Okay. I admit it. Watching this Biblical epic, when it was a mainstay on ABC each Easter evening for some 30 years, I practically had the whole script memorized. . .even knew when Anne Baxter, as over-eager Nefretiri, would slide into a wickedly wonderful pattern of over-acting. ("Moses. . ." she would coo, "take me in your arms. . .") I must have seen THE TEN COMMANDMENTS dozens of times, and yet, each year, I plopped my carcass on the couch on Easter evening, popcorn and suds in tow, and watched Cecil B. DeMille's 4-plus hour epic, completely mesmerized and entertained.

All of us know the story: a once-great Egyptian prince leads his true people, the Hebrews, into freedom from four centuries of slavery and bondage. It is a great story, as four books of the Old Testament aptly, well, attest. Yet what makes this flick truly wonderful, impressive, and fun to watch, is the scope and grand scale of DeMille's 1956 epic--from the awesome vistas of Egypt, portrayed on a blue screen in some Hollywood studio, to the blatantly corny, often laughable, dialogue and actions of its characters (a distant reflection of the silent film icon who dominates this picture). Accordingly, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, in particular, this DVD Special Collector's Edition, is an absolute blast for film buffs thirsty for more trivia and knowledge regarding one of Hollywood's alltime classics.

Here, in the wonderful commentaries that accompany the film, "The Ten Commandments" student and author Katherine Orrison furnishes an incredible, interesting, and overwhelming avalanche of information. For instance: Did you know that DeMille's first choice for Queen Nefretiri was not Anne Baxter, but Audrey Hepburn? Yet, unfortunately, Hepburn lacked the figure to fill out the silk gowns so prevalent for her character, so Baxter got the nod. And. . .William Holden, not Yul Brynner, was pegged to play Rameses. . .yet Bill didn't want to have his head shaved, while Brynner was an international star following his clean-shaven skullcap in the "King And I." Brynner looked "Egyptian"; he got the part, Holden was dispatched.

And I loved the "diaper pen" disclosure of infant Fraser Heston, who, of course, is Charlton Heston's son, and who played the baby Moses. I've watched this movie, again, dozens of times, but I never noticed the glistening diaper pen on sturdy Fraser's diaper, as the baby laid in his willowy basket, until a giggling Orrison brought it to my attention. Yep, there it is; yet DeMille was on a tight schedule. No time to go back and correct.

In fact, I did not realize that DeMille, 75 when this film was made, suffered a devastating heart attack during production--a setback that threatened to bring the entire project to its knees, before his ambitious daughter filled in for her father, for three short days, before DeMille returned to navigate THE TEN COMMANDMENTS to its historical conclusion. This is good stuff, and Orrison furnishes minute details of just about everything in spellbinding fashion.

So, although Chuck and the gang no longer dominate ABC entertainment on Easter evenings, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS still dominates the hallowed tier of epic lexicons. This movie, after some 50 years, continues to uplift and entertain; and this collector's edition, with its objective grasp of the facts, merely enhances the viewing experience.

--D. Mikels, Author, WALK-ON

**The Film**

I'm not going to spend too much time here critiquing the movie. It's a perennial classic that most have seen at least parts of. Released in 1956 and directed by Cecil B. DeMille, it is also not a 'cinema verite' gorefest like many modern "swords and sandals" epics. It is peopled by characters who speak exclusively in dramatic flourishes, regardless of how illiterate or poor their characters are supposed to be. It takes liberties with some elements of the bible story (Moses' stutter and his Ethiopian wife are strangely absent, for instance). But for my money none of these are knocks on it - it is a classic through and through, and despite starting off a bit slowly, it picks up dramatic steam quickly and becomes quite a mesmerizing experience. The actors make their characters easy to care about, the visuals are sumptuous and engaging, the music is stirring, the story is solid. As a film, it's an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoys historical or biblical epics, or just connoisseurs of classic movies.

**The Blu-Ray**

I purchased this (the 2-disc edition) based on its glowing pre-release reviews on major online review sites. So my expectations were high, to say the least. I was expecting nothing less than a Grand Slam HD experience.

So what did I get? I'm happy to say: A Grand Slam HD experience.

You'll know you're in for a treat when the Overture begins. The backdrop looks just like leather - the sheen and texture are so finely presented that it's easily visible, even from a relatively far viewing distance. Things just keep getting better from there. Colors are out-of-this-world gorgeous. Fine detail is excellent, especially on the intricate Egyptian costumes and cloth textures. Black levels are strong, deep, and consistent throughout. There is a nearly three-dimensional quality to the image, especially in darker scenes, probably because of this combination of color, high contrast, and detail. At its best, it easily bests every other Blu-Ray transfer I've seen from a period film (examples I own include North By Northwest, Gone With the Wind, Wizard Of Oz, Bridge on the River Kwai, and the execrable Spartacus video transfer. TTC beats them all quite handily).

This transfer should quiet any critics who think classic films can't look good in HD (Those still laboring under this misapprehension should google some DVD/Blu-Ray comparison shots of this film). The fact that the VistaVision film was scanned at 6k resolution should indicate to anyone that there is more than enough information present to make a 1080p transfer "worth it." This 1080p presentation seems essentially perfect. Film grain is light and consistent. No undue edge enhancement or DNR seems evident. I can't even fathom this looking better than it does.

Now, all that said, you should know that some of the original optical effects show their seams pretty easily in HD. Blue-screen process shots in the background are painfully evident. But this is what the film looked like when it was shown in theaters. I for one prefer an accurate record of the original effects to any digital monkeying around that a George Lucas type might perpetrate.

The sound is a DTS-MA 5.1 channel mix that does the job very well. Dialogue is clear and distinct. The music score sounds lovely. Surround channels only get a slight workout, mostly on storms, special effects, and so on.

The only extras on the 2 disc edition are a commentary and some vintage trailers and publicity reels. The trailers, all in HD, are neat in and of themselves, especially the long form trailer in which DeMille discusses the research and themes involved in the movie. But I have to say, this commentary (by Katherine Orrison, who literally wrote the book on this movie - Written in Stone: Making Cecil B. DeMille's Epic The Ten Commandments) is quite engaging and interesting. Orrison provides a wealth of information about the production of the film, and is almost never silent throughout the entire run time.

Conclusion:

Simply put, if you are a fan of epic films, this is a must own. You'll get dozens of viewings out of it. It is unfailingly absorbing. If you are a fan of classic movies, they don't get much more classic. Buy this and "Gone With The Wind," and get ready for a 7-hour marathon. But beyond both of these reasons - if you are a fan of great HD, this can't be beat. It is a towering achievement in digital mastering, and hopefully it will shame other studios into treating their own classic properties with the same respect.

While Cecil B. DeMille's directorial skills were sometimes too rooted in the more grandiose style of the silent era, he CERTAINLY was ALWAYS a master showman, and his 1956 remake of "The Ten Commandments" is a whale of a show! Both pious and profane, posturing and sincere, it isn't great history, but it abounds in spectacle. While he was in poor health during the filming (suffering a seizure that was either a stroke or mild heart attack, while working under the 130-degree Egyptian sun), his distinctive 'style' was never more in evidence, with broad, overwrought performances, dazzling costumes and sets, monumental climaxes, and morals that are repeatedly hammered home. In 'classic' DeMille, there ARE no 'grays', everything is 'good' or 'evil', and 'evil' WILL be punished! Watching the film, you'll either enjoy the 'ride', or you'll groan, again and again. Personally, I love it, even with it's unintentional(?) campiness!

Among my favorite 'so bad it's FUN' moments are 'Rameses' Yul Brynner and 'Nefretiri' Anne Baxter's frequent use of "Moses, Moses..." whenever he predicts something dire (Brynner looks like he can barely keep a straight face, uttering the phrase); 'Sephora' Yvonne De Carlo's stoic, yet impassioned pitch to Moses to marry her, always looking away ('into the future', I presume), when comparing her assets to Nefretiri's; 'Dathan' Edward G. Robinson's entire performance (nearly epic hamminess from one of America's finest film actors); Woody Strode's Ethiopian 'Princess' companion, who praises Moses' kindness with so much heat and honey that Nefretiri suspects he was fooling around, down south; and Sir Cedric Hardwicke's 'Sethi', turning an Egyptian Pharoah into a world-weary lovable executive-type (one can't help but wonder how Rameses could be HIS son!)

Compared to Baxter's scenery-chewing, and Brynner's posturing, Charlton Heston's portrayal of Moses is so understated that he's often been criticized as 'wooden' in the role, which is unfair; while DeMille frequently posed him to match classic statues and paintings, his complete earnestness in the role, combined with his sheer physical presence, keeps him from receding into the backround of the spectacle that surrounds him. Despite thousands of Egyptian extras portraying Hebrews during the astonishing 'Exodus' sequence, filling the screen, Heston always grabs and holds your attention; certainly no actor has ever been a more memorable Moses!

The film has some very obvious merits; many of the special effects (particularly the 'Angel of Death' vapor, and the massive parting of the Red Sea) are still astonishing, today; Elmer Bernstein's score is an often 'over-the-top' joy to listen to; and the cast includes some very entertaining supporting players, including Nina Foch, Vincent Price, and DeMille's longtime associate, Henry Wilcoxon.

Taken as spectacle, as a grand entertainment for the senses, "The Ten Commandments" is quite a show, and it's continued popularity over the past half-century is proof that many are still captivated by it.

Cecil B. DeMille, master showman, knew his audience!