Masada (film)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Masada |
| Original title | Masada |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1981 |
| length | 360 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Boris Sagal |
| script | Joel Oliansky |
| production | George Eckstein |
| music |
Jerry Goldsmith , Morton Stevens |
| camera | Paul Lohmann |
| cut |
Edwin F. England , Peter Kirby |
| occupation | |
| |
Masada is the title of an eight-part mini-series (one part of 45 minutes each) that was produced in 1981 and was also shown in German cinemas in abridged version. It tells the desperate struggle of the Jews against the Roman occupation forces and the dramatic end of the popular uprising at the Masada fortress . The script is based on the novel The Antagonists by the American writer Ernest K. Gann .
action
The series is embedded in a framework story. At the beginning it is shown how young Israeli recruits take their oath on the rock fortress Masada at the beginning of the 1980s and remember them in the process. Once their country was annexed by the Roman Empire . When the Jews rebel, Rome burns Jerusalem down and destroys the Holy Temple. Hundreds of desperate believers flee into the desert; here they join the charismatic resistance fighter Eleazar ben Ja'ir. At night he attacks the Roman camps, sets fire to their granaries and thus destroys the tax revenue for the emperor. Rome and its emperor are represented in Judea by Lucius Flavius Silva, who after seven strenuous years there would like to lead the Tenth Legion of Rome back home. In order to agree a truce with Eleazar, he meets with him one night. Eleazar insists on getting a tax-free year for the population. At the same time he demands that part of the south of Israel should be evacuated by the Romans. Silva, a pragmatist and realist, is convinced that Emperor Vespasian will agree and travels to Rome shortly afterwards. In the meantime, Eleazar promises, the attacks by the Jews on the Roman troops will cease. But Emperor Vespasian, who is attacked by the political opposition for his too soft attitude towards the Jewish provinces, does not consider complying with the demands of the bandits and expropriates hundreds of landowners, including the Essenes . Eleazar then withdraws to the rock fortress Masada with hundreds of followers as well as with his wife Miriam and their son Ruben. Silva, who has been promoted to legate by the emperor , follows him. The fortress seems impregnable until the Roman general Rubrius Gallus has the idea of building a siege ramp with stones and rubble . Although the Jews on Masada try to stop the building of the ramp with arrows, the Romans are more resourceful and oblige Jewish slave laborers to build the ramp. Silva is still trying to find a peaceful solution and to negotiate with Eleazar, but the emperor forces him to make a decision when he sends his confidante Pomponius Falco to Masada, who temporarily disempowers Silva and lets forced laborers with slingshots against the rocky hill, to force the surrender of those besieged in Masada. Silva can regain command, but promises, now more than ever, to destroy the Jews on Masada. Eleazar and his followers have no choice. The night before Masada finally falls into the hands of the Romans, 900 people commit suicide . Silva now realizes that his behavior could not achieve anything and that in the end he only conquered a bare rock in a desert.
criticism
In May 1981, a 121-minute version was released as a feature film in German cinemas. The lexicon of international films says: "The cut takes away the psychological motivation of its characters and the dramaturgical logic of the film, which is not exactly staged anyway."
Background information
With a production budget of US $ 20 million, the miniseries was filmed on location in Israel. If the Roman camp was built at the original location, a mountain just under one and a half kilometers from the historic Masada had to be adapted as a film Masada. The reason was that the rock fortress was already a tourist magnet at the beginning of the 1980s and it was therefore impossible to block the original location for the time of filming. 500 extras were hired, including local students, university students and even voluntary tourists. Up to 300 people worked behind the camera.
The ramp itself, which can be seen in the film, was built by 20 pioneer corps of the Israeli Army and weighed over 110 tons. The special effects - around 43 matte paintings were used - come from the hand of effects specialist Albert Whitlock .
synchronization
There are two synchronized versions. Although a separate version with its own voice actors was put together for the cinema, the television version is now available in stores on DVD.
Awards
Emmy Award
- Best Music: Jerry Goldsmith (Episode II)
- Best Supporting Actor: David Warner
Nominations
- Best Mask: Del Acevedo, Albert Jeyte (Episode IV)
- Best Music: Morton Stevens (Episode IV)
- Best film equipment: Jack Senter, George Renne, Kuli Sander, Joseph J. Stone, Edward M. Parker (Episode IV)
- Best costume design: Vittorio Nino Novarese (Episode IV)
- Best Director: Boris Sagal (Episode IV) ( Posthumous )
- Best Editing: John Bloom, Edwin F. England, Peter Kirby (Episode IV)
- Best Actor: Peter O'Toole
- Best Actor: Peter Strauss
- Best series: George Eckstein
- Best Supporting Actor: Anthony Quayle
- Best Screenplay: Joel Oliansky (Episode IV)
Golden Globe Award
Nominations
- Best miniseries
- Best Actor: Peter O'Toole
- Best Actor: Peter Strauss
Eddie Award
- Best Editing in a Miniseries: Edwin F. England, Peter Kirby (Episode IV)
Web links
- Masada in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.zweitausendeins.de/filmlexikon/?wert=10599&sucheNach=titel
- ↑ Booklet of the Masada DVD