Steven Spielberg – Schindler's List – Comment

 

Although there are numerous books, novels, documentaries, and films about the Holocaust, all shocking and deeply sad, one would have to rank Steven Spielberg's 1993 masterpiece, Schindler's List, somewhere at the top for its alarming realism, meaningful pathos, and informative message, designed to ensure that the brutal crimes of the Holocaust during WW2 will never be forgotten.

Shot entirely in black and white, the decision to do so by the director, Spielberg says he had never seen a photo or primary documentary of the Holocaust in color, thus shooting the project in monotones seemed the logical action to take. This proved to be problematic for the cinematographer and set designer, because certain colors appear wrong under mono photography, and of course, the lighting is set-up much differently to achieve particular effects. As one producer stated in an interview, "It was like we were shooting two movies." One would have to admit that the film felt to the viewer to be a primary historical source (a dramatic 1940's documentary) as a result of the black and white tones, but also the performances from the entire cast.

Liam Neeson as Oscar Schindler is a performance worthy of all the awards he received at the time. His Czechoslovakian accent is subtle and accurate, every line spoke with deep meaning, and his performance during one of the last scenes, leaving the factory with his wife, the Jewish worker's awarding him with a letter of honor and a gold ring, (made from the filling of one of the worker's) is absolutely superb and terribly moving. Oscar Schindler is a true hero during WW2, spending his fortune to save as many Jewish prisoner's as humanly possible from the Nazi SS.

It should be noted that the violence and abject cruelty of the Holocaust for younger audiences at least, when hearing about the event, can become desensitized, flippantly dismissed as just "something." that happened in the past. What makes this movie so important is the violence depicted is in no way gratuitous. These sadistic criminals acts actually occurred, driving home the point that we should never forget what happened, and do everything possible to prevent the same crimes repeating.

Unfortunately, genocide seems to occur across the planet in various forms to this day, ( Yemen, Rwanda, Bosnia, etc.) all terrible, all crimes against humanity.

If you are a parent, teacher, or citizen, this is the film that depicts the true horrors of the Holocaust, giving it tremendous meaning and has enough impact to ensure it remains in mind, hoping that in the future, this awful event is never repeated.