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2015: 10 Reasons Why ‘The Ten Commandments’ Is Truly Epic
Patheos ^ | 6 April 2015 | Kate O'Hare

Posted on 11/27/2018 4:03:00 PM PST by vannrox

10 Reasons Why ‘The Ten Commandments’ Is Truly Epic

April 6, 2015 by Kate O'Hare
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10 Reasons Why ‘The Ten Commandments’ Is Truly Epic April 6, 2015 Kate O'Hare
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Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Yul-Brynner-Ten-Commandments

These days, when Hollywood attempts a Biblical epic for the big screen, the results are as likely to be embarrassing as edifying. Rather than rehashing the shortcomings of “Noah” (“Galaxy Quest” called, and they want their rock people back) or “Exodus: Gods and Kings” (nothing like God as a sulky kid), let’s look at one time when the movie stars truly aligned.

A few years before his death, Cecil B. DeMille made the 1956 Old Testament drama “The Ten Commandments” — which had its yearly ABC airing on Easter Sunday — and here are 10 reasons why it’s awesome even today:

1: Men. Both Charlton Heston (Moses) and Yul Brynner (Ramses) may wear skirts for most of the movie — and they’ve got the legs for it — but you’d be hard-pressed to find two more naturally masculine actors squaring off. They’re not overgrown boys trying to look tough, or angsty arrested adolescents, they’re just grown men, and they wear it as easily as they wear a a robe or a crown. Oh, yeah, and there’s John Derek’s stonecutter Joshua. Yes, there is.

2: Women. From Nina Foch’s warm and sympathetic Bithia (Moses’ adopted mother) to Yvonne de Carlo’s quietly beautiful Sephora (Moses’ wife) to Anne Baxter’s delightfully snarky Egyptian princess Nefretiri — and even the single line from the Ethiopian king’s sister, uttered with purring perfection by Esther Brown — the women are the glue that holds it all together.

3: The script. It’s faithful to the Scriptures where it needs to be — and at those moments, it can get a bit stiff and creaky — but in between, the screenwriters have some fun, especially with the Pharaoh Seti (Cedric Hardwicke). As Moses arrives with the tribute from Ethiopia and the high priest intones Moses’ virtues, Hardwicke looks to Baxter and quips, “Old windbag.” He’s got a lot of those.

4: The special effects. From the raising of Seti’s treasure city to the parting of the Red Sea, the pre-CGI marvels are a testament to imagination and skill, with zero computer assistance.

5: Sets and costumes. Again, with no CGI to multiply crowds or create interiors from green-screen nothingness, the gorgeousness of the rooms and the props boggles the mind. Just to look at the bejeweled and embroidered accents on Baxter’s outfits in HD is enough of a treat.

6: Relationships. The tense father-son exchanges between Ramses and Seti; Ramses and Moses’ prickly brother dynamic; Seti’s broken heart at Moses’ betrayal of his Egyptian upbringing; Sephora’s realization of the limitations of her marriage, whether the intrusion is Moses’ lingering love for Nefretri or his newfound passion for God; to Bithia’s enduring mother’s love — this movie gets how people love and hate each other.

7: Memnet. Although she’s a slave and the daughter of a slave, Bithia’s (and Nefretiri’s) servant Memnet has pride in being Egyptian and deeply resents the son of Hebrew slaves being raised up close to the throne of her nation. Whether fueled by jealousy or patriotic pride, I love her slow-burn anger.

8: Dathan. Edward G. Robinson’s obsequious Hebrew overseer — with his “rat’s ears” and “ferret’s nose,” as Ramses puts it — is every political toady and self-hating yes man rolled into one oily package.

9: Respect. The script and production respect the Biblical source material, but they also respect Egypt (even if there are some howling historical inaccuracies). Both sides are taken seriously; both have their heroes and villains; and you feel for both.

10: God. Whether as a voice from the burning bush or the inscriber of the Ten Commandments, God is powerful, enigmatic and, well, godlike — not a Monty Python cartoon character or a cranky child.

Dear Hollywood: Watch this one again, and take notes.



TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: bible; chat; epic; hollywood; movie
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1 posted on 11/27/2018 4:03:00 PM PST by vannrox
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To: vannrox

4: The special effects. From the raising of Seti’s treasure city to the parting of the Red Sea, the pre-CGI marvels are a testament to imagination and skill, with zero computer assistance.

YES!!!! Even things from that era that are a little hokey are better than the CGI crapfests we get on a regular basis.


2 posted on 11/27/2018 4:06:54 PM PST by cdcdawg
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To: vannrox

I love that movie.


3 posted on 11/27/2018 4:07:18 PM PST by Ezekiel (All who mourn(ed!) the destruction of America merit the celebration of her rebirth.)
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To: vannrox

A great movie. For those who don’t know, the parting of the Red Sea was actually Niagara Falls upsidedown. Amazing effect before CGI


4 posted on 11/27/2018 4:07:36 PM PST by FatherofFive (Islam is EVIL and needs to be eradicated)
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To: vannrox

Agreed, but I don’t expect Hollywierd to pay any attention. Their world view has no space for Judeo-Christianity, either for movies or morality.


5 posted on 11/27/2018 4:10:09 PM PST by SES1066 (Happiness is a depressed Washington, DC housing market!)
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To: FatherofFive

When you consider that most of the world has learned the story of the Ten Commandments from the DeMille movie,

you see how much good Hollywood can do and how much good can be spread using the film medium.

(in contrast to the way it is usually used).


6 posted on 11/27/2018 4:10:32 PM PST by CondorFlight
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To: vannrox

I like most of the Ten Commandments except the one about adultery. I think it was a mistake to include that one in the first place, at least from a 20th century PR viewpoint.


7 posted on 11/27/2018 4:11:09 PM PST by webheart (Grammar police on the scene.)
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To: vannrox

I totally agree, this was a great spectacle and movie. It always leaves me wondering if there are scenes and storylines left on the cutting room floor by the studios, or by those wishing to shorten the movie so it finishes on time and in between commercials.


8 posted on 11/27/2018 4:12:27 PM PST by Glad2bnuts (If Republicans are not prepared to carry on the Revolution of 1776, prepare for a communist takeover)
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To: vannrox
Image result for ‘The Ten Commandments’ gif
9 posted on 11/27/2018 4:14:17 PM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: vannrox

One of my All-Time favorites!


10 posted on 11/27/2018 4:14:52 PM PST by left that other site (For America to have CONFIDENCE in our future, we must have PRIDE in our HISTORY... DJT)
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To: vannrox

At the end-

The healing and salvation of the Ben Hur family by the blood of Christ.


11 posted on 11/27/2018 4:15:06 PM PST by Huskrrrr
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To: vannrox
Image result for ‘The Ten Commandments’ gif
12 posted on 11/27/2018 4:16:01 PM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: vannrox
Image result for ‘The Ten Commandments’ gif
13 posted on 11/27/2018 4:17:19 PM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: vannrox
Related image
14 posted on 11/27/2018 4:19:00 PM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: vannrox

In my top 3 of all time (with “Godfather” & “It’s a Wonderful Life”).


15 posted on 11/27/2018 4:20:49 PM PST by aynrandfreak (Being a Democrat means never having to say you're sorry)
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To: SES1066

Been a bunch of Christian movies that have done very well at the box office and some that haven’t.

There was NEVER a time when Christian movies made up a large portion of movies coming out.

But the past 5 years have seen more than the previous 15.

$$ is usually the bottom line.


16 posted on 11/27/2018 4:20:54 PM PST by dp0622 (The Left should know if.. Trump is kicked out of office, it is WAR!)
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To: All
Related image
17 posted on 11/27/2018 4:22:16 PM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: vannrox

Ramses and Nefertari- “You will be my wife.”

https://youtu.be/DXjOOS4zAq4


18 posted on 11/27/2018 4:27:00 PM PST by NRx (A man of honor passes his father's civilization to his son without surrendering it to strangers.)
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To: All
Image result for ‘The Ten Commandments’ gif
19 posted on 11/27/2018 4:28:17 PM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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To: All
Image result for ‘The Ten Commandments’ gif
20 posted on 11/27/2018 4:28:32 PM PST by ETL (Obama-Hillary, REAL Russia collusion! Uranium-One Deal, Missile Defense, Iran Deal, Nukes: Click ETL)
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