On September 6, noted film critics Diana Saenger and James Colt Harrison visit Movie Addict Headquarters to discuss the 2016 remake of Ben-Hur. This recent version is the fourth movie adaptation of General Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. The first was a 1907 short film; the second a 1925 silent feature; and the third a 1959 Cinemascope production starring Charlton Heston. This 1959 film won a Best Picture Oscar plus ten more golden statuettes. Jack Huston stars in the 2016 version, which is directed by Timur Bekmambetov.  

Time permitting, Diana and James plan to talk about the topics below -- and more.

Why filmmakers decided to do a 2016 remake.

How the new version compares with the Charlton Heston movie, including the famous chariot race.

Which actors give the best performances in the new version.

Best scenes in the new BEN-HUR.

Message or messages the film emphasizes.

Behind-the-scenes anecdotes about BEN-HUR.

Diana and James are frequent guests on Movie Addict HQ. Diana founded and operates Classic Movie Guide as well as Review Express. James, a film historian, contributes reviews to both sites and posts in-depth previews/reviews on his Facebook page. These two popular guests are also founding members of the San Diego Film Critics Society.   

“Film Critics React to Ben-Hur Remake” airs on BlogTalkRadio at 4 p.m. Eastern Time (1 p.m. Pacific Time) on Tuesday, September 6, 2016. During the live show, listeners are invited to call in and to participate in a chat. An archived segment will also be available.

CALL-IN NUMBER: 646-478-5668

HOST: Betty Jo Tucker

PRODUCER: Nikki Starr

LINK:  Click here.