Blu-ray Movie Reviews

In this beloved Biblical epic, Moses (Charlton Heston), once favored in the household of the Pharaoh (Yul Brynner), turns his back on a privileged life to lead his people to freedom with the help of God and his Ten Commandments.

Few motion pictures in the history of Hollywood reach the heights of this masterpiece. Cecil B. DeMille's last picture made Charlton Heston a superstar and holds up extremely well 55 years later. Filmed in Egypt and the Sinai with one of the biggest sets ever constructed, the special effects seem rudimentary today, but they look fabulous when put into the proper historical context.

Video Highlights

• AVC/1080p encode on a BD-50 disc
• 6K Master
• Outstanding restoration
• Vivid color palette
• Fabulous detail

Audio Highlights

• DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack
• Remarkable remastered sound
• Full-bodied midrange
• Front-loaded track (as expected)
• Wide stereo spread across the front

Paramount delivers an outstanding restoration of this classic and puts it in the same league as Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, which is really saying something. Thankfully, the studio decided to split the 231-minute film over two discs, giving it enough space to really shine. Colors pop off the screen, the detail is amazing, and the film has never looked better. The audio track doesn't disappoint, but it's limited in what it brings to the table based upon the original mono recording.

Bonus Materials

• Commentary by Katherine Orrison
• Newsreel: The Ten Commandments Premiere in New York

Paramount went to a lot of expense to restore this classic, and it looks absolutely fantastic on Blu-ray and deserves a place in every movie lover's library. Highly recommended.

Release Date: March 29, 2011
Studio: Paramount

Movie: 8/10
Picture: 10/10
Sound: 8/10

Review System

Source
Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player

Display
JVC DLA-RS40 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Integra DTC-80.2 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 power amplifier
Belkin PVA-PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics