Charlton Heston Presents The Word: The Life and Teachings of Jesus, a collection of Heston’s favorite Bible Stories

The words of Scripture were originally passed down from parent to child, friend to friend, teacher to student, through an oral tradition of stories and drama. The Word was meant to be spoken aloud. Charlton Heston proves that intent as, in his rich bass voice, he quotes and dramatizes extensive passages from the Bible in this 206-minute, 4-disc DVD collection. Set in the land of Israel, Charlton Heston presents the bible focuses on the book of Genesis, the life of Moses, the life of Jesus, and the passion and death of Jesus. Acting as host of the series, Heston reads, recites, and summarizes portions of the holy text, using the King James translation. All the while he stands in an impressive Roman amphitheater in a small Israeli town. Voice-overs illustrate his travels to a variety of locations in Israel, such as the Jordan River, Mount Sinai, Jerusalem, Qumran, and more. Interspersed with live scenes from Israel are many classic art depictions of biblical events. Think Michelangelo, Ruben, and the like. These paintings and drawings bring a colorful and creative element to the show, diverting the eye to avoid concentrating on Heston’s dramatic monologue too long. The producers collected a vast number of classics to use in all four parts of the collection. In the Genesis segment, beware the high percentage of nude bodies. While very tasteful and, yes, artistic, breasts and backsides appear in many biblical renditions, and the producers here make no effort to hide them. Some viewers, however, may want to hide their children’s eyes occasionally.