Product: Moses [VHS]
Rating: 3.0
Good, but the complete miniseries is what I'm waiting for.
I remember watching this program during the mid-1970's, when it was broadcast under the title "Moses: The Lawgiver," produced by Vincenzo Labella, who would later produce Franco Zeffirelli's miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth." What we have on this DVD is a portion of that miniseries edited down from 6 hours to 141 minutes. Why? This would have made a great 2-DVD set with the complete, uncut miniseries, just as the "Jesus of Nazareth" DVD set was. What you do get to see here is a great performance by Burt Lancaster as Moses. Anthony Quale also shines as Moses' brother Aaron. This program follows Moses from his birth and upbringing in the Egyptian court to his exile in Midian where he meets his wife Zipporah (Irene Papas). Then after he is called by God at the burning bush, Moses returns to Egypt to demand the release of his people. We then witness the ten plagues, the Exodus (although the parting of the Red Sea doesn't quite look as "majestic" as the effect in "The Ten Commandments"), and the Ten Commandments and the Golden Calf. If this had been the complete miniseries, I would have been willing to give 5 stars. But with this edit, three will have to do.