Warner Home Video has revealed that “Ben-Hur” and “Citizen Kane” will be coming to Blu-ray in 2011. Currently they are both available in DVD and WB is looking to put them back in the vault. On May 10th Citizen Kane will stop selling while Ben-Hur will see the end of sales on July 12th. Both films are undergoing restoration and remastering. We’ll keep you posted once we have more information
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As one who has painstakingly built a giant screen home theater, and one who, as a teenager, experienced the wonder of first-run screenings of "Ben Hur" on Times Square in N.Y.C., I have been somewhat disappointed by previous home video versions of the movie. It has taken Warner such a long time to get around to releasing a Blu Ray edition of the film that I have been wondering if I would live to see it. The HD potential of this format is such that it could conceivably come very close to recapturing the magic of those brilliant 1959 MGM Camera 65 showings. I do hope that the Blu Ray disc lives up to that potential. The production values of that film were so magnificent as to make all other biblical epics seem a bit tacky by comparison.
I viewed the film at it's first release in Boston in Nov of 1959. Wish I could remember the exact theater but it was one of the most opulent in Boston and had the latest sound system to do justice to the 6 channel sound track supporting Miklos Rozsa's magnificent score. The seating was reserved since it was considered to be a major "road show attraction".
It was one of the most powerful experiences for me and has never been equaled. The chariot race is still the best action sequence ever filmed. A masterpiece of stunt work and editing that to this day has never been topped.
I hope that the delay in transferring this superb film to Blue Ray will be worth the wait. Warners usually does an excellent job with the classics such as "GWTW"and "Wizard of Oz". Hoping for the same with Ben Hur. Last I heard was that it will be in 2011 but no exact date has been set as yet.
Best to you and thanks for your posting.
Pete Kinsley