Capo
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Post by Capo on Aug 4, 2007 23:26:47 GMT
Ben-Hur William Wyler 1959 USA The life of a Judean prince under the harsh Roman regime, at the time of Christ. Wyler's epic might well be sincere, but it is bloated even so, to the point that almost every single scene unfolds in a succession of delayed responses and emotional overkill. It's heavy-going but at times lovely to look at - widescreen is used to great effect, often to produce a great sense of depth, and to establish emotional differences and distance between characters. The chariot race, which gets the second half after the intermission going, is mesmerising filmmaking, dramatic and drawn-out, but worth it all the same; and the sea battle, around halfway through the first half, is one of the rare moments in the film when Wyler intrudes upon the methodic rhythm and induces a hard-worn feeling by means of fast cutting and a relentless musical beat.
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