ROBE

THE ROBE: Other than the box-office anomaly of The Passion of the Christ, biblical epics fell out of style with the death of old-Hollywood. But director Henry Koster’s film plays a larger role in cinematic history thanks to premiering as the first production shot in Cinemascope, the widescreen format that quickly became an industry standard. As for the film itself, it’s a rather plodding affair drowning in well-meaning but overacted sentiment. Richard Burton holds his own as Marcellus Gallio, part of the spoiled Roman elite, whose participation in Christ’s crucifixion “curses” him with a conscience. His rebirth as a true Christian makes up the second (less interesting) half of the film, leading towards a confrontation with the corrupt Roman ruler Caligula. Koster’s compositions certainly don’t take full advantage of the widescreen frame – a flat version was shot concurrently just in case the new format was a bust – but there’s still some grandeur to the proceedings despite all its flaws. Fox’s Blu-ray package is actually more impressive than the film itself, boasting an introduction by Martin Scorsese, commentary from film historians, several featurettes on the Cinemascope process, and a marvelous BonusView function that allows one to compare the widescreen and flat versions.