La Terre des pharaons

Because it belongs to a genre that has grown unhip ,Howard Hawks's magnificent epic ,his only movie in cinemascope ,gets incredibly low ratings."Rio Bravo" 's screenplay is not much better than "pharaohs" ,but it's fashionable to put a western on your best movies list.A sword and sandal cannot be serious (with the exceptions of "Ben Hur" and "Ten commandments" )and that's why "the Egyptian" and "land of the pharaohs " are despised and dismissed as cheesy.

Hawks's movie has one of the best ,most impressive and terrifying ending I know.These last pictures are a riveting tour de force with an editing to rival the best of Lang or Welles.The story spreads over fifteen years ,which is long for a relatively short work.Hawks was obviously more interested in his villains (Hawkins and Collins) than the heroes(the architect slave (Justice),his son and his people:both are fascinating.The pharaoh's dream of eternity is selfishness itself disguised as religion.To be buried with his riches to be able to enjoy them in his second life paradoxically seems a pagan attitude;the architect ,in direct contrast to him,is a slave who 's got nothing and he did not believe in life after life:it might make think of a Jew but neither him nor his people seem to have a religion,which is a very original move for a peplum (in Curtiz's "the Egyptian" ,the precedent year,the same went for the hero Sinouhe:these are the only examples in an epic).Hawks might have been influenced by Lang's wife's screenplay "das Indische Grabmal" ,which Lang finally took to the screen in the late fifties but which was filmed by others before him.Do not let the Faulkner reference fool you.He reportedly wrote half a page of script which can be summed up as follows:"Pharaoh pays a visit to the pyramid while the workers are sweating blood to get it done and he asks "how 's the work coming on?".

Nellifer is Joan Collins at her bitchiest: a greedy woman,who had already problems with dynasties.Unlike pharaoh,she wants to have her cake and eat it.Her acting is pure camp ,which fits the character like a glove.Her fate will make your hair stand on end.

Hawks makes a wonderful use of the cinemascope , when he displays a cast of thousands and when he directs his characters in the confined atmosphere of the pyramid.He succeeds in creating a sublime contrast between the dark subterranean of the grave and the luminous blue sky of the desert,particularly in the last sequences ,I say it again,among the very best of the fifties cinema.

Undoubtedly, "Land of the Pharaohs" is likely overlooked when film buffs consider what constitutes Howard Hawks's best work. It's rather giggle inducing when one thinks about the utter miscasting of most of the actors, and the utter silliness of so many lines. But that doesn't necessarily mean that it's a bad film. On the contrary, it's actually exquisitely made, on an obviously very impressive budget. Hawks and company work with literally thousands of extras in some scenes, and the production design and CinemaScope photography are among the best one will see for this genre.

Jack Hawkins plays an Egyptian pharaoh named Khufu, who wants to be extremely prepared for his "second" life. He desires the perfect pyramid to be built to house his body and his plethora of treasures obtained from war. He learns that one of his current prisoners, Vashtar (James Robertson Justice), is an experienced architect, and indeed Vashtar comes up with some ingenious ideas for crafting an impregnable fortress. Meanwhile, Khufu obtains himself wife # 2, a young princess named Nellifer (Joan Collins). And she's a greedy and conniving person who stops at nothing to get what she wants.

"Land of the Pharaohs" may be a challenge for some people to take seriously, but technically it really is well made, and it's consistently entertaining. Also in the cast are Dewey Martin as Vashtars' son Senta, Alexis Minotis as Khufu's loyal high priest Hamar, Sydney Chaplin as the traitorous Treneh, and James Hayter as Vashtars' friend Mikka. These people all do the very best that they can, but it's the ravishing young Collins who tends to steal the show - and whom the audience is likely to remember the most.

Among the heaviest assets that this can boast are Dimitri Tiomkins' rousing music score, the cinematography by Lee Garmes & Russell Harlan, the art direction by Alexandre Trauner. and the various costumes (especially those worn by Collins). Viewers may also get a big kick out of the fairly grim twist ending.

Seven out of 10.

It's hard to know how to rate movies like this because the genre is so inherently cheesy. In the grand scheme of all cinema, it probably should only get a 6 out of 10, but within the "swords and sandals" genre, it surely rates a 10! There are many classic themes here: an aging man's wish to be remembered through a great monument, a slave's desire to win freedom for his people, an ambitious woman's lust for power at any cost. Of course, everything is overacted and obvious as hell, but the plot stays focused, unrolling inexorably to it's horror-movie ending. This is Saturday afternoon escapism at its best.

This Colossal is the story of a barbarous love that left Egypt's Great Pyramid as its landmark. The movie centers upon Khufu or Keops (Jack Hawkins) and the scheming Nellifer (Joan Collins) who holds dark schemes to inherit Egypt empire. She and her lover (Sydney Chaplin) design one plot to kill him . Their treachery stained every stone of the Pyramid. Before he will have to face amount dangers and risks until obtain his objective.

Regarding the historic deeds, the film talks about Khufu(alias Keops). Keops was the second pharaoh of four dynasty from old empire Egyptian, and he made the great pyramid of Gyze that hold his name. He is succeeded by Kefren who made the sphinx Gyze and the pyramid. After goes on pharaoh Micerinos. Three pharaohs have pyramids on Gyze: Keops,Kefren and Micerinos.

Warner Bros took pride in presenting one of the mightiest motion picture-making in entertainment history. The film blends drama, treason and hokey historical events. Intelligent screenplay by the Nobel Prize William Faulkner. Set design and Egyptian time production design by Alexandre Trauner are very spectacular. This huge epic film gets lots of crowd scenarios,fabulous gowns, dramatic scenes and is realized on a giant scale and full of spectacular sequences such as the building the Great Pyramid. The film was a colossal with big financial success, besides spectacularly and colorfully photographed by Lee Garmes and Russell Harlan . Filmed in Egypt with a cast of thousands of the largest cast ever set abroad from Hollywood . Fine score by Dimitri Tiomkin based on ancient music. The cast is frankly perfect, Joan Collins is wonderful in an overwhelming hammy acting as nasty queen, Alexis Minotis as high priest is excellent and James Robertson Justice as pyramid architect is fabulous. Epic scale direction by Howard Hawks is breathtaking and groundbreaking. Rating : Better than average. Worthwhile watching for Colossal aficionados.

Land of the Pharaohs is a fascinating, sometimes morbid glimpse into the Hollywoodized past. Unlike many epics, the film forsakes the usual Judeo-Christian perspective in favor of a completely pagan outlook. That, combined with some striking scenes involving the building of Khufu's pyramid, makes this worthwhile entertainment.

Over the years, many have criticized the film, including Howard Hawks, Hawkins and Collins. On close examination, their criticism of the dialogue is only partially justified. While there is some verbosity, and the discourse between Khufu and his first wife over his desire for a son seems unnecessary if not ridiculous(in this instance actions would speak louder than words)the dialogue is more than serviceable. During the funeral ritual for the heroic dead, the grand, evocative speech is even inspired.

Hawks also lamented that the film contained "no one to root for." Indeed, Hawkins' Pharaoh is decisive, infrequently warm and unquenchably greedy. As Princess Nellifer, Joan Collins is even more unsavory. There exists however, a necessary counterpoint in the character of Vashtar, who designs the pyramid in order to free his people. James Robertson Justice gives a sympathetic performance as the designer who is alternately good natured, thoughtful, and indignant at the pharaoh's cruelty. As the pharaohs advisor, Alexis Minotis manages a remarkable acting feat by enforcing Khufu's will and simultaneously evoking audience sympathy. As Vashtar's son, Dewey Martin's All-American boy persona is the only off key note.

Despite the generally capable acting, the film's chief attraction is the abundant spectacle. The thousands of workers toiling to build the pyramid, and the colorful court pageantry, are what linger most in the viewer's mind. The much-discussed ending may or may not be historically accurate, but is nevertheless filmed with a chilling sense of realism. In short, Land of the Pharaohs is an interesting thematic departure from the epics of the 1950s.