Benhur-
William Wyler's production of "BEN-HUR" stands out for many reasons.Only "TITANIC" has won as many Academy Awards as it has.  Perhaps mostimportantly, it stands as a testament to the kind of huge epic productions that used to cost a lot,  make a lot, and also entertain! Charlton Heston stars as the jew whom is changed by Christ. Heston has long been criticized for chewing scenery, and to be fair, he does!  But, "BEN-HUR" has lots of huge sets for him to chew, and it's hard not to root for him in the process.  It's similar to rooting for the fat kid to eat the most in a pie-eating contest!   Even though some of the dialogue is extremely corny, it's still far better than most religious epics, and the action scenes still stand up to even the most computer animated
special effects sequences of today!  There's a reason why the "chariot
race and sea battle" still stand out in many people's minds!  They're
awesome!!!
WARNER BROS. has presented the film with its proper 2.76:1 aspect ratio and with 16:9 enhancement!  For those "new" to the concept of
letterboxing, "BEN-HUR" requires "major" letterboxing!  Still, after
viewing almost any individual scene, one will immediately realize just
why cropping ruins the film! Wyler paints the film canvas with detail!
There is a lot going on at any given moment on all parts of the screen,
so anything less than the full image would severely undermine what had
been so carefully composed. 
Fans of "BEN-HUR" will be extremely pleased with what WARNER BROS has achieved with this dvd presentation!  This is a slick transfer!  While fleshtones vary at times, the overall color values are strong. In fact, they're much stronger than on any of the previous laserdisc editions or in recent prints.  The contrast is also outstanding, with deep blacks and grays.  There is some grain at times, but not enough to detract from the outstanding detail and contrast on display. 
WARNER BROS. also deserves credit for the new Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. This is an aggressive mix, with plenty of surround moments.  The rear channels vary at times between discrete and monaural effects, but
they're effectively used throughout the film.  The dialogue is focused
towards the center channel, but there are some directional effects
panning the front speakers.  Bass effects are virtually non-existent.
Due to the length of the film as well as the supplements WARNER BROS has put forth for this release, this release is presented on a DVD-18. DVD-18 = Dual side, Dual Layer!
The best of the supplements is "BEN-HUR:THE MAKING OF AN EPIC".  While not newly created for this release, it's still terrific!  Christopher Plummer narrates the hour long program featuring interviews with a who's-who of talent from the Golden Era of Hollywood. Our favorite:Yakima Canutt, 2nd assistant director on "BEN-HUR" but also one of the most outstanding stuntmen of all time!  There are also audio and video interviews with Wyler. This is really a media smorgasbord, filled with "everything" imaginable! Tv footage, stills, newsreel info, and footage from the original silent film.
WARNER BROS. is also offering an audio commentary with Charlton Heston! Unfortunately, it doesn't last the entire film's length.  Heston is
fairly entertaining as he recollects various stories from the set, as
well as insight into the filmmaking business in general.
In addition to a small photo gallery, and trailers for the film, there
are two hard-to-find screen-tests!  No one can afford to miss none other than Leslie Nielsen's, realizing had he been cast, "BEN-HUR" would've been a drastically different movie!