On March 13, Warner Home Video (WHV) will introduce for the first time ever the long-awaited DVD of the Academy Award�-winning MGM film classic ``Ben-Hur.'' Starring Charlton Heston and directed by William Wyler, ``Ben-Hur'' captured 12 nominations and received 11 Oscars�, including Best Picture. The DVD will sell at the suggested price of $24.98. ``We're proud to be releasing this DVD of 'Ben-Hur,''' said Mark Horak, WHV's senior vice president, marketing. ``In addition to being digitally transferred and enhanced for widescreen TV, the disc has a new Dolby Digital soundtrack remix, and the results are spectacular. We are also especially pleased that Charlton Heston has recorded a new commentary relating his experiences on the production.''

``Ben-Hur'' is one of two films (the other, ``Raintree County'') originally photographed in MGM Camera 65, the widest aspect ratio (2.76:1) ever used theatrically. In a single frame, Camera 65 was able to yield an image that, while extremely wide, was still stunningly sharp and detailed. By the time ``Ben-Hur'' reached the television screen, more than half the image was lost due to cropping needed for TV's squarer screen (1.33:1 aspect ratio). Although later VHS and laserdisc widescreen versions restored the scope of the image, the limited resolution of those formats pales in comparison to the miracle of DVD. The ``Ben-Hur'' DVD features are: the Charlton Heston commentary, the new digitally remastered picture and soundtrack (Dolby Digital 5.1), newly-discovered screen tests of the final and near final cast, including Leslie Nielson, Cesare Danova and Haya Harareet, the addition of the seldom-heard Overture and Entr'acte music, the behind-the-scenes documentary, ``Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic,'' the original theatrical trailer and an on-the-set photo gallery featuring Wyler, producer Sam Zimbalist, cameraman Robert Surtees and others.