 |
| Ramon Navarro as Ben-Hur |
In 1925,
Ben-Hur was the biggest and most dazzling thing anyone had ever seen, with its jaw-dropping special effects, enormous action sequences, death-defying stunts, glorious two-strip Technicolor and a six digit cast of extras. It was the most expensive movie ever made, coming in at just under $4 million, and the death toll of its famed chariot race prompted a rewrite of film safety standards. All too often, big special effects blockbusters lose their shine after a few years, as improved effects technology makes them seem dated, even comical. Not so with
Ben-Hur: although it is clearly dated, I nonetheless find myself watching it with an overwhelming sense of wonder. Just as 1925 audiences must have done, I keep repeating, "Can they
do that?!"
