The chariot race required 15,000 extras on a set constructed on 18 acres of backlot at Cinecitta Studios outside Rome. Tour buses visited the set every hour. Eighteen chariots were built, with half being used for practice.

Where did they film the chariot race in Ben-Hur?

The dramatic scene of the chariot race was shot at Cinecittá Studios, in Rome, on an arena track that covered 18 acres, the largest single set in motion picture history at the time. To set the track, many tonnes of white sand were brought over from Mexico.

Did Charlton Heston do his own chariot driving in Ben-Hur?

Yes, in close-up shots, that's really Charlton Heston (as Judah Ben-Hur) and Stephen Boyd (as his rival Messala) driving the chariots. They trained for months to learn how to drive the four-horse teams. In long shots, however, the chariots are driven by stuntmen.

Was Chariot Racing real?

Chariot racing in ancient Rome showcased local teams, speed, violence and star athletes. In ancient Rome, a city known for its spectacular and violent entertainment, there was one sport that was even more popular than gladiator fights.

How long did it take to film the chariot race in Ben-Hur and at what cost?

In all, the chariot scene took five weeks (spread over three months) to film at a total cost of $1 million and required more than 200 miles (320 km) of racing to complete. Two of the $100,000 70mm lenses were destroyed during the filming of the close-up shots.

Ben-Hur (3/10) Movie CLIP - The Chariot Race (1959) HD

How many horses died in filming Ben-Hur?

Reeves Eason's nickname "Breezy" was certainly not earned by his work on the BEN-HUR set, for his merciless pace cost the lives of over a hundred horses.

Who turned down the role of Ben-Hur?

Several actors were offered the role of Judah Ben-Hur before it was accepted by Charlton Heston. Burt Lancaster stated he turned down the role because he found the script boring and belittling to Christianity. Paul Newman turned it down because he said he didn't have the legs to wear a tunic.

What were the dangers of chariot racing?

Many drivers were thrown from a broken or overturned chariot. They could then be trampled and killed by the charging horses, or get caught in the reins and dragged to their deaths. Given the dangerous nature of the sport, chariot racing was very expensive.

Was chariot racing expensive?

Horses and chariots were very costly. Their ownership was a preserve of the wealthiest aristocrats, whose reputations and status benefitted from offering such extravagant, exciting displays. Their successes could be further broadcast and celebrated through commissioned odes and other poetry.

How many horses were used in chariot racing?

chariot racing, in the ancient world, a popular form of contest between small, two-wheeled vehicles drawn by two-, four-, or six-horse teams.

Why wasn't Jesus' face shown in Ben-Hur?

As filming progressed, Heater was given more time in front of the camera and a few lines, but British law at the time forbid Jesus to speak or his face to be seen if he were a “secondary character.” So, Heater as Jesus appears only from behind, as when he gives water to Charlton Heston's enslaved Judah Ben-Hur.

Is Ben-Hur 1959 historically accurate?

Not very. While many details are correct, there is one glaring error: the Roman admiral Quintus Arrius would not have been granted a triumph after defeating the pirates.

Were any horses hurt in the making of Ben-Hur?

Their presence in period films is necessary to make the productions historically accurate. Nearly two hundred horses were used during the filming of the chariot race scene in the 1925 Fred Niblo film, Ben-Hur. Fortunately, it was reported that not a single horse was injured (“Forty-two” 405).

What nationality was Ben-Hur?

The story recounts the adventures of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince from Jerusalem, who is enslaved by the Romans at the beginning of the first century and becomes a charioteer and a Christian.

Who is Ben-Hur based on?

And since it's a novel, that means the tale of Ben-Hur is 100 percent fiction, wholly created by Wallace. So what is Jesus doing in the story? Ben-Hur is considered a Christian novel, perhaps the most influential one of all time. It uses the fictional character of Judah Ben-Hur to work as an allegory for Jesus' life.

How many laps is Ben-Hur chariot race?

Are the chariot races in "Ben Hur" of 1925 and "Ben Hur" of 1959, the same number of laps? A chariot race was 9 laps, and both films showed 7 laps. The 1959 remake recreated the 1925 original almost shot for shot.

Who was the most famous chariot racer?

Diocles. The greatest charioteer of the ancient world and the wealthiest sportsmen ever was Gaius Appuleius Diocles, who lived in the second century CE. Diocles won 1,462 of 4,257 races, and more importantly, retired in good health, which was a rarity in this dangerous sport.

What did Romans eat at dinner parties?

Popular but costly fare included pheasant, thrush (or other songbirds), raw oysters, lobster, shellfish, venison, wild boar, and peacock. Foods that were forbidden by sumptuary laws, such as fattened fowl and sow's udders, were flagrantly consumed at the most exclusive feasts.

How many hours did the typical Roman work during the day?

Work & Leisure

Most Romans worked a six-hour day, beginning at dawn and ending at noon, although, occasionally some shops might reopen in the early evening.

Who are the famous chariot racers?

for the Greens winner 1025 times, Flavius Scorpus, winner 2048 times, and Pompeius Musclosus, winner 3550 times. Those three charioteers won 6,652 times and won the 50,000 purse 28 times, but Diocles, the greatest charioteer ever, won the 50,000 purse 29 times in 1,462 wins.

How old was Rome before it fell?

Ancient Rome refers to the very beginning of the city of Rome, founded in the 8th century BC, and it's expansion, through to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD.

What were chariot racers called?

Charioteers. The drivers were almost always freedmen or slaves, the lowest ranks of Roman society. There were two types of charioteers: The younger, inexperienced charioteers were called auriga and raced two-horse chariots (bigae).

Why did Ben-Hur flop?

However, the film failed to generate the same kind of excitement as the Heston epic. The filmmakers had some success attracting faith-based consumers, but couldn't grow the audience beyond the devout. Kids stayed away, critics lobbed bombs, and secular consumers took a hard pass.

Does Ben-Hur meet Jesus?

In the novel it is clear that hate had nothing to do with Ben-Hur's survival, contrary to Arrius' assertion. Instead, Wallace intended to show God's benevolence through the compassion of strangers—one of the strangers being Christ, who gives Ben-Hur water and hope on his march to become a Roman galley slave.

How tall was Charlton Heston?

There was, from the start, something monumental, something reminiscent of Mount Rushmore, about Heston with his 6ft 3in height and chiselled features. He could be angry, threatening and cruel, but he couldn't be commonplace, diffident or funny.