Stars: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd, Hugh Griffith, Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia De Havilland, Geraldine Chaplin, Omar Sharif, Tom Courtenay, Julie Christie

Director: George Cukor

Summary: In 'Ben Hur' a man who defies the Romans brings tragedy to himself and his family. Set against the back-drop of the life of Jesus. Based on a novel by Lew Wallace. 'Gone With The Wind' is an absorbing film version of Margaret Mitchell's Pullitzer Prize-winning novel about life in America's Deep South during the Civil War. 'Doctor Zhivago' is a story of love and romance told against the flaming background of the Russian Revolution. Zhivago is a poet, surgeon, husband and lover struggling for survival. Based on the novel by Boris Pasternak.

This box set collects three of the 20th century's greatest epics: GONE WITH THE WIND, BEN-HUR, and DOCTOR ZHIVAGO. See individual titles for more details.

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Three of the 20th century's greatest cinematic spectacles, 1939's Gone with the Wind, 1959's Ben-Hurand 1965's Doctor Zhivago, are collected here in one irresistible box set. Long before computers turned every crowd scene and every grandiose backdrop into a pixellated virtual construct, these movies did it all for real. Nothing can substitute for their authentic sense of what really makes an epic: strong characters, emotionally involving storytelling and the grandest, most romantic sense of large-scale moviemaking. All three contain sequences and images that are indelibly burned into popular consciousness. Just recall Vivien Leigh's walk through the wounded of Atlanta, or her pledge never to be hungry again silhouetted against an achingly vivid sunset. Remember Charlton Heston rowing the Roman galley, or charging round the arena in his chariot. Or the enigmatic beauty of Julie Christie, the train ride to the Urals and the charge into No Man's Land.

On the DVDs:These priceless treasures from the MGM archives have been preserved and restored so marvellously that all three almost look like they were made last year, not decades ago. The vivid colours and detail of Gone with the Windlook astoundingly fresh in this anamorphic 1.33:1 print (just let your eyes drink in those burnished skies). Both Ben-Hurand Zhivago, too, benefit from anamorphic widescreen presentations that reveal every last gorgeous detail. All three discs also contain the full music scores, complete with Overtures and Intermission music: Max Steiner's immortal "Tara Theme" sounds as good as ever on the rich mono soundtrack; Miklos Rozsa's magnificent music for Ben-Huris deservedly regarded as one of cinema's finest, while Maurice Jarre's famous "Lara's Theme" can even be heard in a separate music-only track on Zhivago. There are no extras on the Gone with the Winddisc, but the other two contain commentaries (from Charlton Heston and Omar Sharif respectively) and new, in-depth making-of documentaries. Zhivagoalso comes with a second bonus disc that has several contemporary behind-the-scenes pieces. The only moan is the infamous Warner packaging, which consists of their notorious cardboard sleeves that are easily damaged when trying to cram them into the thin cardboard slipcases. --Mark Walker

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Scene Selection, Interactive Menus, Documentary - BEN-HUR: The Making of an Epic, Audio Commentary - 1. Charlton Heston - Star, Screen Tests, Trailer - 1. Original Theatrical, Photo Gallery, Introduction by Omar Sharif, Audio Commentary - 1. Omar Sharif - Star, 10
Year:	1959
Release Date:	November 5, 2001
Runtime:	637 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	D 065614
Keywords:	With, Classic, Book, Wind, Ben, Hur, Box, Century, General, Doctor, Zhivago, Gone, Set, Romantic, 20th, Drama, Biblical, Based, Epics
Genre:	Drama