Casting Coup Month: The Ten Commandments

NOMINATIONS

Best Picture

Best Cinematography, Color - Loyal Griggs

Best Editing - Anne Bauchens

Best Costume Design, Color - Edith Head/Ralph Jester/John Jensen/Dorothy Jeakins/Arnold Friberg

Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color - Hal Pereira/Walter H. Tyler/Albert Nozaki/Sam Comer/Ray Moyer

Best Sound, Recording - Loren L. Ryder

Best Effects, Special Effects - John P. Fulton (WON)

I imagine I had more patience when I was a child. I've been putting off seeing Ben-Hur because I have no idea when I'll have four hours to kill. When I was a wee one, though, not only did I make time every Passover to watch The Ten Commandments, I would rent it to watch on my own time. I would spend 10 hours* of my year between the ages of five and nine watching Charlton Heston set his people the hell free. Now? I only have patience for the two-hour "Making Of" documentary on Disc Two of the 2004 DVD release.

Now that I think about it, that might not be so bad. As a recent graduate of the film school (toot. toot.), I am equally interested in both the film itself and the behind-the-scenes fun! And truly, is there anything more beautiful than the inspiring dedication and zeal of producer/director Cecil B. DeMille? When I saw Sunset Boulevard, I knew why Norma Desmond would want to work with the master. DeMille may have taken some creative liberties with chronologies, and some critics may claim that his work is bloated and sappy, somewhat cheesy. But can you doubt his sincerity? Can you doubt his dedication? Can you doubt his ability to actually get a large cast and crew and finances together to make his enormous vision come to be? I'm pretty sure you can't.

It was only a matter of time before this movie showed up here. Its significance in my life combined with my dream of making Biblical epics made its presence an inevitability. It's been some time since I've seen it, but I did take an Old Testament course last semester that made me reread the story of Moses in its entirety (that's a high five moment). Let's take a journey on the Casting Coup Couch, shall we?: