A movie that was released in 1959 is today one of the great classics of cinema. It need not fear comparison with modern films; on the contrary, it looks miles better than many blockbuster movies today.
Which movie is it? “Ben Hur” was released in 1959, which is 66 years ago. The film is considered one of the great classics of cinema. It is a monumental film directed by William Wyler.
It tells the story of Judah Ben-Hur, who lives in the 1st century AD. After he is accused of carrying out an assassination, Judah’s family is arrested, and he is enslaved. His journey takes him across the sea to a chariot race in the arena of Jerusalem. There, Judah seeks revenge on the Roman tribune Messala.
“Ben Hur” is an epic film that runs for a proud 222 minutes. At its release, it was one of the most elaborate films ever made and reportedly cost around 15 million US dollars according to thenumbers.com. This amounts to about 161 million US dollars today.
This brings “Ben Hur” close to contemporary blockbuster budgets that can easily exceed 150-300 million US dollars. Unlike many modern productions, though, you can see the invested money. The film looks better today than many films that came after it and that sometimes cost more. Why is that?
Films are made differently today
What is the secret? The YouTuber wolfcrow has addressed “Ben Hur” in a video. And with the question of why the film still belongs to the most visually beautiful works ever made for cinema.
Reason Number 1: The choice of aspect ratio
“Ben Hur” was shot on an extremely wide analog film stock. This was specially developed for the film and ensured that the image on the screen was presented in a 2.76:1 ratio. The usual widescreen ratio is, by the way, 2.35:1. The new method was so elaborate and costly that over the years only a handful of films were made with it.
The wide picture provides epic shots that showcase the impressive sets in all their splendor. The screen is full of details, and upon first viewing, it is hardly possible to grasp all the intricacies. Director William Wyler was able to tell his story even better through the additional space in the image – there is always something happening in the foreground and background that contributes to the narrative.
Today, most major films are no longer shot on analog film but digitally. This is more cost-effective and straightforward. A format as wide as that in “Ben Hur” is almost never used – “Oppenheimer” is an exception, having been shot on 65mm film.
Reason Number 2: Light and Colors
The aforementioned foreground and background were lit with the same attention to detail. Wyler and his cinematographer Robert Surtees opted for a look inspired by classical painting.
As a result, nearly every shot in “Ben Hur” looks like a painting that could hang in a museum due to tasteful lighting and rich, vibrant colors. Flat lighting, as seen in many contemporary films, is absent here.
Reason Number 3: Real Sets and Costumes
The third and perhaps most obvious reason: “Ben Hur” completely avoids CGI – simply because there were no computer-generated visual effects in 1959. Therefore, the sets were all built authentically; only some backgrounds were hand-painted. Yet even that looks impressive today.
Moreover, unlike many superhero films today, the costumes were not affixed to the actors via CGI but were genuinely worn. Together, the sets and costumes create a believable overall picture that brings the historical world of the film to life.
For these reasons, “Ben Hur” can still easily measure up to current films and surpass most of them. The film shows that craftsmanship and practical effects stand the test of time, while visual effects age quickly. The famous chariot race alone has earned “Ben Hur” a place in film history – and all without a greenscreen. Accordingly, we have a contribution for you on MeinMMO: YouTuber explains why many modern films look worse than earlier ones, even though the technology improves
