The Bible: In the Beginning

Some background: when I was perhaps 4-5 years old, in a family that was not religious in thought, word, or deed - except for some traditional commitments to Catholicism, I saw this movie but had no idea what I was looking at until I saw the scene of the king shooting an arrow into the sky (what I know now was the "creatively fleshed out but not thematically inaccurate" account of the Tower of Babel). When that arrow-shot happened, I understood it as a revolt and also perceived the scene as a jolting portrayal of the pride, hatred and foolishness fueling it. Fast-forwarding to my life as an adult, I eventually became an informal student of scripture, one who has given ear and intellect and heart to the "inspiration and inerrancy" side of biblical schools of thought. And over those years, from time-to-time the thought would bubble up, "What about that movie where the man shoots the arrow into the sky?"Now that I have finally gotten the movie, and on blu-ray, I am swept off my feet, bowled over as it were by the cinematography, sound and acting. After many years of CGI and sophisticated green-screen movies which are cutting edge, I was jaw-droppingly mystified as to how the special effects of "The Bible" could be that good way back then. The bare cinematography and sound are astounding from the outset, but it is the Noah's Ark story which floored me. Yes, you can see some of the unfocused line-of-eye-sight when "Noah" is watching animals go into the ark, but this is no worse than when Gandalf chuckles at bedside when Sam, Merry and Pippin are reunited with a recovering Frodo in Rivendell (in that scene, it appears - at least to me - that Gandalf is chuckling at a green screen). HOWEVER, returning to Noah, when he and his family are on the ark, it is astounding how real the acting is... and perhaps it is true that back then they put big name actors in the same space as animals that could kill them with a single swat or swipe. I cannot speak to that. What I can say is that the Noah's Ark story was especially impressive and pulled me entirely into the story because the realism was not just impressive for the movie's age, but for the realism actually delivered by the production.I also gave a nod to the depictions of the scattering and the innate viciousness of fallen mankind in the Tower of Bablylon story. Looking at the organized and sophisticated work on the Tower (i.e. a ziggurat), albeit due to enslavement, that devolves into terrified brawls, murder and flight, one cannot fail to notice the movie's creators' attention to detail in the background of the plains as seen from the top of the Tower - the flight and scattering of man in the throes of self-destruction. I think the movie's creators get that spot-on. As well, the internal torment of Abraham in the test of his faith through the sacrifice of his "first-born son of promise" was achingly helpful in understanding a couple things: 1) Abraham was not ignorant of child sacrifice and cults which wove such things into their practices, and 2) the trek which took Abraham and Isaac through the destroyed city - perhaps Sodom or Gomorrah, which had altars (some cults built statues of gods with outstretched arms) upon which children would have likely been placed for burning is leveling to a sensitive father in Abraham. The portrayal should make us, as Abraham was, convinced that the charges against mankind leveled by God are not without justification.Is this movie for kids? I would say not without parental guidance. The nudity is artistically and cinematically well-done, and is - quite refreshingly - almost clinical... if one knows the story. But, it is the brutality and the no-holds-barred depictions of man's depravity which might give pause to some. On the other side, there is a world of good in the characters who, despite the surrounding idolatrous cultures, remain faithful to the commands of a just Creator who has written onto their hearts - if not spoken to them by Him directly - the ultimate rule of law which says love and serve Him and others, as well.Finally, is this movie good for a Bible study? I don't think it would hurt... but, it doesn't come through as a vehicle for that. It is better suited to people who have lived long years acquainted with their Bibles, in churches committed to inerrancy and inspiration, and who have lived alongside (not withdrawn from) a world of popular entertainment. I would feel totally comfortable having some artistically- and theologically-minded people from church over for dinner, a glass of wine, and this movie.

This movie is excellent. I enjoyed watching it. I recognized Peter O'Toole, John Huston, George C. Scott, and Richard Harris in that movie. Those guys are wonderful actors I've known about until they passed away.I read the Bible since I was a girl. That special book is telling the truth. It wants readers to believe in God. I've heard about Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, and Lot and his family. I forgot a chapter about the Tower of Babel. I didn't get an information about the Tower of Babel much until I figured out what happened while I was watching the next chapter in the movie. I understood it.I would recommend this movie to believers because I found out this movie has received so many awards according to Wikipedia.

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This film was released in September of 1966, which placed it at the close of a long tradition of Hollywood Biblical epics. I was around ten years old and had a vinyl LP of its great musical score which I played over and over before I finally saw the movie on the big screen of a theater. Our family was not particularly religious, but this film was one of those that had a profound influence on me and made me interested in knowing more about the Bible.Looking at it today, I see more depth. The opening footage from all over the world of the days of the Creation is still breathtaking. As a child I felt uncomfortable with the partially nude scenes of Adam and Eve, and even now I believe nudity needs to be implied. Otherwise my mind stops focusing on the story and thinks "I just saw a naked actor!". Also, a theory of some Bible commentators is that animals are clothed with feathers or fur, and Adam and Eve were clothed with a glow of light emanating from within them; when they sinned that glow disappeared and they were then totally naked before they hit on the idea of fig leaves. (This interpretation would not likely have been known to John Huston). Beyond that, the film rolls on quite nicely through the first twenty-two chapters of Genesis. The cinematography is rich and beautiful. I do think a few too many scenes were interpreted as desert settings, since many of the Bible lands were lush and only outskirted by desert as a result of the climatology of the region being somewhat different more than 4,000 years ago (though of course that's controversial). Either way the storyline still follows the episodes of salvation history. One reviewer said it looks like they just kept shooting until they ran out of film and decided to call it quits. To me it was essential they kept going until they climaxed the film with the sacrifice of Isaac, which pointed forward to the day when God would inaugurate a new creation. Thus there is a great arc of theme in the epic from "In the Beginning" to "The New Beginning".Overall the movie looks like a live-action version of Sunday School art. By that I mean most of the scenes are like pictures I've seen in religious artworks. For example, Adam and Eve are portrayed by clean-shaven white people. Cain bashes Abel over the head instead of slitting his throat (like the sacrifices he'd watched - see I John 3:12 in the original Jerusalem Bible [1966], not the New Jerusalem Bible [1985]). This Tower of Babel somewhat rightly resembles a Sumerian ziggurat, yet more resembles Renaissance paintings of it. Modern researchers have discovered that Noah could have been a king, and the ark was actually a huge flat barge shaped like a giant shoebox to ride the tidal waves of the Flood. The movie pictures things like I've seen them all my life: a peasant Noah, and a rounded boat with a house on top (and that shape would capsize in no time). The only thing they didn't have was a giraffe sticking out of the window.Nevertheless, you may enjoy these traditional depictions. I'm just preferring literal Biblical research combined with the look of what has been discovered in archaeology, yet for me the overall effect of this film is still profound and quite moving. It's been said that George C. Scott's portrayal of Abraham was the low point of the movie, but I thought his crusty performance was inspiring! (I was also thankful they didn't picture Abraham like Santa Claus). For the most part, watching this film was an enjoyable and uplifting experience. Any Biblical movie should give us a taste of what things were like; then we should always go back and read the Book. There we will find the authentic atmosphere of the actual words. Still, one line the scriptwriters put in the mouth of Abraham is not found in the Bible, yet it does reflect what the Bible says of him. It has helped me with my faith. It is the line where Abraham asks, "Shall the Lord speak, and Abraham not believe?"

This is an old movie. Not digitally remastered. But I knew that when I bought it. I was just so happy to have found it in a dvd.

Being based on the bible (the first chapters of the Old Testament to be more precise), this film is obviously not going to appeal to everybody. I personally am not a huge fan of religious films and came to buy this one because of the people involved in the making of it. I like John Huston very much - both as director and as actor, and here he is both - and also enjoy seeing Peter O'Toole and Richard Harris on the screen. Ava Gardner is undeniably beautiful and lends a bit of glamour to anything. Even to the Old Testament.I certainly can't pretend that I'm an expert on the bible, but you don't need to be one to have heard the stories covered in this film: Adam and Eve and the garden of Eden, the story of Cain and Abel, that of Noah and his ark, the tower of Babel, Abraham, or Lot and his wife. All these stories are told pretty much as the bible tells them, without much interpretation or moralising and thankfully without putting a modern spin on them. It's a long film (the run time on the DVD I purchased is 167 minutes - which means that apparently some 7 minutes were cut from the original release, but I can't say that I felt I was missing anything), and it is rather episodic in style. But that is fine. So is the text its based on.For me, the most memorable part by far is the story of Noah. John Huston plays Noah himself, and he is wonderful in the part. Much time is given to the construction of the ark and the animals and care for them on board and I loved watching it because for once a film manages to show it exactly as I have always imagined. It's lovely. As far as I'm concerned this segment in a film from the 1960s is far more enjoyable than the recent big budget film about Noah with all its cgi and wonders of modern technology. Good film and highly recommended for all kinds of reasons.The DVD I purchased is perfectly serviceable. The picture quality is good, the colours nice and vibrant and the sound is good. All very nice for a film from 1966. English (and various other language) subtitles are available for those who may need them.

Despite many glowing reviews and the fact that I am a devout Christian, The Bible is one of the most boring films I have ever seen in my entire life with scenes far too dark to see the picture and the constant commentary by John Huston has the most awful echo effect which becomes more and more irritating as the film progresses. The Robe on the other hand is a great film but as a previous reviewer has already stated this disc Region A and will not play on most UK players and certainly doesn't play on mine! There is no mention whatsoever that The Robe is a Region A disc! BIG, BIG disappointment is putting it mildly as I purchased this 2 disc set especially for The Robe as the 2 discs were cheaper than purchasing either film as single discs. Will be returning discs to Amazon.

So good to see this timeless Epic again!! I've finally added to my Bible Films collection & its a worthy addition!! If you haven't seen this old masterpiece give it a viewing . It covers Genesis petty well & is useful when anyone wants to know about what * The Good Book * says about our beginnings...its not all about the Big Bang perspective you know! Try it & see an alternative explanation... I have two under 21's at home from University & they still have questions that Atheist philosophy just can't explain! Glad they're still open to the mystical mysteries of *The Book* being a possibility!!!

This was a film I watched at the afternoon matinee (cinema) when I was very young at 11 years old so I bought it. It is quite long and drawn out at the beginning but as it moves along there is more action. The actors are able to stir your inner emotions without even speaking a word especially the scene after Cain murders his brother. There are a few humorous parts in it and some of the scenes are intensive. Very well made film and worth watching.

DVD re release of classic film.some of the dark scenes a bit dark, but that could be our (modest) TV/monitor.John Huston as Noah was very good, and a early minor appearance from Richard Harris too.Classic Hollywood, from the days when scripts were more important than special effects.fast delivery, as always!