COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY IN “BEN HUR”

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6542, 25 February 1928, Page 9

COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY IN “BEN HUR”

. .photographic colour of rare' beauty plays an important part in 800 Hur,” the Mctro-Goldwyn-Maycr proauction founded on the famouc novel by General Lew Wallace and’directed by Fred Niblo, which commences today at the Palace Theatre. To reproduce the beauty of the artistic prologue,, which depicts the following of the * Star and the Birth of Christ,, an improved technicolour process was used which imparts all the rich warmth of a painting by an old master. Other striking photographic effects wore obtained during the making of the chariot race and the thundering' horses were “caught” at every conceivable angle. In several instances the horses appear to rush straight • down upon the camera pass over it! ' This is what actually did happen, for cameramen were stationed in pits below the level of the track, for this sequence. The biood tingling speed anci breathless thrills of the” greatest chariot race ever filmed arc further enhanced by clever photography and the enormous settings. The men responsible for this were Rene Gmssart, Karl Struss, Percy Hil--Idurn and Clyde do Vinna and under their able direction forty-two camera! were trained upon the huge scenes oi the arena in the Circus Maximus of Antioch.