In April 1966 Time Magazine ran a controversial cover. In big red letters were the words “Is God Dead?” Today God is not only not dead, but he seems to be everywhere. As of Oct. 19, He was in movie theaters with the release of the animated version of “The Ten Commandments,” a film geared toward families.
Whether one is a strict believer in the Bible or not, and I’m not, the saga of Moses and the exodus is one of the classic stories of all time. Hollywood has certainly thought so. In 1923 Cecil B. DeMille directed “The Ten Commandments” at a cost $1,800,000, in those days an ungodly sum, pardon the pun. In 1956 DeMille did another version starring Charleton Heston as Moses and Yul Brenner as Ramses. “Commandment” fever resurfaced in 2006 with a TV mini-series, “The Ten Commandments” and a DVD “The Ten Commandments: The Musical,” with Val Kilmer as Moses. In 2007 there was an English release of “Exodus,” a provocative updating of the Old Testament story, with the Pharaoh as a right-wing politician and Moses as a terrorist.
This “Commandments” is directed by Bill Boyce and John Stronach. With various camera angles, tracking shots, and even a “donkey-cam” when Moses escapes on a donkey, it has the feel of a live-action film. The larger-than-life animated characters are mesmerizing. I took my friend’s 4-year-old daughter and she was spellbound. (Of course she can get spellbound watching “Hannah Montana.”) The movie was produced by Promenade Pictures, run by former Paramount President Frank Yablans and Cindy Bond. “The Ten Commandments” will be the first of six Bible-themed CGI films known collectively as “Epic Stories of the Bible.” The next entry will feature Noah in “The Great Flood.”
The cast of “The Ten Commandments” is superb. Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley is brilliant as the narrator. Or I should say Sir Ben as he was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2000 and knighted in 2001. His voice has the authority of a Biblical historian. And yet during the more perilous scenes his tones are comforting. Kingsley could read from the phone book and make it dramatic.
Christian Slater plays Moses and portrays him as more vulnerable and humble than we’re used to, an effective choice, especially for children. The fine actor, Alfred Molina, is a menacing and evil Ramses, and yet we feel compassion, however reluctantly, for his emptiness at the loss of his first born. Oscar-nominated Elliott Gould is excellent as the voice of God, a daunting task, for anyone, especially a kid born in Brooklyn.
The story of Moses and the exodus is filled with peril. Off-screen children are killed and on screen slaves are beaten. And then there are the plagues: Water turns to blood, flies, locust and frogs cover the ground, all of which might be disturbing to young children. (Although my friend’s daughter loved the frogs.) God sends the angel of death throughout the land to take the first born from each household. The Hebrews paint their doorways in lamb’s blood so the angel will “pass over,” but innocent Egyptians are punished for the sins of their leader. (That sounds like the Middle East today.) There are also scenes of wonder, including the parting of the Red Sea where the children playfully poke their heads into the parted water and see the fish swimming. And there’s some humor in visuals and dialogue that give the story a contemporary feel. Trapped at the Red Sea, a troubled Miriam asks Moses, “Has God told you how we are to cross? Moses answers somewhat sheepishly, “Not exactly.” Miriam replies, “I wouldn’t let too many people know that. ”
“The Ten Commandments” is a visually entertaining and educational movie for children and even adults, as I hadn’t realized how much of the story I had forgotten. And yet I’m of two minds. Nationwide opinion polls reveal that Americans know the menu at McDonald’s better than they do the Ten Commandments and that few of us can even name all of them. (I got five and my wrong answers were doozies.) But sadly, religion is polarizing all around the world. In Alabama, former Chief Justice Roy Moore refused to remove the Ten Commandments from his courtroom despite a federal order. In Iraq the 1400-year-old civil war is between one group who feels Mohammed’s successor should have been of his blood and those who don’t. Those reservations aside, my hunch is the movie will be very successful. As opposed to that Time Magazine cover from 1966, today God is not dead, albeit he sounds a little like Elliott Gould. “The Ten Commandments” is rated PG and opened in 700 theaters nationwide on Friday.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 20, 2007. Read the original PDF.