Your Cultural Tyrant Speaks
Public Service Announcement: Turner Classic Movies is dedicating the day to “epics”. You can watch for the fourth or fifth time “Ben Hur” and “Doctor Zhivago.” So, leave this computer and turn on your television immediately. If you don’t subscribe to TCM at least go to your nearest appliance store and stand in front of a television for the next fourteen hours. If that store doesn’t get TCM, then complain to the management and take yourself to a store with better taste.
Here is my summary of the films. It may be somewhat subjective but you don’t have to be objective if you are correct:
Doctor Zhivago: The film is gorgeous, a sweeping romantic epic–and it has absolutely nothing to do with the novel, which is a soporific dissertation on poetry. The author Boris Pasternak only seemed animate during his periodic tirades about how much he hates being Jewish. Self-loathing may be an artistic inspiration but Julie Christie makes a much cuter muse.
Ben-Hur: It inspired me to buy a rowing machine. And, yes, Messala does look longingly at Ben-Hur. Director William Wyler told Stephen Boyd to add that subtext to the plot.
The King of Kings (directed by Nicholas Ray): As the risk of repeating myself–actually I love it–
https://finermanworks.com/your_rda_of_irony/2006/12/23/the-greatest-story-ever-miscast/
The King of Kings (directed by Cecil B. DeMille): With DeMille’s usual prurience, he depicts a romantic triangle between Judas, Mary Magdalene and Jesus. DeMille was half-Jewish and all-chutzpah.
Well, you have your schedule and instructions. Enjoy!