Episode 30, May 21st 2012

Welcome to another episode of Highbrow! Lowbrow? the podcast where Jesse and Shaun get together to talk about the Best Picture Academy Award Winner and top box office earner of the same year to see who was right: the critics or the masses. This latest episode features two epic films in scope and in length from the year 1956, the globe hopping journey, Around the World In 80 Days (Highbrow) and the biblical story, The Ten Commandments (Lowbrow).

Around The World In 80 Days, directed by Michael Anderson, is the journey of english gentleman, Phileas Fogg (David Niven), as he tries to complete a tour of the world in 80 days in a bet against his fellow Reform Club members. Accompanying him is his loyal assistant, Passepartout (Cantinflas), bumbling around, but proving his worth in his own way again and again. This film had an overbearing running time that really dragged the story out, you can definitely feel the time as he begins hitting locations such as India or China. The cinematography really showcased the international sites, from the vibrant spanish dancing to the exotic eastern jungles. Jesse enjoyed the British banter between the banker friends, while Shaun found it boring and stale. They both enjoyed the antics of Passepartout, recalling the physical comedy of Charlie Chaplin. Though it can be a fun romp and it has it's exciting moments, Around The World In 80 Days can't maintain interest throughout it's lengthy running time.

The Ten Commandments, directed by Cecil B. DeMille, is the classic story of Moses (Charlton Heston) as he discovers his Jewish heritage, and rises up against the Egyptians to free the Jews from slavery. This film as well had a pretty massive running time that also begins to feel overwhelming. Charlton Heston proves his presence in this film as always with such a strong and confident approach to the role that made it memorable. The literal interpretation of the Bible in the movie leaves something to be desired, since the story needed a little adapting for it to really be consistently engaging. The massive sets and huge number of people needed to pull this film off is really amazing as you see hordes of people traveling along the Dead Sea and monuments being recreated from the era. Weighed down by a hefty running time, the Ten Commandments is an enduring and engaging biblical film that eventually begins to wear on you.

So which film did Jesse and Shaun end up liking more? The journey of Moses in The Ten Commandments (Lowbrow) or the light-hearted globe hopping adventures of Fogg and Passepartout in Around The World In 80 Days (Highbrow)? Check out the latest Highbrow! Lowbrow? to find out.