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There are the films out there that are set to have an impact on you; there are those that deliver this with the emotions of the screen characters, the music, or the truth behind the tail. But with Schindler's List all of this apply and it makes it the most emotionally moving film that my eyes have ever come across.
I'm sure by now that no one needs reminding the story of the hero, who died a villain, but was left as a hero.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Schindler's List has now become one of the most honoured films of all time. Winning seven academy awards including Best Director and Best Picture, it also won every major award and incomparable number of additional honours. Steven Spielberg was also honoured with the Directors Guild of America Award, which he can now look at along with the other two of them he has picked up.
This is the story of one remarkable man outwitted the Nazis to save the over a 1000 Jews from the Gas Chambers.
Set during World War 2, a businessman, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) begins to become 'friends' with major key players in the Nazis organisation. Through throwing parties, giving extravagant gifts and always being good to them he buys their friendship and most importantly of all he buys there trust.
With this on his side, Oskar Schindler - a member of the Nazi party, war profiteer, womaniser and the one man who made a difference, sets out to exploit this power of his for the good of the Jewish people. Because of this one man who made a difference, 1,100 Jewish people survived the darkest chapter in human history, and he was branded a traitor.
Setting up a large business for the Jewish committee to work in, he cleverly got more and more people working in his factories and away from either the concentration camps or the Ghettos. As he became more and more known, he became more and more liked from the Nazis and the Jewish people. He befriends a Jewish accountant Isaac Stern (Ben Kingsley) and whilst he runs the business, Schindler saves the Jews.
It shows how much money he lost, how much effort he gave and how he never got anything back, just the satisfaction of saving a life. The film goes through all the emotions and only when we met Ralph Fiennes character are we exposed to the dark sinister truth of the war and all of itís gritty secrets.
The concentration camps are something that send shocked silence throughout everyone viewing and a gentle tear will fall down past your cheek, the facts are all there, this is Hollywood but this film was all true and everything youíve learnt in those history lessons is in this film. As Schindler continues to save the lives of the innocent he comes across Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) ëThe Nazi Butcherí who took pleasure in wounding the sick and murdering the health.
Amon Goeth ëThey cast a spell on you, you know, the Jews. When you work closely with them, like I do, you see this. They have this power. It's like a virus. Some of my men are infected with this virus. They should be pitied, not punished. They should receive treatment because this is as real as typhus. I see it all the time. It's a matter of money? Hmm?í
Amon Goeth: ëYou're cruel Oskar. You're giving them hope. Now that's cruel!í
Half stopping Schindler in his tracks, Oskar befriends this man, to help the people who needed it most. After coming to an agreement that he would ëbuyí the Jews off of Goeth, he continues to build upon his factory with countless supplies of workers, most who are incompetent for the job.
The film carries on showing us the sheer lengths he was willing to go to for these people the Nazis brand as a ëVirusí. In the end, Oskar Schindlerís business of making tank shells lost him thousands of pounds, and over the two years it was in production not a single working shell was made.
He died in Hildesheim in 1974. His extraordinary story might have died with him but for their gratitude. In trying to answer the inevitable question, why did he do it, one of the survivors said: ìI don't know what his motives were... But I don't give a damn. What's important is that he saved our lives.î
I'm sure by now that no one needs reminding the story of the hero, who died a villain, but was left as a hero.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Schindler's List has now become one of the most honoured films of all time. Winning seven academy awards including Best Director and Best Picture, it also won every major award and incomparable number of additional honours. Steven Spielberg was also honoured with the Directors Guild of America Award, which he can now look at along with the other two of them he has picked up.
This is the story of one remarkable man outwitted the Nazis to save the over a 1000 Jews from the Gas Chambers.
Set during World War 2, a businessman, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) begins to become 'friends' with major key players in the Nazis organisation. Through throwing parties, giving extravagant gifts and always being good to them he buys their friendship and most importantly of all he buys there trust.
With this on his side, Oskar Schindler - a member of the Nazi party, war profiteer, womaniser and the one man who made a difference, sets out to exploit this power of his for the good of the Jewish people. Because of this one man who made a difference, 1,100 Jewish people survived the darkest chapter in human history, and he was branded a traitor.
Setting up a large business for the Jewish committee to work in, he cleverly got more and more people working in his factories and away from either the concentration camps or the Ghettos. As he became more and more known, he became more and more liked from the Nazis and the Jewish people. He befriends a Jewish accountant Isaac Stern (Ben Kingsley) and whilst he runs the business, Schindler saves the Jews.
It shows how much money he lost, how much effort he gave and how he never got anything back, just the satisfaction of saving a life. The film goes through all the emotions and only when we met Ralph Fiennes character are we exposed to the dark sinister truth of the war and all of itís gritty secrets.
The concentration camps are something that send shocked silence throughout everyone viewing and a gentle tear will fall down past your cheek, the facts are all there, this is Hollywood but this film was all true and everything youíve learnt in those history lessons is in this film. As Schindler continues to save the lives of the innocent he comes across Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) ëThe Nazi Butcherí who took pleasure in wounding the sick and murdering the health.
Amon Goeth ëThey cast a spell on you, you know, the Jews. When you work closely with them, like I do, you see this. They have this power. It's like a virus. Some of my men are infected with this virus. They should be pitied, not punished. They should receive treatment because this is as real as typhus. I see it all the time. It's a matter of money? Hmm?í
Amon Goeth: ëYou're cruel Oskar. You're giving them hope. Now that's cruel!í
Half stopping Schindler in his tracks, Oskar befriends this man, to help the people who needed it most. After coming to an agreement that he would ëbuyí the Jews off of Goeth, he continues to build upon his factory with countless supplies of workers, most who are incompetent for the job.
The film carries on showing us the sheer lengths he was willing to go to for these people the Nazis brand as a ëVirusí. In the end, Oskar Schindlerís business of making tank shells lost him thousands of pounds, and over the two years it was in production not a single working shell was made.
He died in Hildesheim in 1974. His extraordinary story might have died with him but for their gratitude. In trying to answer the inevitable question, why did he do it, one of the survivors said: ìI don't know what his motives were... But I don't give a damn. What's important is that he saved our lives.î
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So, what type of films are you into then? It's a bit off the topic but I'd like to know. One of my favourites of all times is Arlington Road, yet not many people have seen the film nor even heard of it.
Oh, and thanks for writing such a long and decent post that just ruined mine and put it to shame :)
*Bows head in shame*
Oh, and thanks for writing such a long and decent post that just ruined mine and put it to shame :)
*Bows head in shame*
I agree with you it was a superb film, just little quibbles that almost ruined it for me.
Not because of the film, but Spielberg being unable to resist using his tricks.
Still, a stunning film that attempted to at least say something, which is a rare thing in Hollowood these days.
Not because of the film, but Spielberg being unable to resist using his tricks.
Still, a stunning film that attempted to at least say something, which is a rare thing in Hollowood these days.
Now that is what I call an opinion, cheers for sharing that with us Goatboy.
The way he made the film was to show us the what just what it was like, but then like you say the last scene was perhaps a bit overdone. But maybe he was showing us that any of us can make a difference. Think about it, if I wasn't sitting here right now on my luxury computer, think of what I could be doing to save this world, think of what I could have done if I didn't buy this damn piece of plastic.
It makes you think really and then you suddenly realise you ain't that perfect after all. I might do another one of these as this is my second one about films and heros. But a hero is something that is becoming harder and harder to come by nowadays.
The way he made the film was to show us the what just what it was like, but then like you say the last scene was perhaps a bit overdone. But maybe he was showing us that any of us can make a difference. Think about it, if I wasn't sitting here right now on my luxury computer, think of what I could be doing to save this world, think of what I could have done if I didn't buy this damn piece of plastic.
It makes you think really and then you suddenly realise you ain't that perfect after all. I might do another one of these as this is my second one about films and heros. But a hero is something that is becoming harder and harder to come by nowadays.
Nice post.
I was really torn with Schindlerís List. Whilst you cannot fault Spielbergís intentions for making this film, I had massive problems with it.
Not the film itself in subject matter, as this was an absolutely noble film, made for the right reasons and with no thought for crass Hollywood ideals.
But I had a problem with Spielberg as a director. He has a penchant for syrupy emotions and feeling the need to highlight to the viewer in big bold, underlined writing ìTHIS IS A VERY BAD THINGî, and usually employs John Williams to score his movies.
With the effect that the music indicates which emotion you are to be feeling and at which point you should feel this.
Spielberg indicated his commitment and seriousness to this movie by using black and white film stock and actors as opposed to stars, so as not to distract from the situations presented on screen.
But he still fell back on his easy-manipulation techniques and the need to lead you by the hand so you knew this was a bad thing.
The main scene that made me uncomfortable was the final scene with Schindler and the Jews in his factory. That whole thing where he fell to his knees and gave his ìThis pen could have saved one more, this badge could have meant another twoî whilst the emaciated and grateful few stood around him made me cringe.
There had been, for the most part, an unemotional observer tone to most of the previous 2hrs, but this just felt wrong to me.
Again, I cannot criticise Spielberg for making this film, as anything that attempts to educate todayís youth on what went before is an absolute good, but to fall back into schmaltzy manipulation just felt so out of tone with the rest of the movie.
Compare this scene with the shower-scene in Auschwitz.
Confused, naked crying women. Nothing at all erotic or ìhur-hur, you can see boobsî about it. It felt painful to watch, we knew the outcome of the showers but they didnít. And then just water came out, we experienced the same relief and surprise that these women werenít gassed.
You were there with them, dreading what was to come.
Same with the ìcleaningî of the Krakow ghetto, you were there with the Nazis. You saw some of the Jews hiding, but as soon as the soldiers started, you stayed with them, saw what they saw and their actions.
But here, once more, Spielberg had to be a director as opposed to a witness. There was a soldier playing the piano as people were murdered around him, and we then came away to see Krakow from a distance, with windows illuminated by gunshots.
A nice looking shot, well done and very artful. But not in the same documentary feel as the rest of the ghetto sequence.
However, despite these lapses into sentimentality, there are moments of pure observer that are far more shocking for the lack of ìyou must see how bad this isî.
When Amon is being lectured by the construction lady about the foundations for the huts insisting that they must be ìPulled down and redoneî.
Amon orders her shot and it happens, just like that. No music, no close-ups, no artful scene, just ìbangî and she falls to the floor, Amon saying ìTear it down and rebuild itî.
Or Amon taking potshots from his balcony in the morning at random prisoners.
Itís all the more harder to watch because itís just happening, the camera happened to catch it as it went past. It makes you feel like a passive witness as opposed to a member of the audience, removed from emotion or disgust at what is happening.
Praise must be given to Spielberg for making this film, and he can be forgiven the odd lapse into traditional ìSpielbergíismsî but those few instances pulled me right out of the mood of the film and reminded me that I was sitting in a cinema watching actors, as opposed to be witnessing one of the worst crimes against humanity in recent history.
For a truly documentary view of the holocaust, there is a film called ìShoaî.
It is a documentary with survivors, historians, former Nazi prison camp guards and relatives of people involved. Itís heavy going and almost 9hrs long, but presents one of the most thorough and heart-wrenching chronicles of what Primo Levi called ìThe dark moments of manís soulî.
And on the other end of the scale, you have ìLife is Beautifulî by Roberto Benigni.
A comedy set in a concentration camp.
I was keep my tone neutral, as I have come to blows over this movie. It won an Oscar, and some people call it a ìwhimsicalî comedy about manís triumph through adversity.
Others, including myself, find the idea that someone would even contemplate making a comedy of any sorts about a situation where 6 million people were exterminated on the whim of another to be one of the most distasteful and offensive ideas ever.
Spielberg walked out of a screening of this movie is disgust, and I will personally punch Benigni in the face if I ever meet him for this movie.
And considering an Italian would make this movie, Italians were distinctly pro-German, means (for me only) that Benigni deserves no respect as a film-maker or a human being.
I was really torn with Schindlerís List. Whilst you cannot fault Spielbergís intentions for making this film, I had massive problems with it.
Not the film itself in subject matter, as this was an absolutely noble film, made for the right reasons and with no thought for crass Hollywood ideals.
But I had a problem with Spielberg as a director. He has a penchant for syrupy emotions and feeling the need to highlight to the viewer in big bold, underlined writing ìTHIS IS A VERY BAD THINGî, and usually employs John Williams to score his movies.
With the effect that the music indicates which emotion you are to be feeling and at which point you should feel this.
Spielberg indicated his commitment and seriousness to this movie by using black and white film stock and actors as opposed to stars, so as not to distract from the situations presented on screen.
But he still fell back on his easy-manipulation techniques and the need to lead you by the hand so you knew this was a bad thing.
The main scene that made me uncomfortable was the final scene with Schindler and the Jews in his factory. That whole thing where he fell to his knees and gave his ìThis pen could have saved one more, this badge could have meant another twoî whilst the emaciated and grateful few stood around him made me cringe.
There had been, for the most part, an unemotional observer tone to most of the previous 2hrs, but this just felt wrong to me.
Again, I cannot criticise Spielberg for making this film, as anything that attempts to educate todayís youth on what went before is an absolute good, but to fall back into schmaltzy manipulation just felt so out of tone with the rest of the movie.
Compare this scene with the shower-scene in Auschwitz.
Confused, naked crying women. Nothing at all erotic or ìhur-hur, you can see boobsî about it. It felt painful to watch, we knew the outcome of the showers but they didnít. And then just water came out, we experienced the same relief and surprise that these women werenít gassed.
You were there with them, dreading what was to come.
Same with the ìcleaningî of the Krakow ghetto, you were there with the Nazis. You saw some of the Jews hiding, but as soon as the soldiers started, you stayed with them, saw what they saw and their actions.
But here, once more, Spielberg had to be a director as opposed to a witness. There was a soldier playing the piano as people were murdered around him, and we then came away to see Krakow from a distance, with windows illuminated by gunshots.
A nice looking shot, well done and very artful. But not in the same documentary feel as the rest of the ghetto sequence.
However, despite these lapses into sentimentality, there are moments of pure observer that are far more shocking for the lack of ìyou must see how bad this isî.
When Amon is being lectured by the construction lady about the foundations for the huts insisting that they must be ìPulled down and redoneî.
Amon orders her shot and it happens, just like that. No music, no close-ups, no artful scene, just ìbangî and she falls to the floor, Amon saying ìTear it down and rebuild itî.
Or Amon taking potshots from his balcony in the morning at random prisoners.
Itís all the more harder to watch because itís just happening, the camera happened to catch it as it went past. It makes you feel like a passive witness as opposed to a member of the audience, removed from emotion or disgust at what is happening.
Praise must be given to Spielberg for making this film, and he can be forgiven the odd lapse into traditional ìSpielbergíismsî but those few instances pulled me right out of the mood of the film and reminded me that I was sitting in a cinema watching actors, as opposed to be witnessing one of the worst crimes against humanity in recent history.
For a truly documentary view of the holocaust, there is a film called ìShoaî.
It is a documentary with survivors, historians, former Nazi prison camp guards and relatives of people involved. Itís heavy going and almost 9hrs long, but presents one of the most thorough and heart-wrenching chronicles of what Primo Levi called ìThe dark moments of manís soulî.
And on the other end of the scale, you have ìLife is Beautifulî by Roberto Benigni.
A comedy set in a concentration camp.
I was keep my tone neutral, as I have come to blows over this movie. It won an Oscar, and some people call it a ìwhimsicalî comedy about manís triumph through adversity.
Others, including myself, find the idea that someone would even contemplate making a comedy of any sorts about a situation where 6 million people were exterminated on the whim of another to be one of the most distasteful and offensive ideas ever.
Spielberg walked out of a screening of this movie is disgust, and I will personally punch Benigni in the face if I ever meet him for this movie.
And considering an Italian would make this movie, Italians were distinctly pro-German, means (for me only) that Benigni deserves no respect as a film-maker or a human being.
I quite liked Schindler's List, too. I liked the atmosphere of it all. It was quite, unusually gripping for a black & white film, I thought. Every step of the way, you felt and urge to keep watching, to find out what was gong to happen next to Schindler's life-saving list. Not to mention the depressing tone and setting of it all. Some of it was set in typical, run-down, filthy ghettos with the odd Nazi killing a helpless Jew here and there for the sake of it. It was extremely depressing at times.
But that's what Spielberg has become notorious for. He can re-live the whole settig perfectly, no mistake, it's possibly the closest we'll get to experiencing what it must of been like for those poor Jewish people.
Praise for Spileberg and Oskar Schindler.
SHOCKY
But that's what Spielberg has become notorious for. He can re-live the whole settig perfectly, no mistake, it's possibly the closest we'll get to experiencing what it must of been like for those poor Jewish people.
Praise for Spileberg and Oskar Schindler.
SHOCKY
I think the best films are ones that you really don't expect, or ones that make leave you attached to your chair.
Those films are great and very rare. Schindler's list was an amazing film, and although it took a long time for me to see it, because I had heard bad things and like many other films I got bored of the first 5 minutes and walked out of the room.
It's these films that you can always watch again and again, films where you know exacitally whats going to happen the second, third and however many times you watch it, but it still leaves the same impression on you.
+ great post, nice details.
Those films are great and very rare. Schindler's list was an amazing film, and although it took a long time for me to see it, because I had heard bad things and like many other films I got bored of the first 5 minutes and walked out of the room.
It's these films that you can always watch again and again, films where you know exacitally whats going to happen the second, third and however many times you watch it, but it still leaves the same impression on you.
+ great post, nice details.
There are the films out there that are set to have an impact on you; there are those that deliver this with the emotions of the screen characters, the music, or the truth behind the tail. But with Schindler's List all of this apply and it makes it the most emotionally moving film that my eyes have ever come across.
I'm sure by now that no one needs reminding the story of the hero, who died a villain, but was left as a hero.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Schindler's List has now become one of the most honoured films of all time. Winning seven academy awards including Best Director and Best Picture, it also won every major award and incomparable number of additional honours. Steven Spielberg was also honoured with the Directors Guild of America Award, which he can now look at along with the other two of them he has picked up.
This is the story of one remarkable man outwitted the Nazis to save the over a 1000 Jews from the Gas Chambers.
Set during World War 2, a businessman, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) begins to become 'friends' with major key players in the Nazis organisation. Through throwing parties, giving extravagant gifts and always being good to them he buys their friendship and most importantly of all he buys there trust.
With this on his side, Oskar Schindler - a member of the Nazi party, war profiteer, womaniser and the one man who made a difference, sets out to exploit this power of his for the good of the Jewish people. Because of this one man who made a difference, 1,100 Jewish people survived the darkest chapter in human history, and he was branded a traitor.
Setting up a large business for the Jewish committee to work in, he cleverly got more and more people working in his factories and away from either the concentration camps or the Ghettos. As he became more and more known, he became more and more liked from the Nazis and the Jewish people. He befriends a Jewish accountant Isaac Stern (Ben Kingsley) and whilst he runs the business, Schindler saves the Jews.
It shows how much money he lost, how much effort he gave and how he never got anything back, just the satisfaction of saving a life. The film goes through all the emotions and only when we met Ralph Fiennes character are we exposed to the dark sinister truth of the war and all of itís gritty secrets.
The concentration camps are something that send shocked silence throughout everyone viewing and a gentle tear will fall down past your cheek, the facts are all there, this is Hollywood but this film was all true and everything youíve learnt in those history lessons is in this film. As Schindler continues to save the lives of the innocent he comes across Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) ëThe Nazi Butcherí who took pleasure in wounding the sick and murdering the health.
Amon Goeth ëThey cast a spell on you, you know, the Jews. When you work closely with them, like I do, you see this. They have this power. It's like a virus. Some of my men are infected with this virus. They should be pitied, not punished. They should receive treatment because this is as real as typhus. I see it all the time. It's a matter of money? Hmm?í
Amon Goeth: ëYou're cruel Oskar. You're giving them hope. Now that's cruel!í
Half stopping Schindler in his tracks, Oskar befriends this man, to help the people who needed it most. After coming to an agreement that he would ëbuyí the Jews off of Goeth, he continues to build upon his factory with countless supplies of workers, most who are incompetent for the job.
The film carries on showing us the sheer lengths he was willing to go to for these people the Nazis brand as a ëVirusí. In the end, Oskar Schindlerís business of making tank shells lost him thousands of pounds, and over the two years it was in production not a single working shell was made.
He died in Hildesheim in 1974. His extraordinary story might have died with him but for their gratitude. In trying to answer the inevitable question, why did he do it, one of the survivors said: ìI don't know what his motives were... But I don't give a damn. What's important is that he saved our lives.î
I'm sure by now that no one needs reminding the story of the hero, who died a villain, but was left as a hero.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Schindler's List has now become one of the most honoured films of all time. Winning seven academy awards including Best Director and Best Picture, it also won every major award and incomparable number of additional honours. Steven Spielberg was also honoured with the Directors Guild of America Award, which he can now look at along with the other two of them he has picked up.
This is the story of one remarkable man outwitted the Nazis to save the over a 1000 Jews from the Gas Chambers.
Set during World War 2, a businessman, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) begins to become 'friends' with major key players in the Nazis organisation. Through throwing parties, giving extravagant gifts and always being good to them he buys their friendship and most importantly of all he buys there trust.
With this on his side, Oskar Schindler - a member of the Nazi party, war profiteer, womaniser and the one man who made a difference, sets out to exploit this power of his for the good of the Jewish people. Because of this one man who made a difference, 1,100 Jewish people survived the darkest chapter in human history, and he was branded a traitor.
Setting up a large business for the Jewish committee to work in, he cleverly got more and more people working in his factories and away from either the concentration camps or the Ghettos. As he became more and more known, he became more and more liked from the Nazis and the Jewish people. He befriends a Jewish accountant Isaac Stern (Ben Kingsley) and whilst he runs the business, Schindler saves the Jews.
It shows how much money he lost, how much effort he gave and how he never got anything back, just the satisfaction of saving a life. The film goes through all the emotions and only when we met Ralph Fiennes character are we exposed to the dark sinister truth of the war and all of itís gritty secrets.
The concentration camps are something that send shocked silence throughout everyone viewing and a gentle tear will fall down past your cheek, the facts are all there, this is Hollywood but this film was all true and everything youíve learnt in those history lessons is in this film. As Schindler continues to save the lives of the innocent he comes across Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) ëThe Nazi Butcherí who took pleasure in wounding the sick and murdering the health.
Amon Goeth ëThey cast a spell on you, you know, the Jews. When you work closely with them, like I do, you see this. They have this power. It's like a virus. Some of my men are infected with this virus. They should be pitied, not punished. They should receive treatment because this is as real as typhus. I see it all the time. It's a matter of money? Hmm?í
Amon Goeth: ëYou're cruel Oskar. You're giving them hope. Now that's cruel!í
Half stopping Schindler in his tracks, Oskar befriends this man, to help the people who needed it most. After coming to an agreement that he would ëbuyí the Jews off of Goeth, he continues to build upon his factory with countless supplies of workers, most who are incompetent for the job.
The film carries on showing us the sheer lengths he was willing to go to for these people the Nazis brand as a ëVirusí. In the end, Oskar Schindlerís business of making tank shells lost him thousands of pounds, and over the two years it was in production not a single working shell was made.
He died in Hildesheim in 1974. His extraordinary story might have died with him but for their gratitude. In trying to answer the inevitable question, why did he do it, one of the survivors said: ìI don't know what his motives were... But I don't give a damn. What's important is that he saved our lives.î
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