Ten Commandments (1923) (Silent) (B&W) [VHS]

Ten Commandments (1923) (Silent) (B&W) [VHS]
by Cecil B. DeMille

Ten Commandments (1923) (Silent) (B&W) [VHS]

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Product details

Actor: Charles de Rochefort, Estelle Taylor, Julia Faye, Pat Moore, Theodore Roberts
Director: Cecil B. DeMille
Cinematographer: Archie Stout
Cinematographer: Bert Glennon
Cinematographer: Fred Westerberg
Cinematographer: J. Peverell Marley
Cinematographer: Ray Rennahan
Producer: Cecil B. DeMille
Writer: Jeanie Macpherson
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, HiFi Sound, NTSC, Silent
Running Time: 136 minutes
Release Date: 1998-02-24
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Publisher: Paramount
Studio: Paramount

VHS Movie Reviews of Ten Commandments (1923) (Silent) (B&W) [VHS]

Movie Review: Intersting, especially for CB Demille fans
Summary: 4 Stars

Fun movie and better than I thought it would be. DeMille was a master of filling a scene with movement, whether it was two characters or a cast of thousands.

Good one for film buffs.

Movie Review: Ehhh
Summary: 2 Stars

I watched this one thinking it was going to be like the 1950's version and was surprised when it wasn't. The first part of the film is actually about Moses and the Ten Commandments. The second part of the film is a modern story dealing with the Ten Commandments.

The first part of the film was the part that I really liked. It was pretty well done considering it was a silent film, and almost had to be over the top to get across its point to you.

It was the second part that just dragged the whole movie down for me. I felt that part was just too long and spent time on scenes that didn't really need it. It lingered and lingered when it could have moved on to something else. It was well done, but just too long. And I say this as a person who appreciates the art of silent film. I know some of them were long, but this didn't keep my interest.

If you're looking for the 1950's classic done in a silent version just watch the first part and skip the second. Or just come back to it at a later time.

Movie Review: AN OK FILM, BUT GETS BOGGED DOWN IN THE MIDDLE
Summary: 4 Stars

Cecil B. DeMille's 1923 silent film of "The Ten Commandments" is a decent work from one of Hollywood's most influential and controversial directors. Unlike DeMille's more powerful 1956 remake with Charlton Heston, the story of Moses and the Hebrews being delivered out of Egypt takes up only about a fourth of the film. But that part is truly spectacular, featuring beautiful cinematography, enormous sets, and visual effects that were cutting-edge for the silent film era.
However, most of this film is set in the 1920s, and concerns how a family is torn apart, as one son sets himself on living by the commandments set down by God, and the other decides to reject the words of his mother, and live his life free of those commandments. Sadly, this part of the film is mostly uninteresting, as the story gets too involved in "preaching" to the audience. However, the last few minutes are great, as the story of Jesus curing a person of leprosy is told with great reverence.
This film comes as a part of theThe Ten Commandments (50th Anniversary Collection) DVD. Overall, this is an OK film that fans of DeMille will find interesting, if a little too dry.
Grade: B-

Movie Review: Not what you might be expecting!
Summary: 5 Stars

I already had high expectations of this film to begin with, and was not disappointed when it turned out to be quite different from what I had expected. For a start, the famous "Ten Commandments" story (10 plagues of Egypt, Israelites leave via parting of the Red Sea, Moses receives 10 Commandments on Mt Sinai while Israelites misbehave and make a golden calf) later made famous by Charlton Heston as Moses, is actually only the PROLOGUE in this silent 1923 version, and the larger part of the story is a contemporary drama showing the modern-day relevance of the ten commandments with similar dire consequences to those who defy them. This might be a disappointment to those who expect a full Biblical epic and a famous Cecil B DeMille spectacle, but for those who value a brilliant story with poignant highlights to impress its ideas, this one rates the full 5 stars. The prologue (about 45 minutes) with its beautiful Egyptian sets and convincing special effects has a special feature, namely a 20-minute colour sequence of the highlight, the parting of the Red Sea, and although the colours look soft, weak and washed-out, it's interesting to see one of these first experiments with colour.

The contemporary story shows a mother with two sons; one is a god-fearing and humble carpenter, the other an unbelieving go-getter determined to prove his mother's teaching of the Ten Commandments of no use in the modern world. Although you can guess that this defiant son's attitude will be proven wrong, being the parallel to the defiant Pharaoh of Egypt in the prologue, DeMille's direction of the story is still unpredictable and suspenseful enough to keep you enthralled and wondering exactly how it will turn out. He also gets the main message across several times in various effective ways, namely that defying God's AND man's laws only leads you to ruin, but far from feeling lectured or preached to, this excellent film gets you involved with the characters and the morale of the whole story.

Movie Review: SILENT "COMMANDMENTS" MOVIE MELODRAMA AT IT'S PEAK
Summary: 4 Stars

"The Ten Commandments" (1923) is grand scale entertainment which, in its time, served as a moral caveat against the excesses of the Jazz Age. DeMille, in my opinion, had more in common with P.T. Barnum than the Pope, and the film ends up being campy, solemn and riddled with eye-popping special effects. The parting of the Red Sea, done with Jello and water is definitely more effective than in the over-blown 1950's remake with Heston and Brynner. DeMille was always an entertainer first and not a theologian or historian, yet he sometimes wore the latters' hats just to give some authority to his films. DeMille always was most comfortable with highly theatrical and melodramatic plots, evidenced by his early associations with colleagues such as Jesse Lasky and David Belasco. The silent "Commandments" is an antique of another era, but is a great example of early movie magic and over the top melodrama. THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!

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