So Let It Be Written

Well, it’s Easter and you know what that means. Yes.... the time of year when Christians celebrate Christ rising from the grave, but that’s not what I’m talking about. What I’m celebrating is the annual watching of The Ten Commandments on TV. I do it every year about this time and have been doing so since the 1970’s. That makes it around 30 times that I’ve seen it on the tube.

Now, regular viewers of my blog will know the significance of this movie – it’s my all-time favorite flick. I’ve seen it so many times, I practically know the lines by heart. "So let it be written, so let it be done." "The dead make none." "Let my people go." "Moses, Moses, Moses." "His God is God." You get the idea. So many classic lines. I’m telling you, I really like this movie! In fact, one year for Hallowe’en, I went dressed as Moses. See the picture below.

A couple stories about the picture. First off, everyone that sees it always asks how come I only have 5 commandments in my hand, e.g. – only one tablet. My response is this: I hadn’t received them yet. Second humorous story surrounding my dressing up as Moses on Hallowe’en. At that time, I played in a rock and roll band, (still do, as a matter of fact), and we had a gig on Hallowe’en night. Once I got to the bar, in full costume, of course, I had to get a drink before we started playing. So, I strolled up to the bar and when pulling up my robe, I reached into my pocket to pay for it. I had shorts on underneath the robe, but the waitress must have thought perhaps I didn’t have anything on and gasped. I assured her that it was all right. Moses wasn’t about to become a flasher after all this time. True story.
Now, my love of The Ten Commandments goes back even farther than the ‘70’s. It must have been around 1967, when I was 6 years old, I actually got to see this motion picture at the theater. This was from the 1966 rerelease. It was still making the rounds up until the 1970’s, I suppose, when it began it’s annual appearance on television. And, that’s when I started watching it every year.
I purchased my first VCR in 1984, just in time for it’s Easter showing on ABC-TV, and recorded it. Since that time, about 5 or 6 years ago, I rerecorded it from my sister’s store-bought videotape. It had been restored and was back to it’s full 3 hour and 39 minute length. Since that time, I have heard it’s been released on DVD, more than once, in fact.

One version of it on DVD includes the original 1923 silent version, also directed by Cecille B. DeMille. It was shown on television about 15 years ago, once, and I recorded that version. But, I’m thinking about breaking down and purchasing the deluxe DVD set that includes both movies and a whole lot of extra features. Since it is my most favorite movie, the clarity that DVD discs offer is just something I’ve got to have. Maybe I’ll have found a copy and acquired it before next Easter. If so, you can be sure that I’ll post that fact in my blog.
But, just in case my regular readers can’t find a copy of their own or wait another year for me to talk about it, here is a link so you can hear some of the magnificent music heard in the movie. Play it and it will be almost like you’re watching it right now! (Written on April 8th, 2007.)

Click here to download the Main Title theme of The Ten Commandments.