Ben Hur (miniseries)

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Ben Hur
Ben Hur 2010.jpg
DVD cover
GenrePeriod drama
Adventure
Based on Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
by Lew Wallace
Written by Alan Sharp
Directed by Steve Shill
Starring Joseph Morgan
Stephen Campbell Moore
Kristin Kreuk
Emily VanCamp
ComposerRob Lane
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Canada
Spain
United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes2
Production
ProducersRoger Corbi
Simon Vaughan
CinematographyOusama Rawi
EditorsAnnie Ilkow
Simon Webb
Running time180 minutes
Original release
Network CBC
ReleaseApril 4, 2010 (2010-04-04)

Ben Hur is a television miniseries that first aired in 2010. Based on Lew Wallace's 1880 novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ , the series was produced by Alchemy Television Group in association with Drimtim Entertainment and Muse Entertainment in Montreal. It aired on Canada's CBC network on April 4, 2010, [1] and aired later in 2010 on ABC in the United States.

Contents

Ben-Hur was directed by Steve Shill, [2] and stars Kristin Kreuk, Ray Winstone, Art Malik, Hugh Bonneville and Joseph Morgan as Judah Ben-Hur. The film was written by Alan Sharp.

Plot

The miniseries follows the story of Judah Ben-Hur, a wealthy merchant in Jerusalem who is falsely accused of treason by his childhood friend, Messala, now a Roman officer. Betrayed and sold into slavery, Ben-Hur endures years of hardship before rising to seek revenge and redemption. His journey intersects with that of Jesus Christ, whose life and crucifixion profoundly impact Ben-Hur's understanding of forgiveness and justice.

Cast

Production

The miniseries was filmed across various international locations to authentically recreate the ancient world of Judaea and Rome. Its cinematography, led by Ousama Rawi, and its score, composed by Rob Lane, enhance the storytelling with vivid visuals and an evocative soundtrack.

Producers:

Editors:

Reception

The adaptation received mixed reviews, with some praising its modern interpretation and performances while others critiqued its deviation from the novel and prior adaptations.

Trivia

Related Research Articles

Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kristin Kreuk</span> Canadian actress (born 1982)

Kristin Laura Kreuk is a Canadian actress. Debuting on teen drama Edgemont, she became most known for her roles as Lana Lang in the superhero television series Smallville (2001–2011), Catherine Chandler in The CW sci-fi series Beauty & the Beast (2012–2016) and as Joanna Hanley in the CBC legal drama series Burden of Truth (2018–2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Boyd</span> Northern Irish actor (1931–1977)

William Millar, better known by his stage name Stephen Boyd, was an actor from Northern Ireland. He emerged as a leading man during the late 1950s with his role as the villainous Messala in Ben-Hur (1959), a role that earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture. He received his second Golden Globe nomination for the musical Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962).

<i>Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ</i> 1880 novel by Lew Wallace

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is a novel by Lew Wallace, published by Harper and Brothers on November 12, 1880, and considered "the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century". It became a best-selling American novel, surpassing Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) in sales. The book also inspired other novels with biblical settings and was adapted for the stage and motion picture productions.

<i>Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ</i> (1925 film) 1925 film by Fred Niblo

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is a 1925 American silent epic adventure-drama film directed by Fred Niblo and written by June Mathis based on the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by General Lew Wallace. Starring Ramon Novarro as the title character, the film is the first feature-length adaptation of the novel and second overall, following the 1907 silent short film.

<i>Ben Hur</i> (1907 film) 1907 American film

Ben Hur is a 1907 American silent drama film set in ancient Rome, the first screen adaptation of Lew Wallace's popular 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Co-directed by Sidney Olcott and Frank Oakes Rose, this "photoplay" was produced by the Kalem Company of New York City, and its scenes, including the climactic chariot race, were filmed in the city's borough of Brooklyn.

<i>Ben-Hur</i> (1959 film) 1959 American epic film directed by William Wyler

Ben-Hur is a 1959 American religious epic film directed by William Wyler, produced by Sam Zimbalist, and starring Charlton Heston as the title character. A remake of the 1925 silent film with a similar title, it was adapted from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. The screenplay is credited to Karl Tunberg, but includes contributions from Maxwell Anderson, S. N. Behrman, Gore Vidal, and Christopher Fry. The cast also features Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell, and Sam Jaffe.

<i>Ben Hur</i> (2003 film) 2003 animated film based on the Lew Wallaces 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

Ben Hur is a 2003 American-Canadian animated drama film based on the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, by Lew Wallace. It is the fourth film adaptation of the novel, the prior three of which were the 1907 silent short film, the 1925 silent film, and the Academy Award-winning 1959 film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galley slave</span> A person enslaved or sentenced to row in a galley

A galley slave was a slave rowing in a galley, either a convicted criminal sentenced to work at the oar, or a kind of human chattel, sometimes a prisoner of war, assigned to the duty of rowing.

Arrius may refer to:

Tirzah is the name of one of the daughters of Zelophehad in the Book of Numbers, and of the ancient Canaanite and Israelite city Tirzah.

Valerius Gratus was the 4th Roman Prefect of Judaea province under Tiberius from 15 to 26 AD.

<i>Ben-Hur</i> (play)

Ben-Hur was an 1899 theatrical adaptation of the 1880 Lew Wallace novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. The story was dramatized by William W. Young and produced by Marc Klaw and A. L. Erlanger. The stage production was notable for its elaborate use of spectacle, including live horses for the famous chariot race. The hippodrama had six acts with incidental music written by American composer Edgar Stillman Kelley. The stage production opened at the Broadway Theater in New York City on November 29, 1899, and became a hit Broadway show. Traveling versions of the production, including a national tour that ran for twenty-one years, played in the United States, Great Britain, and Australia. By the end of its run in April 1920, the play had been seen by more than twenty million people and earned over $10 million at the box office. There have been other stage adaptations of Wallace's novel, as well as several motion picture versions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Lew Wallace Study</span> United States historic place

The General Lew Wallace Study & Museum, formerly known as the Ben-Hur Museum, is located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976, and in 2008 was awarded a National Medal from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is located in the Elston Grove Historic District. The museum is associated with the life of Lew Wallace and his 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. The study, designed by Wallace, and accompanying carriage house are the only structures pertaining to Lew Wallace that have retained historical integrity. Both of these buildings now make up the museum and exhibit many of the artifacts that Wallace used during his lifetime, as well as many objects pertaining to his literary legacy. Guided tours of the study are available for a small admission fee; the Carriage House Interpretive Center and grounds are open to the public free of charge.

Ben Hur Live is a 2009 stage adaptation of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Produced by Franz Abraham with music and narration by Stewart Copeland, it premièred on 17 September 2009 at the O2 Arena in London, the first date of its European tour.

Quintus Arrius may refer to:

The term Bible fiction refers to works of fiction which use characters, settings and events taken from the Bible. The degree of fictionalization in these works varies and, although they are often written by Christians or Jews, this is not always the case.

Production of <i>Ben-Hur</i> (1959 film)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) originally announced a remake of the 1925 silent film Ben-Hur in December 1952, ostensibly as a way to spend its Italian assets. Stewart Granger and Robert Taylor were reported to be in the running for the lead. Nine months later, MGM announced it would make the film in CinemaScope, with shooting beginning in 1954. In November 1953, MGM announced it had assigned producer Sam Zimbalist to the picture and hired screenwriter Karl Tunberg to write it. Zimbalist was chosen because he had produced MGM's Best Picture-nominated Christians-and-lions epic Quo Vadis in 1951. The studio then announced in July 1954 that production would start in March 1955 with 42 speaking parts and 97 sets. MGM said Sidney Franklin would direct, that the script by Tunberg was finished, that shooting would occur in Rome and in Spain, and that Marlon Brando was up for the lead. In September 1955, Zimbalist, who continued to claim that Tunberg's script was complete, announced that a $7 million, six-to-seven month production would begin in April 1956 in either Israel or Egypt in MGM's new 65mm widescreen process. MGM, however, suspended production in early 1956.

<i>Ben-Hur</i> (2016 film) 2016 film by Timur Bekmambetov

Ben-Hur is a 2016 epic historical drama film directed by Timur Bekmambetov and written by Keith Clarke and John Ridley. It is the fifth film adaptation of the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace following the 1907 silent short film, the 1925 silent film, the Academy Award-winning 1959 film and the 2003 animated film; it is the third version produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It has been termed a "re-adaptation", "reimagining", and "new interpretation" of the novel, and follows Judah Ben-Hur, a young prince who is falsely accused by his step-brother, an officer of the Roman army, and is sent to slavery, only to escape and seek vengeance. The film stars Jack Huston as the titular character, alongside Toby Kebbell, Rodrigo Santoro, Nazanin Boniadi, Ayelet Zurer, and Morgan Freeman. Principal photography began on February 2, 2015, in Matera, Italy and lasted about five months, finishing in June 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judah Ben-Hur</span> Fictional character

Judah Ben-Hur, shortened to Ben-Hur, is a fictional character, the title character and protagonist from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. The book covers the character's adventures and struggle against the Roman Empire as he tries to restore honor to his family's name after being falsely accused of attacking the Roman governor. Judah encounters Jesus Christ and becomes a Christian.

References

  1. "Programming Highlights: Ben Hur For The 21st Century; New Miniseries Premieres on CBC". Channelcanada.com. March 23, 2010. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
  2. Spangler, Todd (2009-03-26). "ABC to air 'Ben Hur' miniseries". Variety. Retrieved 2019-08-23.