The Ten Commandments (miniseries): Difference between revisions

*The Ten Commandments*
The Ten Commandments
Written by	Ron Hutchinson
Directed by	Robert Dornhelm
Starring	Dougray Scott; Naveen Andrews; Omar Sharif; Linus Roache; Paul Rhys;
Theme music composer	Randy Edelman
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Producers	Bernard Dudek; Robert Halmi Sr.; Paul Lowin;
Running time	167 minutes
Production companies	Actuality Productions; RHI Entertainment;
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	April 10 –; April 11, 2006

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The Ten Commandments is a 2006 miniseries that dramatizes the Biblical story of Moses. It aired on ABC.

The series was filmed in Egypt, Mount Sinai, and the Sinai Peninsula.

Plot

Moses's mother, Jochebed, saves her baby from the edict of the Pharaoh that all newborn male Hebrew children must die by placing him in a basket on the Nile River. He is found by Pharaoh's daughter Bithia and adopted into the royal house.

Some time later, Bithia gives birth to a son Menerith, and they are raised as brothers. Moses grows up knowing that he is not the blood brother of Menerith, but is shown his true heritage (something he knows nothing about) at about the age of 10: he is re-introduced to Jochebed, his father Amram, his brother Aaron, and his sister Miriam.

Years later, Prince Moses and Menerith inspect a building site. While Menerith leaves for a task, Moses continues his inspection only to witness an Egyptian overseer attempting to rape the wife of a Hebrew laborer. Moses manages to rescue the Hebrew couple by killing the Egyptian overseer and hiding the body. When the body is discovered, Pharaoh orders Moses' arrest, but he is able to escape with the aid of Menerith.

After traveling days through the desert, Moses arrives in Midian and saves the seven daughters of Jethro from tribesmen. In gratitude, their father gives Moses the choice of one of them to take for his wife. He refuses but is later convinced by Zipporah to marry her.

Moses, still wanting to know why God allows the Hebrews to be enslaved, climbs Mount Sinai (Mount Horeb) and is confronted by God in the form of a bush that burns but is not consumed. God tells Moses that "I am who I am", gives Moses his powers, and endows him with the knowledge to free the Hebrews.

Because Pharaoh Ramesses refuses to free the Hebrews, Egypt is struck with ten plagues. Only after the final one, during which Pharaoh's beloved son dies, are the Hebrews freed. However, Pharaoh's heart is hardened once more due to him being unable to accept his son's death, and decides to try to re-capture them.

The Hebrews are guided to the Red Sea by a cloud. When the Egyptians' chariots get near, God blocks their path and Moses parts the Red Sea, providing the Hebrews an escape route. When the Hebrews make it to the other side, Moses closes the separated waters, drowning the pursuing Egyptians — including Menerith. The Hebrews witness Moses weeping over Menerith, whom he later gives a proper burial.

Moses climbs the mountain to receive God's commandments in the form of two stone tablets, but when he descends, he finds that many of the Hebrews have built a golden calf and created an orgy. Moses destroys the tablets and the idol in a fit of rage and orders the deaths of the wicked revelers. After a brutal fight that leaves many dead, the survivors plead to receive God's commandments and Moses climbs up the mountain again. After Moses reads the commandments, the tablets are placed in an ark.

Sometime later, an elderly Moses lives his life as a hermit on a mountain slope and is seen looking at the promised land, which he is not allowed to enter due to an unspecified previous disobedience to God.

Cast

Dougray Scott as Moses
Linus Roache as Aaron
Naveen Andrews as Menerith
Mía Maestro as Zipporah
Paul Rhys as Ramses
Richard O'Brien as Anander
Silas Carson as Jered
Padma Lakshmi as Princess Bithia
Susan Lynch as Miriam
Claire Bloom as Rani
Omar Sharif as Jethro

Reception

Barry Garron of The Hollywood Reporter gave the mini-series generally positive review, praising the performances as well as "the stunning cinematography and eye-catching special effects" but also noted that it "fails to take full advantage of the source material".^[2] David Bianculli of the New York Daily News reviewed it as "Thou shalt not watch",^[3] while Matt Roush of TV Guide wrote the film "violates the primary commandment of epic filmmaking, Biblical or otherwise: Thou shalt not bore".^[4] Matthew Gilbert of the Boston Globe called it "an empty inane remake"^[5] and The Washington Post's Tom Shales calls it a "dreadful, doleful remake of Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 classic The Ten Commandments".^[6]

References

^ Wallenstein, Andrew (2006-04-08). "New Version of 'Ten Commandments' in Mini-Series on ABC". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
^ Garron, Barry (2006). "The Ten Commandments". The Hollywood Reporter (online ed.).
^ "'Ten' Inspires A Quick Exodus". Daily News. New York. April 10, 2006.
^ The Ten Commandments: Season 1, Metacritic.com
^ The Ten Commandments: Season 1, Metacritics.com
^ Shales, Tom (April 10, 2006). "'The Ten Commandments': Exodus Comes to ABC". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 25, 2010.

External links

[1] Wallenstein, Andrew (2006-04-08). "New Version of 'Ten Commandments' in Mini-Series on ABC". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-12-23.

[2] Garron, Barry (2006). "The Ten Commandments". The Hollywood Reporter (online ed.).

[3] "'Ten' Inspires A Quick Exodus". Daily News. New York. April 10, 2006.

[4] The Ten Commandments: Season 1, Metacritic.com

[5] The Ten Commandments: Season 1, Metacritics.com

[6] Shales, Tom (April 10, 2006). "'The Ten Commandments': Exodus Comes to ABC". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 25, 2010.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Infobox television
-| show_name            = The Ten Commandments
 | image                = Tencommandments2006.jpg
 | image_size           =
 | image_alt            =
 | caption              =
@@ Line 12: / Line 11: @@
 | story                =
 | director             = [[Robert Dornhelm]]
-| starring             = [[Dougray Scott]]<br />[[Naveen Andrews]]<br />[[Omar Sharif]]<br />[[Linus Roache]]<br />[[Paul Rhys]]
+| starring             = {{ubl|[[Dougray Scott]]|[[Naveen Andrews]]|[[Omar Sharif]]|[[Linus Roache]]|[[Paul Rhys]]}}
 | narrated             =
 | theme_music_composer = [[Randy Edelman]]
@@ Line 18: / Line 17: @@
 | language             = English
 | num_episodes         =
-| producer             = [[Bernard Dudek]]<br />[[Robert Halmi Sr.]]<br />[[Paul Lowin]]
+| producer             = {{ubl|Bernard Dudek|[[Robert Halmi Sr.]]|Paul Lowin}}
 | editor               =
 | cinematography       =
 | runtime              = 167 minutes
-| company              =
+| company              = {{ubl|Actuality Productions|[[Halcyon Studios|RHI Entertainment]]}}
-| distributor          = [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC Television]]
 | budget               =
-| network              = ABC
+| network              = [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
-| first_aired          = April 10, 2006<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/08/arts/television/08comm.html?_r=0</ref>
+| first_aired          = {{start date|2006|4|10}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/08/arts/television/new-version-of-ten-commandments-in-miniseries-on-abc.html|title=New Version of 'Ten Commandments' in Mini-Series on ABC|last=Wallenstein|first=Andrew|date=2006-04-08|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-12-23|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
-| last_aired           = April 11, 2006
+| last_aired           = {{end date|2006|4|11}}
-| preceded_by          =
-| followed_by          =
-| website              =
 }}
-'''''The Ten Commandments''''' is a 2006 [[miniseries]] that dramatizes the [[Bible|biblical]] story of [[Moses]]. It ran on the ABC TV network.
+'''''The Ten Commandments''''' is a 2006 [[miniseries]] that dramatizes the [[Bible|Biblical]] story of [[Moses]]. It aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]].
+The series was filmed in [[Egypt]], [[Mount Sinai]], and the [[Sinai Peninsula]].
 ==Plot==
-Moses's mother, [[Jochebed]], saves her baby from the edict of the [[Pharaoh]] that all newborn male Hebrew children must die by placing him in a basket on the [[Nile River]].  He is found by Pharaoh's daughter [[Bithia]] and adopted into the royal house.
+Moses's mother, [[Jochebed]], saves her baby from the edict of the [[Pharaoh]] that all newborn male Hebrew children must die by placing him in a basket on the [[Nile River]]. He is found by Pharaoh's daughter [[Pharaoh's daughter (Exodus)|Bithia]] and adopted into the royal house.
-Some time later, Bithia gives birth to a son [[Menerith]], and they are raised as brothers.  Moses grows up knowing that he is not the blood brother of Menerith, but is shown his true heritage (something he knows nothing about) at about the age of 10: he is re-introduced to Jochebed, his father [[Amram]], his brother [[Aaron]], and his sister [[Miriam]].
+Some time later, Bithia gives birth to a son Menerith, and they are raised as brothers. Moses grows up knowing that he is not the blood brother of Menerith, but is shown his true heritage (something he knows nothing about) at about the age of 10: he is re-introduced to Jochebed, his father [[Amram]], his brother [[Aaron]], and his sister [[Miriam]].
-Some years later, Moses saves the honor of a Hebrew woman by killing an Egyptian.  When the body is discovered, Pharaoh orders Moses' arrest, but he is able to escape with the aid of Menerith.
+Years later, Prince Moses and Menerith inspect a building site. While Menerith leaves for a task, Moses continues his inspection only to witness an Egyptian overseer attempting to rape the wife of a Hebrew laborer. Moses manages to rescue the Hebrew couple by killing the Egyptian overseer and hiding the body. When the body is discovered, Pharaoh orders Moses' arrest, but he is able to escape with the aid of Menerith.
-After traveling days through the desert, he saves the seven daughters of [[Jethro (Bible)|Jethro]] from attackers.  In gratitude, Moses is given the choice of one of them to take for his wife.  After refusing, he is convinced by [[Zipporah]] to marry her.
+After traveling days through the desert, Moses arrives in [[Midian]] and saves the seven daughters of [[Jethro (Bible)|Jethro]] from tribesmen. In gratitude, their father gives Moses the choice of one of them to take for his wife. He refuses but is later convinced by [[Zipporah]] to marry her.
-Moses, wanting to know why God allows the Hebrews to be enslaved, climbs [[Mount Horeb]] and is confronted by God in the form of a [[burning bush|bush that burns but is not consumed]].  God tells Moses that "[[I am that I am|I am who I am]]" and endows Moses with the knowledge to free the Hebrews.
+Moses, still wanting to know why God allows the Hebrews to be enslaved, climbs [[Biblical Mount Sinai|Mount Sinai]] ([[Mount Horeb]]) and is confronted by God in the form of a [[burning bush|bush that burns but is not consumed]]. God tells Moses that "[[I am that I am|I am who I am]]", gives Moses his powers, and endows him with the knowledge to free the Hebrews.
-Because Pharaoh [[Pharaohs in the Bible#Pharaohs in the book of Exodus|Ramesses]] refuses to free the slaves, Egypt is struck with [[Plagues of Egypt|ten plagues]].  Only after the final one, during which Pharaoh's beloved son dies, are the slaves freed.  However, Pharaoh decides to try to re-capture them.
+Because Pharaoh [[Pharaohs in the Bible#In the Book of Exodus|Ramesses]] refuses to free the Hebrews, Egypt is struck with [[Plagues of Egypt|ten plagues]]. Only after the final one, during which Pharaoh's beloved son dies, are the Hebrews freed. However,  Pharaoh's heart is hardened once more due to him being unable to accept his son's death, and decides to try to re-capture them.
-The former slaves are guided to the [[Red Sea]] by a cloud.  When the Egyptians' chariots get near, God blocks their path and Moses [[Passage of the Red Sea|parts the Red Sea]], providing the Hebrews an escape route.  When the Hebrews make it to the other side, Moses closes the separated waters, drowning the pursuing Egyptians &mdash; including Menerith.
+The Hebrews are guided to the [[Red Sea]] by a cloud. When the Egyptians' chariots get near, God blocks their path and Moses [[Passage of the Red Sea|parts the Red Sea]], providing the Hebrews an escape route. When the Hebrews make it to the other side, Moses closes the separated waters, drowning the pursuing Egyptians &mdash; including Menerith. The Hebrews witness Moses weeping over Menerith, whom he later gives a proper burial.
-Moses climbs the mountain to receive God's [[Ten Commandments|commandments]] in the form of two stone tablets.  However, when he climbs down, he finds that many of the Hebrews have made a [[golden calf]] to worship.  Moses destroys them and orders the deaths of the lawbreakers.  The survivors plead to receive God's commandments and Moses climbs up the mountain again.  After Moses reads the commandments, the tablets are placed in an [[Ark of the Covenant|ark]].
+Moses climbs the mountain to receive God's [[Ten Commandments|commandments]] in the form of two stone tablets, but when he descends, he finds that many of the Hebrews have built a [[golden calf]] and created an orgy. Moses destroys the tablets and the idol in a fit of rage and orders the deaths of the wicked revelers. After a brutal fight that leaves many dead, the survivors plead to receive God's commandments and Moses climbs up the mountain again. After Moses reads the commandments, the tablets are placed in an [[Ark of the Covenant|ark]].
-The film ends with Moses looking at the promised land, but he is not allowed to enter because he disobeyed God.
+Sometime later, an elderly Moses lives his life as a hermit on a mountain slope and is seen looking at the promised land, which he is not allowed to enter due to an unspecified previous disobedience to God.
 ==Cast==
-* [[Dougray Scott]] as Moses
+* [[Dougray Scott]] as [[Moses]]
-* [[Linus Roache]] as Aaron
+* [[Linus Roache]] as [[Aaron]]
 * [[Naveen Andrews]] as Menerith
-* [[Mía Maestro]] as Zipporah
+* [[Mía Maestro]] as [[Zipporah]]
 * [[Paul Rhys]] as Ramses
 * [[Richard O'Brien]] as Anander
@@ Line 67: / Line 64: @@
 ==Reception==
-Barry Garron of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' gave the mini-series a generally positive review, praising the performances as well as "the stunning cinematography and eye-catching special effects" but also noted that it "fails to take full advantage of the source material".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Garron|first=Barry|title=The Ten Commandments|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|year=2006|edition=online|url=http://login.vnuemedia.com/hr/login/login_subscribe.jsp?id=zf1eaW8N0UQ6%2FI7ScH8pMBa0vvBdIda7DQkUXRc45MnYurLHGiElVKfMCKLSDvhMdQrl4OOPV4Kr%0Awx4%2B%2FjJA4qFftYJBpPT7jwY6KH8vjzYvjVSV2x%2Bgd5l7gsUO9mHaEVdOTtjPNrilZoxiRs96T6AO%0AzL4OQgxINRXejIQ9CIUX88XZxHSK3awfoHUxXlp%2FsVtunLgLEKDqjUEGZHQ76vvFcLbFrs85ouBW%0AL5blzFcTCguAfEAikft9sUvMKDxFxtZMl4P0%2BS0mphugTxOHNQ%3D%3D}}</ref>  David Bianculli of the ''New York Daily News''
+Barry Garron of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' gave the mini-series generally positive review, praising the performances as well as "the stunning cinematography and eye-catching special effects" but also noted that it "fails to take full advantage of the source material".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Garron|first=Barry|title=The Ten Commandments|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|year=2006|edition=online|url=http://login.vnuemedia.com/hr/login/login_subscribe.jsp?id=zf1eaW8N0UQ6%2FI7ScH8pMBa0vvBdIda7DQkUXRc45MnYurLHGiElVKfMCKLSDvhMdQrl4OOPV4Kr%0Awx4%2B%2FjJA4qFftYJBpPT7jwY6KH8vjzYvjVSV2x%2Bgd5l7gsUO9mHaEVdOTtjPNrilZoxiRs96T6AO%0AzL4OQgxINRXejIQ9CIUX88XZxHSK3awfoHUxXlp%2FsVtunLgLEKDqjUEGZHQ76vvFcLbFrs85ouBW%0AL5blzFcTCguAfEAikft9sUvMKDxFxtZMl4P0%2BS0mphugTxOHNQ%3D%3D}}</ref> David Bianculli of the ''[[New York Daily News]]''
-reviewed it as "Thou shalt not watch."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2006/04/10/2006-04-10__ten__inspires_a_quick_exodus.html | location=New York | work=Daily News | title='Ten' Inspires A Quick Exodus | date=April 10, 2006}}</ref> while Matt Roush of ''TV Guide'' wrote the film "violates the primary commandment of epic filmmaking, biblical or otherwise: Thou shalt not bore."<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/tencommandments2006 The Ten Commandments: Season 1], Metacritic.com</ref> Matthew Gilbert of the ''Boston Globe'' called it "an empty inane remake."<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/tencommandments2006 The Ten Commandments: Season 1], Metacritics.com</ref> and ''The Washington Post'''s [[Tom Shales]] calls it a "dreadful, doleful remake of Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 classic ''[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]''."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/09/AR2006040901298.html | work=The Washington Post | title='The Ten Commandments': Exodus Comes to ABC | first=Tom | last=Shales | date=April 10, 2006 | accessdate=May 25, 2010}}</ref>
+reviewed it as "Thou shalt not watch",<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2006/04/10/2006-04-10__ten__inspires_a_quick_exodus.html | location=New York | work=Daily News | title='Ten' Inspires A Quick Exodus | date=April 10, 2006}}</ref> while Matt Roush of ''[[TV Guide]]'' wrote the film "violates the primary commandment of epic filmmaking, Biblical or otherwise: Thou shalt not bore".<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/tencommandments2006 The Ten Commandments: Season 1], Metacritic.com</ref> Matthew Gilbert of the ''[[Boston Globe]]'' called it "an empty inane remake"<ref>[http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/tencommandments2006 The Ten Commandments: Season 1], Metacritics.com</ref> and ''[[The Washington Post]]'''s [[Tom Shales]] calls it a "dreadful, doleful remake of [[Cecil B. DeMille]]'s 1956 classic ''[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]''".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/09/AR2006040901298.html | work=The Washington Post | title='The Ten Commandments': Exodus Comes to ABC | first=Tom | last=Shales | date=April 10, 2006 | accessdate=May 25, 2010}}</ref>
 ==References==
@@ Line 75: / Line 72: @@
 ==External links==
 * {{IMDb title|id=0443412}}
-* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080820062615/http://www.rhifilms.com/ten Official Site]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080820062615/http://www.rhifilms.com/ten Official site]
+{{Ten Commandments}}
 {{Book of Exodus}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ten Commandments}}
 [[Category:2000s American television miniseries]]
-[[Category:Films based on the Hebrew Bible]]
+[[Category:Films based on the Book of Exodus]]
 [[Category:Films set in the 13th century BC]]
-[[Category:Films set in ancient Egypt]]
+[[Category:Films set in the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt]]
 [[Category:Ten Commandments]]
 [[Category:Films about slavery]]
-[[Category:Depictions of Moses]]
+[[Category:Cultural depictions of Moses]]
+[[Category:Sonar Entertainment miniseries]]
+[[Category:Zipporah]]

v t e Ten Commandments
Tablets of Stone · Finger of God · Ritual Decalogue
Commandments	I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt have no other gods before me Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy Honour thy father and thy mother Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour Thou shalt not covet
Topics	Moses Biblical Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Horeb Ark of the Covenant lid Book of Exodus The Exodus
In art	Descent from Mount Sinai (Sistine Chapel, 1481-1482 painting) Moses (c. 1513–1515 sculpture) Moses and his Ethiopian wife Zipporah (c. 1645-1650 painting) Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law (1659 painting) Catholic Total Abstinence Union Fountain (1876) Moses (1962 sculpture) Moses (1968 sculptures, 3/3)
Media	The Ten Commandments (1923 film) The Ten Commandments (1956 film) Les Dix Commandements (2000 musical) The Ten Commandments (2004 musical) The Ten Commandments (2006 miniseries) The Ten (2007 film) The Ten Commandments (2007 film) I Am (2010 film) The Ten Commandments (2016 film)
Related	Joshua In Catholic theology Tabot Alternatives 613 commandments Seven Laws of Noah Great Commandment Golden Rule Ethics in the Bible