bock said. But he’s particularly proud of the action side of the film, which he hopes will draw a younger audience. “I researched a lot from films, literature, paintings, gospels, and what I found out is that the point that unifies, that is common to all the references were his heart, love … he was a loving human being”.
Ben-Hur escapes and, aided by a rad-looking, dreadlock-sporting Morgan Freeman, he becomes a chariot racer to challenge Massala, a famous chariot driver.
The past tellings of “Ben-Hur” are known for their unforgettable chariot races, some which have even proved fatal for the stunt horsemen involved. “We had all those horses and tons of metal [chariots] flying around the track”. “We had a big army creating costumes for another big army”, she said, noting that various ethnicities were highlighted in the chariot race. It also won 11 Academy Awards and included one of the most spectacular action sequences in cinematic history, in the form of that landmark chariot race.
The filmmakers are optimistic about the film’s chances for success in the marketplace, believing it will draw a diverse audience.
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As Burnett said, “It is a handsome story with a powerful Christian message of love and forgiveness”. Big night tonight. People are going to see it.
