Samson and Delilah (1996) (TV)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Nicolas Roeg

Writer:

Allan Scott (writer)

Release Date:

8 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Plot:

Mara and her husband Manoa are both upstanding and religious Israelites living under the harsh and unjust rule of the Philistines...

Plot Keywords:

Hair | Temple | Betrayal | Biblical | Building Collapse

Cast

Eric Thal	...	Samson
Elizabeth Hurley	...	Dalila
Michael Gambon	...	Re Hamun
Dennis Hopper	...	Generale Tariq
Diana Rigg	...	Mara
Daniel Massey	...	Ira
Paul Freeman	...	Manoach
Ben Becker	...	Principe Sidqa
Jale Arikan	...	Noemi
Deborah Caprioglio	...	Rani
Alessandro Gassman	...	Amrok
Pinkas Braun	...	Harach
Sebastian Knapp	...	Yoram
Karl Tessler	...	Jehiel
Luke Mullaney	...	Amram
Tim Gallagher	...	Habor
Matt Green	...	Yoram Giovane
Mark McGann	...	Mahal
Nick Simons	...	Capraio
Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	Sansone a 14 anni
Luke de Lacey	...	Cephod
Anthony Ofoegbu	...	Prigioniero
Mary Hanefey	...	Ancella
Keith Allen	...	Carceriere
Zakaria Atifi	...	Carceriere
Salah Benmoussa	...	Cortigiano
Abdellah Lamrani	...	Cortigiano
Larbi Sassi	...	Cortigiano
Fatima Watili	...	Levatrice
George Hall	...	Anziano
Mustapha Salamat	...	Uomo villaggio
Amina Ouardi	...	Donna nomade
Abderrahim Daris	...	Soldato
John Forbes-Robertson	...	Medico
Mark Seaton	...	Prigioniero
Mahjoub Raji	...	Bracciante
Leo Gregory	...	Jehiel a 14 anni
Tobias Saunders	...	Amram a 14 anni
Christian Toulali	...	Ospite nozze (as Christian Anderson)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Max von Sydow	...	Narratore (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Nicolas Roeg

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Allan Scott		writer

Produced by
Eleonora Andreatta	....	producer: RAI
Luca Bernabei	....	producer: Lux
Susu Erca	....	associate producer
Heinrich Krauss	....	producer: Beta
Lorenzo Minoli	....	producer
Paolo Piria	....	associate producer
Gerald Rafshoon	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marco Frisina
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Raffaele Mertes

Film Editing by
Michael Ellis

Casting by
Ahmed Boulane
Chiara Meloni
Cornelia von Braun
Jeremy Zimmerman

Production Design by
Paolo Biagetti

Set Decoration by
Titus Vossberg

Costume Design by
Enrico Sabbatini

Makeup Department
Leila Ben Barka	....	makeup artist
Franco Casagni	....	makeup artist
Claudia Catini	....	hair stylist
Hayat Ouled Dahhou	....	hair stylist
Anna De Santis	....	hair stylist: second unit
Francesca De Simone	....	hair stylist
Federico Laurenti	....	makeup artist
Tracy Lee	....	makeup artist: Ms. Hurley
Elda Magnanti	....	key hair stylist
Vincenzo Mastrantonio	....	makeup artist: second unit
Mario Michisanti	....	key makeup artist
Tiziana Sisi	....	makeup artist
Latifa Souihi Maadani	....	makeup artist (as Latifa Souhili)
Gianna Viola	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Ahmed Darif	....	production manager: Morocco
Fabiomassimo Dell'Orco	....	production manager
Roberto Malerba	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adil Abdelwahab	....	assistant director
Franco Angeli	....	second assistant director
Mohamed Bensouda	....	second assistant director
Ahmed Boulane	....	first assistant director (as Ahmmed Bouland)
Serena Canevari	....	assistant director
Silvia Ranfagni	....	second assistant director
Maria Grazia Saccá	....	third assistant director
Franco Maria Salamon	....	second unit director

Art Department
Tatiana Hahn	....	assistant to set decorator
Luciano Magagnini	....	property master
Roberto Magagnini	....	swing gang
Giancarlo Sensidoni	....	painter

Sound Department
Oliver Barth	....	dialogue editor
Bernard Bats	....	sound recordist
Pierre-Yves Bruneel	....	boom operator
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist
Bob Costanza	....	sound editor
Patrick Cyccone Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Patrick Cyccone)
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
G. Michael Graham	....	supervising sound editor
Kristi Johns	....	adr editor
Christian P. Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Chris Minkler)
Lou Thomas	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Daniel Acon	....	special effects coordinator
Renato Agostini	....	special effects coordinator
Claudio Quaglietti	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Tim Baxter	....	optical effects

Stunts
Cornelia Allendorf	....	stunts
Omero Capanna	....	stunts
Bruno Di Luia	....	stunts (as Bruno Riccardo di Luia)
Gérard Lesage	....	stunts
Philippe Losson	....	stunts
Riccardo Mioni	....	stunts
Stefano Maria Mioni	....	stunts
Alessandro Novelli	....	stunt performer
Emiliano Novelli	....	stunt performer
Benito Pacifico	....	stunts
Giorgio Francesco Palombi	....	stunts (as Giorgio Palombi)
Cedric Proust	....	stunts
Joel Proust	....	stunt coordinator
Fabio Ragusa	....	stunts
Rocco Russo	....	stunts
Franco Maria Salamon	....	stunt coordinator (as Franco Salamon)
Alessandro Scepi	....	stunts
Claudio Zucchet	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Armando Barberi	....	second assistant camera
Fabio Capozzi	....	electrician
Giovanni Cuomo	....	grip
Valter De Filippis	....	generator operator
Sebastiano De Pascalis	....	Steadicam operator
Pietro Fabbri	....	grip
Giovanni Galasso	....	gaffer
Luca Luparini	....	camera operator: second unit
David Massaro	....	assistant camera: second unit
Marcello Montarsi	....	camera operator
Roberto Moreschini	....	key grip
Camillo Sabatini	....	first assistant camera
Sergio Strizzi	....	still photographer
Riccardo Tonni	....	clapper loader

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Romano Amidei	....	set costumer
Alfredo Bocci	....	set costumer
Ahmid Brahim	....	tailor
Antonia Chimera	....	set costumer
Nezha Dakil	....	seamstress
Antonella Gori	....	set costumer
Simonetta Leoncini	....	assistant to costume designer
Prospero Molfese	....	set costumer: second unit
Adalgisa Mosca	....	set costumer
Giulia Orsacchiotto	....	seamstress
Uliva Pizzetti	....	assistant to costume designer
Giovanni Viti	....	assistant to costume designer
Jo Thorpe	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mags Arnold	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Paola Gigli	....	assistant music editor
Carla Simoncelli	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Driss Benchhiba	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Cecilia Alvarenga	....	production coordinator (as Cecelia Alvarenga)
Damian Anderson	....	assistant to producers
Khadija Nait Bach	....	production coordinator: Morocco
Milena Bono	....	production coordinator: Rome
Jean-Paul Cauvin	....	publicist
Jaouad Cherkaoui	....	location manager: Morocco
Vito Colazzo	....	location manager
Satya De La Manitou	....	assistant: D. Hopper
Brahim Derhem	....	location manager: Morocco
Carla Ferroni	....	production secretary
Augusto Grassi	....	jeweler
Augusto Grassi	....	leather work master
Giampaolo Grassi	....	leather master
Polly Hayward	....	assistant: N. Roeg
Glen Howarth	....	script supervisor
Latifa Irassi	....	location manager: Morocco
Francesco Marras	....	location manager
Emanuela Minoli	....	production coordinator: second unit
Naomi Newman	....	assistant: E. Hurley
Darin Page	....	assistant: E. Thal
Franco Penna	....	production accountant
Roberto Penna	....	production auditor
Carla Maria Perrina	....	payroll clerk
Neil Robinson	....	dialogue coach
Simona Sciannimanico	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Beta Film
• Lube Productions
• Lux Vide
• Turner Pictures (I)

Distributors

• Flashstar Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Jim Henson's Creature Shop

Also Known As:

Die Bibel: Samson und Delila (Germany)
Sansone e Dalila
Bibeln: Simson och Delila (Sweden) [sv]
Raamattu: Simson ja Delila (Finland) [fi]
Sampson kai Dalida (Greece) [el]
Samson et Dalila (France) [fr]
Sansón y Dalila (Venezuela) [es]
Simson ja Delila (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

Germany:172 min (2 parts)

Country:

Germany | Italy | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Morocco

Company:

Beta Film

Quotes:

Generale Tariq: I hate an incompetent enemy. They make me less. They turn a general into a butcher.

Movie Connections:

Version of Samson et Dalila (1903)

When the Son of the Sun met Desire

Although their story in the Old Testament only spans three chapters in the Book of Judges, the popular tale of Samson and Delilah is stretched out into a three hour entry mini series here. All the characters (many not mentioned by name in the scriptures) are elaborated upon, as is the situation between the Israelites and the Philistines. The Gaza court is well (if a bit predictably) portrayed: Michael Gambon as wise King Hanun is constantly bickering with his hotheaded (and red bearded) son Sidqa (Ben Becker). Well cast Liz Hurley plays the part of Delilah both slutty and posh as the king's niece, while top billed Dennis Hopper portrays the smart and sarcastic General Tariq. Hopper gets some of the best lines, but fails to give them that George Sanders delivery and is the only one looking out of place in these settings and costumes.

Delilah only really figures in the last part of Samson's story, but there are enough scenes featuring her and the Philistines to justify her name in the title. Actually, the two main characters almost meet in part one, where she turns out to be the main reason why Samson fought that animatronic lion from Jim Henson's Creature Shop. In the title role, Eric Thal is a virtual babe magnet himself, rescuing the outspoken Naomi (Jale Arikan) before choosing a Philistine bride (Deborah Caprioglio) to the dismay of his parents (reliable Diana Rigg and Paul Freeman). Screenwriter Alan Scott put great emphasis on Samson's search for a purpose in life, making him comes across a very modern (i. e. constantly worried) hero.

One point repeatedly made in the Book of Judges is the lawless nature of this time period (between 1200 - 1000 b.c.). This is addressed in a new sub plot concerning the brothers Jehiel and Amram. They betray Samson in order to become rulers themselves, leading to the familiar scene involving the jawbone of an ass. Most of these action sequences are filmed with skewed angles, making Samson look even more like a comic book superhero. To this effect they could not show him mishandling 300 foxes to burn down enemy crops (as it was written). Unfortunately the chapter about tearing the town gates from their hinges is more implied than shown, but this does lead to an interesting bit of foreshadowing for Dennis Hopper's character in the temple.

Director Nic Roeg makes effective use of flashbacks during two crucial scenes, adding greater meaning to both of them. First the love scene between Samson and Delilah is interwoven with scenes from the lion fight and secondly Samson relives his ultimate betrayal when forced to 'witness' the defeat of the Israelite army. The latter scene also resolves the plot strand concerning Jehiel and Amram in a satisfactory way and indeed every character arc is neatly resolved before the end. Shame about all those bouncing foam pillars during the climax though.

8 out of 10