Based on the Holy Scriptures, with additional dialogue by several other hands, The Ten Commandments was the last film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The story relates the life of Moses, from the time he was discovered in the bullrushes as an infant by the pharaoh's daughter, to his long, hard struggle to free the Hebrews from their slavery at the hands of the Egyptians. Moses (Charlton Heston) starts out "in solid" as Pharaoh's adopted son (and a whiz at designing pyramids, dispensing such construction-site advice as "Blood makes poor mortar"), but when he discovers his true Hebrew heritage, he attempts to make life easier for his people. Banished by his jealous half-brother Rameses (Yul Brynner), Moses returns fully bearded to Pharoah's court, warning that he's had a message from God and that the Egyptians had better free the Hebrews post-haste if they know what's good for them. Only after the Deadly Plagues have decimated Egypt does Rameses give in. As the Hebrews reach the Red Sea, they discover that Rameses has gone back on his word and plans to have them all killed. But Moses rescues his people with a little Divine legerdemain by parting the Seas. Later, Moses is again confronted by God on Mt. Sinai, who delivers unto him the Ten Commandments. Meanwhile, the Hebrews, led by the duplicitous Dathan (Edward G. Robinson), are forgetting their religion and behaving like libertines. "Where's your Moses now?" brays Dathan in the manner of a Lower East Side gangster. He soon finds out. A remake of his 1923 silent film, DeMille's The Ten Commandments may not be the most subtle and sophisticated entertainment ever concocted, but it tells its story with a clarity and vitality that few Biblical scholars have ever been able to duplicate. It is very likely the most eventful 219 minutes ever recorded to film—and who's to say that Nefertiri (Anne Baxter) didn't make speeches like, "Oh, Moses, Moses, you splendid, stubborn, adorable fool"?

Shot in widescreen Technicolor, The Ten Commandments remains the standard by which Biblical epics -- and many epics in general -- are measured. DeMille is heavy handed, but that's DeMille. Heston scowls and Brynner emotes; they are archetypal versions of themselves. Many of DeMille's sets and stunts are obvious fakes (that animated pillar of fire wouldn't scare a house cat), but most are impressive even today. When Moses turns his staff into a snake and back again, the effect is seamless. His turning of the Nile into blood is an impressive camera trick, but his parting of the Red Sea is one of Hollywood's most famous stunts. It's worth sitting through the 220 minutes of movie for this alone.

Paramount Home Entertainment (Special Collector's Edition) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Paramount Home Entertainment (Special Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Paramount (55th Anniversary) - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Paramount Home Entertainment

Region 2 - PAL

1.74:1 Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.60 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.48 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

Disc 2 Size: 33,431,727,087 bytes

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Paramount Home Entertainment (Special Collector's Edition) - PAL Disc 1

Paramount Home Entertainment (Special Collector's Edition) - PAL - Disc 2

Paramount Home Entertainment (Special Collector's Edition) - NTSC Disc 1

Paramount Home Entertainment (Special Collector's Edition) - NTSC Disc 2

Paramount Blu-ray Disc 1

Paramount Blu-ray Disc 2

5.1 Dolby Digital English, 2.0 Dolby Digital, DUB: French 2.0 Dolby

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.74:1

Edition Details:
• Audio commentary by Katherine Orrison
• Disc 2
• 6-Part documentary (37:36)
• - Moses (7:27 / 4:3)
• - The Chosen People (7:33 / 4:3)
• - Land of the Pharaohs (6:10 / 4:3)
• - The Paramount Lot (6:51 / 4:3)
• - The Score (2:49 / 4:3)
• - Mr. DeMille (6:43 / 4:3)
• Newsreel New York premiere
• 1959 featurette: The Making of 'The Ten Commandments' (9:37 / 16x9)
• The 1966 re-release TV Trailer (0:51 / 16x9)
• The 1989 Theatrical re-release Trailer (1:32 / 16x9)
• 12 page booklet

DVD Release Date:
Double Keep Case

Chapters 48

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.74:1

Edition Details:
• Audio commentary by Katherine Orrison
• Disc 2
• 6-Part documentary (37:36)
• - Moses (7:27 / 4:3)
• - The Chosen People (7:33 / 4:3)
• - Land of the Pharaohs (6:10 / 4:3)
• - The Paramount Lot (6:51 / 4:3)
• - The Score (2:49 / 4:3)
• - Mr. DeMille (6:43 / 4:3)
• Newsreel New York premiere
• 1959 featurette: The Making of 'The Ten Commandments' (9:37 / 16x9)
• The 1966 re-release TV Trailer (0:51 / 16x9)
• The 1989 Theatrical re-release Trailer (1:32 / 16x9)
 

Chapters 29 + 19