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Tag: Ben-Hur

  • Hollywood see’s a return to Biblical-themed films with ‘Exodus: God and Kings’

    Hollywood see’s a return to Biblical-themed films with ‘Exodus: God and Kings’

    MUMBAI:  Ten Commandments, The Bible: In the Beginning, Ben-Hur, The Passion of Christ; Biblical themed movies have inspired many filmmakers to recreate medieval events on a grand scale.

    The latest in the offering is Exodus: Gods and Kings and as the name suggests the film is about the mass departure of the Hebrews from Egypt. The film stars Batman-turned-Moses Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, John Turturro, Aaron Paul and Ben Kingsley. The 150 minute film is directed by Ridley Scott and written by Steven Zaillian.

    The plot revolves around the defiant leader Moses rising up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses played by   Edgerton. The first half is about Moses discovering he does not belong to the lineage of the Egyptians (he is raised as a brother to Ramses) and after a wakeup call from God, who is portrayed as a kid (Yes, as a kid who goes about guiding  Moses!), returns from exile to free his people and guide them to the promised land.

    While the storyline seems like old wine in new bottle, there are few new twists (spoilers ahead!).  Instead of Moses dipping his staff into the river of Nile, God sends monstrous crocodiles to destroy the river life, giving rise to multiple plagues that command most of the second half of the movie. And instead of the prophet’s staff that works miracles, it is a sword here.

    The movie ends with both Moses and Pharaoh surviving the parting of the Red Sea. The added 3-D effects definitely bring to life the old tale especially the mammoth animals that turn the blessed city of Egypt into a ruin.
    It is produced by 20th Century Fox studios.

     

  • Jack Hudson to play title role in ‘Ben Hur’

    Jack Hudson to play title role in ‘Ben Hur’

    NEW DELHI: Jack Hudson has landed the role of the Biblical character Judah in MGM and Paramount Pictures remake of the 1959 classic Ben Hur that had gone on to become a box office hit.

     

    Timur Bekmambetov, who earlier made Wanted is directing the classic. Scripted by the Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave scribe John Ridley and Keith Clarke, the film is expected to be released on 26 February 2016.

     

    The film is based on Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel ‘Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ’, and follows a falsely accused nobleman who survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him. It was also made in 1925 as a silent film.

     

    Huston is best known for his role in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire as Richard Harrow and recently signed on to co-star in the adaptation of Pride Prejudice and Zombies.

     

    Paramount Pictures has already seen success from this genre with the movie Noah, Darren Aronofsky’s take on the story of Noah’s Arc starring Russell Crowe. That film grossed $359 million worldwide, including more than $100 million domestically.

     

    Fox and Chernin have just wrapped production on their latest film Exodus: Gods and Kings about Moses, which is slated to release in December and stars Christian Bale. The studio is also developing a King David film produced by Ridley Scott. 

     

    The 1959 Ben-Hur was directed by William Wyler, produced by Sam Zimbalist for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and starring Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Hugh Griffith and Haya Harareet.  It had the largest budget at $15.175 million and the largest sets built for any film produced at the time. This was followed by a $14.7 million marketing effort. It was the fastest-grossing as well as the highest grossing film of 1959, in the process becoming the second-highest grossing film in history at the time after Gone with the Wind. It won a record 11 Academy Awards.