Outline for the Third Term Paper

The Parting of the Red Sea is a classic scene that been interpreted many different ways throughout cinematic history. This essay is a comparison between an animated and live action version.

The Ten Commandments uses composited imagery and matte paintings for to achieve this special effect while Prince of Egypt

Thesis:  In Prince of Egypt, the sea erupts outward from Moses's staff, while The Ten Commandments version shows the sea parting as if blown by a powerful gust of wind.

Descriptions/Observations:

Prince of Egypt

• Moses strikes his staff into the water and the water is propelled outward
• The sea parts radially at first then splits open like a seam
• The water appears pushed outward by force, rather than moving on its own
• The sea remains parted and held in place by strong wind

The Ten Commandments

• "God's wind" plays a stronger role in depicting the parting of the water
• The sea splits open in a straight line 
• Before the sea opens up, there is a visible moment when one composited shot transitions to the next.
• As the water continues to part, opening up a path for the Israelites, the wall of the water is noticeably a different matte plate than the water still parting in the distance.

Conclusions

Considering the time in which each film was produced, I think both were successful in portraying the Parting of the Red Sea. Prince of Egypt is ultimately more convincing because of the close-up shots of the animated water bursting from Moses's staff, but the use of composited matte paintings and practical effects in The Ten Commandments deserves recognition for ingenuity and craftsmanship.