Ben-Hur (1959)
History, Drama, Adventure, Action • 3h 32m
Overview
In 25 AD, Judah Ben-Hur, a Jew in ancient Judea, opposes the occupying Roman empire. Falsely accused by a Roman childhood friend-turned-overlord of trying to kill the Roman governor, he is put into slavery and his mother and sister are taken away as prisoners.
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Hugh Griffith, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell, Sam Jaffe, Finlay Currie, Frank Thring, George Relph, André Morell, Terence Longdon, Ady Berber, Lando Buzzanca, Giuliano Gemma, Marina Berti, Robert Brown, Liana Del Balzo, Enzo Fiermonte, Richard Hale, Duncan Lamont, John Le Mesurier, Ferdy Mayne, May McAvoy, Aldo Silvani, Ralph Truman, Claude Heater, Joe Canutt, Richard Coleman, Antonio Corevi, David Davies, Mino Doro, Michael Dugan, Franco Fantasia, José Greci, John Horsley, Howard Lang, Stevenson Lang, Tutte Lemkow, Cliff Lyons, Tiberio Mitri, Remington Olmsted, Laurence Payne, Aldo Pini, Diego Pozzetto, Stella Rho, Edwin Richfield, Hector Ross, Maxwell Shaw, Gianni Solaro, Pietro Tordi, Raimondo Van Riel, Dervis Ward, Joe Yrigoyen, Nazzareno Zamperla, Jerry Brown, Eddie Jauregui, Gianni Di Segni, Armando Fracassi, Osiride Pevarello, Renzo Pevarello, Amerigo Santarelli, Artemio Antonini, Aldo Cecconi, Mario Meniconi, Terzo Monachesi, Giorgio Ubaldi, Umberto Alivernini
Edit History
3/31/2026
Best Audio Release
From
UHD 5.0 is the original mix, but more muffled than LaserDisc and even the previous Blu-ray's gentle remix. Atmos is revisionist.
1991 LD is Dolby Stereo matrix encoded from the original six track master and this was later upgraded to a 5.1 Dolby Digital version prepared for the first DVD. The 5.1 version may have had some slight tweaking in the process. This was reused for the DVD CE boxset and then the 5.1 on Blu-ray seems like a slight upgrade of the DVD track. (The first pressing from the UCE boxset had audio defects rampant on the BD. These were corrected for standalone pressings.) All 5.1s sound roughly the same as the LD 2.0 in terms of the mix-but the LD PCM mastering seems like the only one that is direct without any major processing. Sadly it only exists in matrix stereo and not in discrete.
To
The 4K Blu-ray 5.0 is the original mix, but more muffled than LaserDisc and even the previous Blu-ray's gentle remix. The Atmos mix is revisionist.
From
UHD 5.0 is the original mix, but more muffled than LaserDisc and even the previous Blu-ray's gentle remix. Atmos is revisionist.
1991 LD is Dolby Stereo matrix encoded from the original six track master and this was later upgraded to a 5.1 Dolby Digital version prepared for the first DVD. The 5.1 version may have had some slight tweaking in the process. This was reused for the DVD CE boxset and then the 5.1 on Blu-ray seems like a slight upgrade of the DVD track. (The first pressing from the UCE boxset had audio defects rampant on the BD. These were corrected for standalone pressings.) All 5.1s sound roughly the same as the LD 2.0 in terms of the mix-but the LD PCM mastering seems like the only one that is direct without any major processing. Sadly it only exists in matrix stereo and not in discrete.
To
The 4K Blu-ray 5.0 is the original mix, but more muffled than LaserDisc and even the previous Blu-ray's gentle remix. The Atmos mix is revisionist.
Additional Info
From
The 50th Anniversary box set has some exclusive extras
To
The 50th Anniversary box set has some exclusive extras.
1991 LD is Dolby Stereo matrix encoded from the original six track master and this was later upgraded to a 5.1 Dolby Digital version prepared for the first DVD. The 5.1 version may have had some slight tweaking in the process. This was reused for the DVD CE boxset and then the 5.1 on Blu-ray seems like a slight upgrade of the DVD track. (The first pressing from the UCE boxset had audio defects rampant on the BD. These were corrected for standalone pressings.) All 5.1s sound roughly the same as the LD 2.0 in terms of the mix, but the LD PCM mastering seems like the only one that is direct without any major processing.
From
The 50th Anniversary box set has some exclusive extras
To
The 50th Anniversary box set has some exclusive extras.
1991 LD is Dolby Stereo matrix encoded from the original six track master and this was later upgraded to a 5.1 Dolby Digital version prepared for the first DVD. The 5.1 version may have had some slight tweaking in the process. This was reused for the DVD CE boxset and then the 5.1 on Blu-ray seems like a slight upgrade of the DVD track. (The first pressing from the UCE boxset had audio defects rampant on the BD. These were corrected for standalone pressings.) All 5.1s sound roughly the same as the LD 2.0 in terms of the mix, but the LD PCM mastering seems like the only one that is direct without any major processing.
3/14/2026
Best Audio Release
From
To
UHD 5.0 is the original mix, but more muffled than LaserDisc and even the previous Blu-ray's gentle remix. Atmos is revisionist.
1991 LD is Dolby Stereo matrix encoded from the original six track master and this was later upgraded to a 5.1 Dolby Digital version prepared for the first DVD. The 5.1 version may have had some slight tweaking in the process. This was reused for the DVD CE boxset and then the 5.1 on Blu-ray seems like a slight upgrade of the DVD track. (The first pressing from the UCE boxset had audio defects rampant on the BD. These were corrected for standalone pressings.) All 5.1s sound roughly the same as the LD 2.0 in terms of the mix-but the LD PCM mastering seems like the only one that is direct without any major processing. Sadly it only exists in matrix stereo and not in discrete.
From
To
UHD 5.0 is the original mix, but more muffled than LaserDisc and even the previous Blu-ray's gentle remix. Atmos is revisionist.
1991 LD is Dolby Stereo matrix encoded from the original six track master and this was later upgraded to a 5.1 Dolby Digital version prepared for the first DVD. The 5.1 version may have had some slight tweaking in the process. This was reused for the DVD CE boxset and then the 5.1 on Blu-ray seems like a slight upgrade of the DVD track. (The first pressing from the UCE boxset had audio defects rampant on the BD. These were corrected for standalone pressings.) All 5.1s sound roughly the same as the LD 2.0 in terms of the mix-but the LD PCM mastering seems like the only one that is direct without any major processing. Sadly it only exists in matrix stereo and not in discrete.
3/13/2026
Best Audio Release
From
3/8/2026
Best Audio Release
From
3/2/2026
Additional Info
Added
The 50th Anniversary box set has some exclusive extras
Added
The 50th Anniversary box set has some exclusive extras
2/9/2026
Format
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1080p Blu-ray
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UHD Blu-ray
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1080p Blu-ray
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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly Release
Upcoming Release
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2026? Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray Steelbook
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From
2026? Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray Steelbook
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Best Audio Release
blah-ray
Added
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/search/label/Ben-Hur%20(1959)
Added
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/search/label/Ben-Hur%20(1959)
DVDBeaver
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare/ben-hur.htm
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare/ben-hur.htm
12/24/2025
Upcoming Release
From
2026? Warner Bros4K Blu-raySteelbook
To
2026? Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray Steelbook
From
2026? Warner Bros4K Blu-raySteelbook
To
2026? Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray Steelbook
12/15/2025
Best English-Friendly Release
2/13/2025
Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
From
From
12/12/2024
Best Video Release
From
WB BD, hoping for a 4k release https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/park-circus-has-dcp-4k-ben-hur-1959-does-that-mean-we-will-get-it-on-disc-soon.379542/
From
WB BD, hoping for a 4k release https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/park-circus-has-dcp-4k-ben-hur-1959-does-that-mean-we-will-get-it-on-disc-soon.379542/
