Prince of Egypt

With remarkably realistic characterizations and unprecedented digital special effects, The Prince of Egypt -- the first movie since The Ten Commandments to retell the story of Moses from the Book of Exodus -- establishes a new standard in animated feature films. Here, critic Charles Solomon shows, scene by scene, how the founders of DreamWorks SKG -- Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen -- and their skilled filmmakers pioneered a new kind of cinematic animation that is as versatile as live-action filmmaking. More than 500 illustrations -- from early character sketches to actual film stills -- reveal how artists rendered the vast panorama of ancient Egypt. Text and pictures explain how the biblical miracles -- the Burning Bush, the Ten Plagues, and the Parting of the Red Sea -- necessitated the invention of truly awe-inspiring effects. Solomon interviewed many of the individuals involved in the making of the film to show how this age-old tale of deliverance from slavery became a satisfying and thrilling cinematic experience.