DVD Corner

Ben-Hur 4K UHD Review

“Ben-Hur” is a grand cinematic achievement.

Based on the Lew Wallace novel “Ben-Hur: A Tale Of The Christ,” 1959’s Karl Tunberg scripted “Ben-Hur” is a biblical epic. The story begins with the Jewish Judah Ben-Hur living a comfortable life as a Prince and merchant. He resides with mother (Miriam) and sister (Tizrah) and develops a relationship with Esther. His life is turned upside down when his friend Messala (now a Roman soldier) essentially becomes a vindictive power-hungry maniac who enslaves Ben-Hur in the galleys and imprisons his mother and sister. Years pass while he works the galleys, but Ben-Hur gets a new lease on life when he rescues Roman Consul Quintus Arrius from a pirate attack. To repay him, Arrius frees and adopts Ben-Hur. Ben-Hur is also dead set on trying to find his mother, sister, and Esther, but he learns what Messala has done to them and vows vengeance. However, Ben-Hur soon learns the error of his ways when a certain Carpenter crosses his path.

As cliched as it is to say, they don’t make them like this epic anymore. With each passing year, director William Wyler’s “Ben-Hur” feels more and more impressive. It’s a crowning achievement in every respect from the costumes, the towering sets, the ensemble cast, the character work, the rousing score by Miklos Rozsa, the death defying stunts, the props, the world class editing, the plethora of extras and animals, the sheer scope of the cinematography, and, of course, the practical effects. In this era of often soulless CGI, a movie like “Ben-Hur” really makes you appreciate the sheer amount of work that went into this 11 time Oscar winning production (which it fully deserved). The chariot race scene alone goes down as one of the most spectacular scenes in motion picture history and is easily the best racing sequence of any kind. 

You don’t even have to be religious or into biblical epics to get wrapped up in Ben-Hur.” Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Martha Scott, Frank Thring, Haya Harareet, Cathy O’Donnell and Stephen Boyd especially really bring you into the world with their individual characters. Yes, the project itself is full of awe inspiring elements, but without the compelling characterizaton it would amount to little more than window dressing.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.76:1 2160p. How does it look? This is one of the discs I have truly been looking forward to and it did not disappoint. The Cinemascope film boasts vibrant colors and this remains the new gold standard of classic films on 4K.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? From the stirring music to the thundering hooves of horses, this Atmos track is nothing if not immersive. 

Extras (On The Special Features Blu-ray Disc Unless Noted):
* Commentary by film historian T. Gene Hatcher and Charlton Heston (on the 2 4K discs)
* Music-Only track (on the 2 4K discs)
* Digital Copy
* Screen tests with George Baker and William Russell, Leslie Nielsen and Cesare Danova, Leslie Nielsen and Yale Wexler, and Haya Harareet Hair And Make-up Test
* “Ben-Hur: Anatomy Of An Epic” and “The Cinematography Of Scale”- 2 new featurettes. The first covers the epic film’s extraordinary scope, production values, legacy, characterization, and more. The 2nd featurette obviously covers the incredible cinematography, imagery, and the cameras used.
* “Charlton Heston And Ben-Hur: A Personal Journey”- A 78 minute archival documentary with home movies, family member interviews, information about Heston’s past, and an out of place Tom Selleck interview.
* “Ben-Hur: The Making Of An Epic”- A 58 minute making of.
* “Ben-Hur: A Journey Through Pictures”- A still and storyboard gallery.

February 24, 2026 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Ben-Hur 4K UHD Review, Biblical Film, Charlton Heston, Classic Film, Epic Film, Oscars