'So Let It Be Done': As ABC Re-Airs 'Ten Commandments' for 45th Time, Here's What You Didn't Know About 1 Epic Special Effect - CBN News Steve Warren

Screenshot of Charlton Heston as Moses from the trailer for Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 epic "The Ten Commandments." (Image credit: Paramount/Wikipedia)

'So Let It Be Done': As ABC Re-Airs 'Ten Commandments' for 45th Time, Here's What You Didn't Know About 1 Epic Special Effect

04-15-2019

CBN News Steve Warren

Cecil B. DeMille's biblical epic about an original game of thrones played out between two Egyptian princes will be seen again on broadcast television this weekend.

The Academy Award-winning The Ten Commandments will air on the ABC television network at 7:00 pm Eastern/6:00 pm Central, Saturday, April 20. 

Spoiler alert:  One prince wins the throne, while the other ends up as a messenger for the Most High. 

Related

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The Real Story of Ben-Hur's 'Tale of the Christ'

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Except for one gap in 1999, the 1956 classic film, starring Charlton Heston as Moses and Yul Brynner as Rameses, has been broadcast by ABC around Easter and Passover since 1973.   

The Ten Commandments remains one of the most popular films ever made. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. 

It was also a box office hit. The film is the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time, adjusted for inflation, according to Wikipedia.  As of 2011, the movie was estimated to have brought in more than $2 billion. 

The cast reads like a who's who of old Hollywood. Along with Heston and Brynner, the film also stars Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo, Debra Paget, John Derek, Vincent Price, and John Carradine.

The working title of the film was originally "Prince of Egypt." It was directed and produced by DeMille, who intended it as a remake of his earlier 1923 Paramount film The Ten Commandments. 

According to the Turner Classic Movies website, in the original theatrical version of the film before the opening title credits, DeMille is seen stepping from behind a curtain and onto a stage. He then directly addressed the viewing audience, telling them that the Bible omits approximately 30 years in its description of the life of Moses and that the filmmakers drew upon historical works such as those by Philo and Josephus and the Hebrew Midrash for the picture. 

The director also explained that the subject of Moses' life is particularly timely, as it deals with themes such as whether man is to be ruled by God's law or the whims of a dictator like Rameses. The director said the filmmakers' intent was "not to create a story but to be worthy of the story divinely created 3,000 years ago, the five books of Moses." 

The film also has the significance of having the most expensive special effect ever made for a film -- the parting of the Red Sea.

In April 1955 the New York Times reported the special effects team "built a 200,000 cubic-foot swimming pool and installed hydraulic equipment that could deluge the area with 360,000 gallons of water in two minutes flat."  

A May 20, 1955, Hollywood Reporter news item asserted that the Red Sea sequence would cost $500,000, both for filming and creating the special effects. The Times review, however, claimed that the scene "cost more than a million dollars and took 18 months to shoot."

Last year, Jeff Pfeiffer wrote an article posted to the TV Insider website about The Ten Commandments re-airing on ABC and asked the questions: Why is the film still so popular today when any film, including The Ten Commandments, is readily available via streaming or DVD?  And why do people still display a sometimes passionate desire to see ABC air this film every year at around the same time?

"This seems to be a case where it's not only the film itself but the tradition of watching it on television, most likely with family, that combines to make it a special event for many viewers, perhaps made stronger set against the backdrop of various spring holidays," he wrote. 

"Television times may have changed, but ABC's annual Easter airing of The Ten Commandments can still give (particularly older) viewers some sense of that comfort and familiarity," Pfeiffer continued. 

So this Saturday night, plan on spending some time with your family watching the movie... and pass the popcorn. 

The Real Story of Ben-Hur's 'Tale of the Christ'

The Real Story of Ben-Hur's 

'Tale of the Christ'

By Dawn Goeb and Wendy Griffith

CBN News

Friday, April 03, 2015

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. -- For many, watching the movie "Ben-Hur" has become an Easter tradition. The 1959 blockbuster, starring Charlton Heston, made history with a record 11 Academy Awards.
Now, the 1925 silent version is making a comeback. But what many may not know is that Hollywood didn't create this classic story.

The idea came from the best-selling novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, published in 1880. The book tells the story of a life-altering encounter between a first century Jewish prince and Jesus of Nazareth.

The author is Lew Wallace -- a true renaissance man.

Without Real Conviction

"He tried different things," said Larry Paarlberg, director of the Lew Wallace Study and Museum in Crawfordsville, Ind.

"He loved to paint, he loved to write, he loved to do creative things, he loved the military," he explained. "He became a prosecuting attorney; he was in the legislature for a term."

Wallace showed a talent for writing early in life. He learned about the Bible from his favorite teacher. And while he didn't care for church, the story of the three wise men fascinated him.

As Wallace later wrote in his autobiography, "Little did I dream then what those few verses were to bring me -- that out of them Ben-Hur was one day to be evoked."

In the meantime, Wallace's writing took a back seat to other priorities. He fought in the Mexican-American War and the Civil War, becoming the youngest major general in the Union Army. He also married and had a son.

Throughout the years, he kept coming back to the biblical account of the three wise men. So, he decided to write a magazine article about them.

"I had no convictions about God or Christ. I neither believed nor disbelieved in them… Yet when the work was fairly begun, I found myself writing reverentially, with awe," Wallace wrote.

His Own 'Tale of Christ'

Still, Wallace had much to learn about God -- as he found out in a chance encounter with a well-known atheist named Robert Ingersoll.

Lew Wallace & Robert Ingersoll

"Robert Ingersoll knew far more about the Bible," Paarlberg said."You don't preach against something unless you know it. And so he just filleted Lew."

Walking alone to his hotel that night, Wallace realized the time had come to form his own opinion on the subject of religion.

"My ignorance of it was painfully a spot of deeper darkness in the darkness," he wrote. "I was ashamed of myself."

Paarlberg sees this as a pivotal moment in Wallace's life.

"He realized at that point, 'I have no business submitting this story for publication. I don't know what I was talking about… I need to do the research; I need to learn the Bible; I need to learn the story," he said.

Early in his research, Wallace created the fictional character of Judah Ben-Hur, a witness to the real-life events leading up to the death and resurrection of Christ.

Wallace soon began to see God through the eyes of his character.

"Long before I was through with my book, I became a believer in God and Christ," the author wrote.

A Classic Masterpiece

The original manuscript of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is kept at The Lilly Library on the campus of Indiana University.

Wendy Griffith with original manuscript

Curator of Manuscripts Cherry Dunham Williams gently lifted the tall stack of papers from the special box where it is stored to show CBN News. There are 650 pages, hand-written in purple ink.

When Wallace delivered his manuscript to Harper & Brothers in 1880, they had no idea it would make publishing history. The book became the best-selling novel of the 19th century and has been translated into more than 40 languages. It has never been out of print.

Paarlberg said Ben-Hur had a big impact on the post-Civil War country.

"It sort of was a touch point that people could understand and relate to. People were looking for ways to reconcile, to come together," he explained. "They were exploring, 'How can there be a God that would allow a war to happen like this?'"

Soon after its publication, letters began flooding in, including one from President James Garfield.

"With this beautiful and reverent book you have lightened the burden of my daily life," Garfield wrote.

A Lasting Heritage

Wallace's own burdens had always been lightened outdoors. He did most of his writing under what came to be known as the Wallace Beech Tree.

"Its spreading branches droop to the ground, weighed down by their wealth of foliage, and under them I am shut in as by the walls of a towering green tent," he wrote of it in his autobiography.

The Wallace Beech is no longer there; it died shortly after Wallace did and was replaced by a bronze statue of the author.

What does remain from Wallace's time is a building that he dreamed about for decades, but never had the resources to build -- until the success of Ben-Hur.

Wallace designed an extraordinary 19th century "man cave," a free-standing building that holds books, paintings, and memorabilia from his life.

"Lew built this as his private retreat," Paarlberg said.

Wallace spent his golden years in Crawfordsville, writing every day until his death in 1905.

His grave marker is inscribed with a quote from Ben-Hur, by one of his beloved wise men: "I would not give one hour of life as a Soul for a thousand years of life as a man."

Watch CBN News video here: Ben-Hur author

'Exodus: Gods and Kings' Set to Make Waves - CBN News

'Exodus: Gods and Kings' Set to Make Waves

By Angela Zatopek

CBN News Reporter

December 11, 2014

NEW YORK CITY -- From the Red Sea to the red carpet, the biblically inspired epic "Exodus: Gods and Kings" will make waves when it's released nationwide Dec. 12.
Acclaimed director Ridley Scott is bringing new life to the story of Moses' daring quest to take on the might of an empire, setting 400,000 slaves free against the wishes of Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses.

The Brooklyn Museum hosted the New York City premiere of the film, with Christian Bale, Aaron Paul and many others in attendance to share their take on the project.

"I personally believe Moses is the most inspirational hero in probably human history," the film's producer Peter Chernin told CBN News.

The iconic 1956 film "The Ten Commandments," directed by Cecil DeMille, starred Charlton Heston as Moses, winning an Oscar and three other major movie awards.

Bale told CBN News how he viewed taking on the role of Moses after seeing other portrayals.

"He's the most intense figure I've ever portrayed in my life, as well as the most beloved," the actor said. "So at some point you have to take a leap of faith and recognize you have to go with your own portrayal."

"But also you can never neglect the fact that people have such strong... incredibly strong opinions on how Moses should be portrayed," he said.

With critics claiming the film "Noah" failed to relate to religious believers, producers say the upcoming movie will deal with a subject on which Christians, Jews, and Muslims can agree.

"Moses is the one figure that means something to the world's three major religions. He's obviously critically important to Jews, Christians, but Moses to the Muslims is also a Muslim prophet," Chernin explained.

Other cast members were in attendance - including Paul, who plays Moses' protégé Joshua, and Ben Mendelsohn, who plays the Egyptian viceroy Hegep.

"This is one of the truly great inspirational stories ever told. Now our take on it may be something some people feel good about, maybe some don't - but it's one of the greatest stories ever told," Mendelsohn shared.

Bale reflected on the complexity of his character.

"He was somebody who was filled with self-doubt," Bale told CBN News. "But equally he was a liberator, a leader, a man of incredible self-confidence, a man who at other times was very timid. He kind of encompasses almost every human emotion you can imagine but in a strong way."

CBN: Watch short video:

Batman Meets Moses as Hollywood Goes Biblical (VIDEO)

By Raphael Poch October 14, 2014   BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“She named him Moses, ‘Because,’ she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’” (Exodus 2:10)

Christian Bale portraying Moses in the upcoming “Exodus: Gods and Kings” movie. (Photo: YouTube Screenshot)

In a continuing trend of Hollywood epic movies of biblical proportions and themes, a new movie entitled “Exodus: God and Kings,” is set to be released in December.

Like the other Biblical movie that was recently released, “Noah”, one of the main attractions will be the use of dazzling special effects to highlight the famous story of the Jewish exodus from Egypt.

In a similar style to the more famous exodus story starring Charlton Heston as Moses, “The Ten Commandments,” Christian Bale will be playing God’s messenger in the upcoming adaption.

The Hollywood star, who got his start in the TV movie “Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna” back in 1986, and swept away our hearts with his portrayal of Jack Kelly in “Newsies”, is most recently known for his portrayal of the Dark Knight in Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” trilogy.

At a recent preview of the movie, Bale told the audience, “You can’t out Heston Charlton Heston”. He emphasized that this retelling of the biblical story will be “very different” from previous versions of the tale, according to Variety Magazine. Bale said that his portrayal of Moses will focus on the complex aspects of the character, stating that Moses was a troubled and tumultuous man.

The movie, directed by Ridley-Scott, presents the story complete with big battle scenes and aerial panoramas of ancient cities, rustic settlements and military camp, all rendered in the new technologically available 3D CGI glory.

According to insiders who have already previewed the movie, the footage really shifted into high gear with the depiction of four of the 10 plagues. More may be present in the film, but only four were depicted in the preview.

Read more at http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/22785/batman-meets-moses-hollywood-goes-biblical-video/#JeLOmJpXWDWBDcBX.99