THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA: Five Different Versions (video)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (Cecil B. DeMille, 1923)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (Cecil B. DeMille, 1956)

THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (1998)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (2006 Mini-Series)

THE BIBLE (2013 Mini-Series)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA: Five Different Versions (video)

THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA: Five Different Versions (1923-2013) (video)

THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA: Five Different Versions (1923-2013)



THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (Cecil B. DeMille, 1923)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (Cecil B. DeMille, 1956)

THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (1998)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (2006 Mini-Series)

THE BIBLE (2013 Mini-Series)

Originally posted on 4/20/19
I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA: Five Different Versions (1923-2013) (video)

APOCALYPSIS -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 4/4/18

 

Stunningly directed and photographed--that's the first thing I noticed about writer-director Eric Leiser's fourth feature film, the near-future dystopian thriller APOCALYPSIS (2018), so it's the first thing I wanted to mention.

This story of a woman named Evelyn Rose (Maria Bruun), a Christian whose deep pondering of the Book of Revelations fills her mind with bizarre visions of frightening portent, and a man named Michael Banderwack (Chris O'Leary), a radical "hacktivist" bent on saving the world from itself even as the NSA use all their electronic surveillance might against him, is one endlessly intriguing and often beautiful work of cinematic art.

Visually, it reminds me of an updated version of 1982's cult sci-fi classic LIQUID SKY, both starring striking-looking female protagonists having disturbingly transformative experiences amidst a production designer's most fervid bursts of imagination.  It's as though David Lynch and Ridley Scott fell asleep in a candy store and collaborated on the same psychedelic dream.

That aside, the story is instantly compelling despite being the third installment in a trilogy (the other films being IMAGINATION and GLITCH IN THE GRID). Evelyn works for a rare book seller while constantly experiencing mindblowing visions inspired by the pages of Revelations and rendered in wonderfully odd stop-motion animated vignettes by director Leiser.

Meanwhile, Michael stays one frantic step away from the NSA (tinfoil bedsheets and all) while doing his outlaw radio show and planning acts of uncivil disobedience against the increasingly oppressive Big Brother state. 

This quest draws Evelyn and Michael together since both refuse to be "chipped" with an electronic "Mark of the Beast" under their skin and, in their own different ways, are willing to sacrifice their own lives for the collective good.

The fact that Michael is an atheist only makes their relationship more interesting.  Evelyn, an albino, looks almost as translucent as her guileless soul, and the two of them compliment each other. 

Despite occasional lapses in this symbiotic pairing, as when Michael suspects Evelyn of being an NSA mole, they will ultimately be united in a final, potentially futile struggle against the coming New World Order.

O'Leary's Banderwack is funny and fun to watch, a character we can admire despite being something of a flake. As Evelyn, a woman steadfast in her faith and pure at heart, Bruun is compelling throughout. 

Angels are sent to watch over her--even disbeliever Michael gets a visit from one after he goes "off the grid" and is advised that Evelyn needs his help.  And for once, a character's religious faith is neither mocked nor treated as a freaky quirk.

Storywise, we're deposited into this already-in-progress trilogy just at the right point to be able to pick things up as though it were a stand-alone film. The intrigue between underground political dissidents and voyeuristic Big Brother agents hot to bring them in for "processing" is enough to keep things interesting, and then there's the likability of the lead characters as their experiences allow the best of themselves to come through.

My main and perhaps only disappointment is the abrupt ending, which makes this seem like the penultimate entry in a trilogy rather than a concluding one. But that aside, APOCALYPSIS is like a visually sumptuous cinematic art gallery with a plot.  Both my eyes and my mind found it dazzling. 


Tech Specs
Runtime: 90min
Format:1:78 HD
Sound: Dolby Sr.
Country: USA
Language, Captions: English
Website: www.IndicanPictures.com
Genre: Sci-Fi
Extras: Making-of featurette, Indican trailers

Watch the Trailer

APOCALYPSIS -- DVD Review by Porfle

Three Extras Killed Filming "Noah's Ark" (1928) (video)

During the key flood sequence, safety was ignored in favor of spectacle.

Extras were not warned of the severity of the water that would engulf them.
These included a young Marion "Duke" Morrison (John Wayne).

While the stars were doing their closeups...
...the unwary extras were being deluged by deadly torrents of water.

Their fear is real as they scramble for their lives.

Several extras were seriously injured.
Three of them were killed. 

 

Originally posted on 8/31/18
I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Three Extras Killed Filming "Noah's Ark" (1928) (video)

LAND OF THE PHARAOHS -- Movie Review by Porfle

 

 Originally posted on 9/25/21

 

Currently watching: LAND OF THE PHARAOHS (1955), a staggeringly epic film by Howard Hawks. 

While not Biblically inspired, this breathtaking cinematic fever dream of ancient Egypt rivals the greatest works of Cecil B. DeMille in sheer spectacle, with huge sets and the proverbial cast of thousands.

It's the sort of thing that's mostly left to CGI effects whizzes these days, and the fact that it's all real--even the magic of matte paintings and other photographic effects of the time is sparse--makes the grandeur on display throughout the film even more impressive.

The story is simple yet compelling. Jack Hawkins plays the Pharaoh as one who believes himself a living god, and the thought of his tomb being raided of his precious store of treasures after his death prompts him to hire the greatest architect available to design for him a theft-proof tomb, nestled inside the largest pyramid ever built, which will take many years and hordes of slaves to complete.

The architect is himself a slave, but he persuades Pharaoh to release his people if the theft-proof tomb is a success. Meanwhile, Joan Collins (at her most gorgeous) plays a would-be queen whose avarice rivals Pharaoh's, and she conspires to have him entombed as soon as possible so that she may claim both the throne and the treasure. 

 

 
How director Howard Hawks manages to make all this so compelling is a wonder to behold. The film is not only visually intoxicating but exceedingly literate (with William Faulkner among the screenwriters) and well acted.

Hawks stages it all to perfection, and seems to thrive on this sort of spectacle even without his trademark rapid-fire overlapping dialogue and touches of lighthearted humor.

While stately and exquisitely dry, the script also leaves Hawks plenty of room for the sort of gaudy visual and thematic indulgence which is the very stuff of the most satisfyingly over-the-top cult classics. This helps him keep things effortlessly involving for the film's entire running time, all the way up to the not-so-surprising yet still rewarding twist ending.

 
I'd heard about this film's cult popularity over the years--people who saw it as kids seem to have retained their fondness for it--but never suspected that I myself would find it so richly entertaining and rewatchable.

Still, it does lack a key element of DeMille's spectacles in that there's no core of religious faith, no ultimate catharsis of the spirit to send us off at the end with that soulful glow. LAND OF THE PHARAOHS does have a satisfying ending, but it's a rather hollow one.

 

(Thanks to William De Lay for the DVD)

LAND OF THE PHARAOHS -- Movie Review by Porfle

Three Extras Killed Filming "NOAH'S ARK" (1928)(video)

 

During the key flood sequence, safety was ignored in favor of spectacle.
 
Extras were not warned of the severity of the water that would engulf them.

These included a young Marion "Duke" Morrison (John Wayne).  

While the stars were doing their closeups...
...the unwary extras were being deluged by deadly torrents of water.

Their fear is real as they scramble for their lives.
Several extras were seriously injured.

Three of them were killed.  


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Three Extras Killed Filming "NOAH'S ARK" (1928)(video)

"SAMSON" From Pure Flix -- Opens Nationwide in Theaters Today

OPENING DAY ALERT--FRIDAY, FEB. 16 FROM PURE FLIX

'SAMSON'

BRINGS EPIC BIBLICAL STORY TO LIFE ON SCREEN NATIONWIDE

It’s one of the Bible’s best-known stories. Or is it? There’s more to Samson than muscles and a haircut.

Official Website

WATCH THE TRAILER:

From Pure Flix, creators of GOD’S NOT DEAD, comes SAMSON, the action-packed biblical epic starring Billy Zane, Golden GlobeÆ winner Rutger Hauer, Jackson Rathbone, EmmyÆ winner Lindsay Wagner, Caitlin Leahy and Taylor James in the title role.

SAMSON is based on the powerful, biblical epic of a champion chosen by God to deliver Israel. His supernatural strength and impulsive decisions quickly pit him against the oppressive Philistine empire.

After betrayal by a wicked prince and a beautiful temptress, Samson is captured and blinded by his enemies. Samson calls upon his God once more for supernatural strength and turns imprisonment and blindness into final victory.

A HERO OF OLD IS RELEVANT NOW
Pure Flix is a faith-film studio taking on contemporary issues in movies such as the hit GOD’S NOT DEAD. Now comes a page from ancient history. Samson’s journey of passion, betrayal and redemption reminds audiences that our failures do not define our future.

Pure Fix is the No. 1 independent producer of faith films, responsible for the phenomenally successful GOD’S NOT DEAD, among other well-known productions.

DIRECTOR
Bruce Macdonald

SCREENPLAY
Jason Baumgardner
Galen Gilbert
Timothy Ratajczak
Zach Smith

FEATURING
Billy Zane (TITANIC) as King Balek
Rutger Hauer (BLADE RUNNER) as Manoah, Samson’s father
Jackson Rathbone (The Last Ship, TWILIGHT) as King Balek’s son, Rallah
Lindsay Wagner (The Bionic Woman) as Samson’s mother, Zealphonis
Caitlin Leahy (Black-ish) as Delilah
Taylor James (JUSTICE LEAGUE) as Samson

About Pure Flix
Founded in 2005, led by Michael Scott, David A.R. White, Elizabeth Travis and Alysoun Wolfe, Pure Flix is the leading independent faith-and-family studio in the world. Recent releases include: The Case for Christ, God’s Not Dead 2, God’s Not Dead, Do You Believe?, Woodlawn, A Question of Faith and Same Kind of Different as Me. With offices in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Pure Flix has produced, acquired, marketed, and distributed more than 100 faith and family-friendly films. Aiming to influence the global culture for Christ through media, Pure Flix is the industry leader in creating high-quality inspirational feature film content. The studio’s official website is Pureflixstudio.com.  The company also features a leading streaming video on demand service, with thousands of movies, originals, TV shows and more emphasizing faith, family and fun. For more information, go to Pureflix.com.

"SAMSON" From Pure Flix -- Opens Nationwide in Theaters Today

"THE LOST CITY OF CECIL B. DEMILLE" -- A True Hollywood Mystery, Coming 10/3

“Part Detective Story, Part ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’…”

THE LOST CITY OF CECIL B. DEMILLE

In 1982 He Heard About an Ancient Egyptian City Buried in the California Desert…For 30 Years He’s Been Fighting to Dig it Up

The Mystery Debuts on Digital & VOD – October 3, 2017!

Los Angeles, Calif. – September 2017 – Leading independent cinema distributor Random Media and Lost City Productions debut a Hollywood detective story that will thrill any fan of movies and history -- THE LOST CITY OF CECIL B. DEMILLE on Digital and Video-on-Demand on October 3, 2017!
 
A fascinating documentary that pays tribute to Cecil B. DeMille, one of Hollywood’s most innovative and commercially successful filmmakers, it is the story of a more than 30 year quest to unearth from the sandy coast of Central California, the remains of one of De Mille’s most monumental undertakings: the Egyptian city constructed for his first spectacle, 1923’s The Ten Commandments.

Watch the Trailer:  

THE LOST CITY OF CECIL B. DEMILLE follows the decades long quest of Peter Brosnan, who first heard rumors of the burial of DeMille’s City of the Pharaoh, a huge set encompassing 20 sphinxes and four 35-ton statues of Ramses, in 1982.  Too daunting to be constructed inside a 1920’s-era studio soundstage, DeMille and his production staff found their “faux-Egypt” on the beaches of Santa Barbara County.  When they finished shooting, rather than leave the sets to be repurposed by second-rate hacks hoping to steal a little of his thunder, DeMille had the sets buried in the sand, counting on time and coastal elements to eventually destroy them.

Fascinated by this bit of movie lore about “the last of the great sets” and optimistic that much of the set may have survived, Brosnan and film-school friends Bruce Cardozo and Richard Eberhardt set out to arrange for an excavation and make a documentary.  What followed was decades of on-again, off-again excavation efforts, as the project faced seemingly insurmountable funding stumbles and bureaucratic obstacles.  

“What an extraordinary story… a rare combination of film and cultural history.” --  Leonard Maltin

THE LOST CITY OF CECIL B. DEMILLE documentary is the story behind the excavation, highlighting Brosnan’s multiple agonizing years of starts and stops, as funding, red tape and weather halted the well-publicized story that wouldn’t die, even when Brosnan was ready to walk away, over and over again.  It concurrently interweaves the history of famed director DeMille with fascinating firsthand accounts from dozens of people who were involved in the groundbreaking 1923 production, including studio executives, extras, spectators and the filmmaker’s granddaughter Cecilia DeMille Presley.

Logline:
A fascinating documentary about the 30+ year quest, against funding struggles and bureaucratic red tape, of filmmaker Peter Brosnan to unearth from the sandy coast of Central California, the remains of one of Cecil B. DeMille’s most monumental undertakings: the Egyptian city constructed for his first spectacle, 1923’s The Ten Commandments.

Synopsis
Have you seen “The Ten Commandments” with Charlton Heston?  Did you know that in 1923 Cecil B. DeMille made a silent version of the movie?   Because Egypt was far away from the studio and estimated to be much too costly, DeMille shot the film in Santa Barbara County, California, about 150 miles north of Hollywood, and built an enormous ‘City of the Pharaoh’ set, literally taking over the economy of the surrounding community and creating a fantastic spectacle.  Designed by Paul Iribe, the “father of Art Deco,” it was the largest set in motion picture history.

When filming wrapped, the city mysteriously vanished.

In 1982, Peter Brosnan was sitting in a bar when someone told him that there were ancient Egyptian Sphinxes buried somewhere in the California Dunes.  It sparked his imagination and he embarked on what turned out to be a thirty year battle to prove the existence of these Sphinxes and the discovery of the Lost City.

After searching in the California desert, Brosnan located what he believed was the site of the 1923 filming. Over 33 years in the making, “The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille” is an extraordinary tribute to a director whose innovative and fearless style continues to inspire modern day filmmakers, almost 60 years after his death.

THE LOST CITY OF CECIL B. DEMILLE explores the spirit of a man, Peter Brosnan, who walked away from this project three times in frustration, only to be called back a fourth time. The result is an iconic tale of a reluctant hero, who finally surrenders to his destiny and accepts that he was chosen to follow this quest and tell this story.

Specifications:
Director: Peter Brosnan Screenwriter: Peter Brosnan Producers: Peter Brosnan, Daniel J. Coplan Executive producer: Francesca Judge Silva
Presented by:  Cecelia DeMille Presley
Co-producers: Bruce Cardozo, Richard Eberhardt
Director of photography: Alessandro Gentile Editor: George Artope
Still Photography: Kelvin Jones
Time Lapse Photography: Michael DeLavallade Composer: Steve Bauman Running Time: 88 minutes
Produced by: Lost City Productions
Distributed by: Random Media

About Random Media:
Random Media is a content company that acquires and distributes films on a worldwide basis through movie theatres, conventional brick and mortar retailers, digital platforms, cable and satellite companies and television networks.  Random Media's library includes such acclaimed films as Escape From Tomorrow, The Visit, Meth Head, Desert Cathedral and Killswitch: The Battle To Control The Internet.
                   
OFFICIAL FILM SITE: https://www.lostcitydemille.com/       
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Lost-City-of-Cecil-B-DeMille-1614033822253579/
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2507306/?ref_=nm_flmg_prd_1

"THE LOST CITY OF CECIL B. DEMILLE" -- A True Hollywood Mystery, Coming 10/3

"THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST" Arrives on Blu-ray and DVD February 7

FROM Oscar® WINNING DIRECTOR MEL GIBSON*
For The First Time Ever in English and Spanish the Powerful Epic

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

Arrives on Digital HD, Blu-ray and DVD February 7

From ACADEMY AWARD®-winning director Mel Gibson*, comes one of cinema’s most uniquely powerful films – the profoundly moving, uncompromising story about the final twelve hours in the life of Jesus Christ.  A filmmaking triumph, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST was nominated for three OSCARS®**, including cinematography. 

The film begins in the Garden of Olives where Jesus has gone to pray after the Last Supper. Jesus must resist the temptations of Satan. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Jesus is then arrested and taken within the city walls of Jerusalem where leaders of the Pharisees confront him with accusations of blasphemy and his trial results in a condemnation to death.

With inspiring performances from Jim Caviezel as Jesus and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalen, this new edition of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST features English, Spanish and Portuguese language dubbed audio for the first time ever.

*1995: Directing, Best Picture (Mel Gibson, Alan Ladd, Jr. and Bruce Davey, Producers), Braveheart
**2004: Cinematography, Music (Original Score), Makeup

Blu-ray & DVD Special Features:
⦁    NEW English, Spanish and Portuguese Language Dub
⦁    Includes Original Theatrical and Recut Version Edited for Graphic Depictions
⦁    Audio Commentaries (Original Version) with Mel Gibson, Filmmakers and Theologians
⦁    Biblical Footnotes (Original Version)
⦁    Music Commentary (Selected Scenes, Original Version)


THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST Disc Specs:
Street Date:         February 7, 2017
Screen Format:     Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio (Blu-ray):     Aramaic, Latin, Hebrew DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
    English Dolby Digital 5.1 / English Descriptive Audio 2.0
    Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Audio (DVD):    Aramaic, Latin, Hebrew Dolby Digital 5.1
    English Dolby Digital 5.1 / English Descriptive Audio 2.0
    Spanish Surround Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles:     English SDH / Spanish (Blu-ray & DVD)
Total Run Time:     Approximately 126 minutes
U.S. Rating:         R
Closed Captioned:     Yes

About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film. TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions as well as all third party distribution partners on DVD, Blu-ray™, 4K Ultra HD, Digital HD, and VOD (video-on-demand). Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets and digital stores throughout the world.

© 2004 Icon Distribution, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
© 2017 Twentieth Century Home Entertainment LLC. All Rights Reserved

"THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST" Arrives on Blu-ray and DVD February 7