RACE OF THE AGES
A remake of ‘Ben Hur’ is in theaters, so we look at chariots of ancient days and Hollywood heroics.
FROM WAR TO ARENA Sumeria The Sumerians lived in what is now southern Iraq and are believed to be the first civilization to use chariots around 3,000 B.C. The chariots were large wooden boxes with a driver and a soldier armed with lances. Egypt The Egyptians may not be the first to use chariots in battles, but they are said to have perfected them. They built lightweight and mobile chariots. They had a simple wooden frame covered in animal skins. Usually archers accompanied the driver. Greece and Rome The Greeks and Romans used chariots in battle up until armies developed larger and more effective cavalries. When the chariot wasn’t on the battlefield, it was popular in the arena. The Greeks used four-horse chariots in the earliest Olympic Games, about 684 B.C. The last recorded race in Rome took place in A.D. 549, but continued elsewhere for hundreds of years. AROUND THEY GO Chariot races were ancient civilization’s most popular forms of entertainment. The races were held on a grand scale in Rome. They took place in an arena called the hippodrome. Some hippodromes could seat more than 150,000 spectators.
BEN MADE OVER AND OVER
First a book: “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ” was a novel written by Lew Wallace in 1880. It was the best-selling novel in America for 40 years and was the first work of fiction to be blessed by a pope.
On stage: “Ben-Hur” was a spectacular stage production on Broadway before it became a film. The theater version featured the chariot race with real horses on giant treadmills.
First film: The 1907 silent film is less known for its chariot race than being sued for using the author’s story without paying for the privilege. The case went to the Supreme Court, where the author won for copyright infringement and the ruling set a precedent for film rights. 1925: Because of labor strikes in Italy the chariot race in the second film was moved to Culver City. A technique with a hanging miniature was used to make the Circus Maximus look full size.
1959: The chariot race was filmed outside Rome and required 15,000 extras. The race took five weeks to film. The race was filmed without sound - music and sound effects were added in post-production. The chariot scene cost about one-fourth of the film’s $15 million budget.
Charlton Heston: Heston’s version of “Ben-Hur” was the largest film made in its time, and became the fastest grossing movie of its time. Adjusted for inflation it is the 14th highest grossing film. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and Heston won best actor. Paul Newman and Burt Lancaster turned down the part. 2016: The director Timur Bekmambetov said the only computer graphics used in the chariot scene are to show the arena and crowd. The latest movie is closer to the original story in the book than other films.