Ben-Hur Blu-ray Disc Details

• 15th Sep 2011

Truly one of the mightiest spectacles in all of cinema history, if one film deserves nothing less that the prime treatment for Blu-ray transfer then it is Ben-Hur!

And it’s coming to a 3 disc set on September 26th. Want a visual peek of what to expect? Well here is a look at before and after the restoration:

BEFORE

AFTER

“The restoration is almost trumped by some newly-uncovered Heston family home movies, shot in Italy during production, that reveal unique behind-the-scenes activity. Believed to be the only footage of its kind in existence, this marks something truly historic and unprecedented. And we are thrilled to be able to incorporate it into the documentary made by Laurent Bouzereau and Charlton Heston’s son, Fraser. The documentary will be obtainable only with this release.”

Baker believes fans also will be enthralled with Heston’s diary, which “reflects his thoughts and feelings on many of the days before, during, and immediately after the film’s physical production. “The diary is a replica of the original,” Baker said. “We did not transpose Chuck’s words onto a clean white piece of paper. The natural fading of the pages, and any mistakes, are all seen as they are in the original diary. The concept is to preserve the authenticity. It’s a remarkable, collectible keepsake. No other disc release in history has included a personal diary of an actor, let alone an Oscar®-winning legend, sharing this type of personal information.”

Details of the new bonus content for this release are:
Charlton Heston: A Personal Journey
An all-new high-definition feature-length documentary chronicling Charlton Heston’s life while filming Ben-Hur. Includes behind-the-scenes details and home movie footage shot by his wife Lydia while in Rome. The film shows a rarely seen, different side of Heston – as a warm, loving father and husband balancing his home and work life, and as an artist devoted to his craft.

Charlton Heston: The Ben-Hur Diaries
First-time exclusive look into an Oscar-winning actor’s experience while making an award-winning film. A reproduction of Charlton Heston’s private and insightful diary from January 1958 through April 1960, documents his time before production of the film all the way through his Oscar win. Includes personal photos from the Heston family and Charlton Heston’s own sketches. Exclusive hardbound book with rare photography, production art and reproductions from the original theatrical press book.

Ben-Hur will be available for download on iTunes

Blu-ray Special Features Include*
Disc One & Two: The Movie
Newly Remastered and Restored from Original 65mm Film Elements
Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio
Commentary by Film Historian T. Gene Hatcher with Scene Specific Comments from Charlton Heston
Music-Only Track Showcasing Miklos Rozsa’s Score

Disc Three: Special Features
Charlton Heston: A Personal Journey (78 min) [HD] NEW!
Ben-Hur: 1925 Silent Version, from the Thames Television Restoration with Stereophonic Orchestral Score by Composer Carl Davis (143 min)
2005 Documentary: Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema – Current filmmakers such as Ridley Scott reflect on the importance and influence of the film on modern epics (58 min)
1994 Documentary: Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic Hosted by Christopher Plummer (58 min)
Ben-Hur: A Journey Through Pictures – Audiovisual recreation of the film via stills, storyboards, sketches, music and dialogue
Screen Tests (30 min)
Vintage Newsreels Gallery
Highlights from the 1960 Academy Awards ® Ceremony
Theatrical Trailer Gallery