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Schindler's List



Connor Macgregor Reviews...Schindler's List

Being one of the most acclaimed and emotional films ever made, i had really high expectations when beginning to watch the film. Spielberg is a director who has changed film as well as influenced many of today's directors in various different genres. In 1993, Spielberg was given 2 films to prove to himself and to the world that he was a director to go down in history. Jurassic Park and Schindlers List.

Oskar Schindler is a vainglorious and greedy German businessman who becomes unlikely humanitarian amid the barbaric Nazi reign when he feels compelled to turn his factory into a refuge for Jews. Based on the true story of Oskar Schindler who managed to save about 1100 Jews from being gassed at the Auschwitz concentration camp. A testament for the good in all of us.

First of all, Spielberg's decision to shoot in black & white quite possibly was one of few reasons why this film worked. Spielberg said in a interview that he didn't want The Holocaust to be glamorous or colourful when making the film and i think i know what he means. The Holocaust was never a happy or a colourful event. It was a horrible sick event in history based on one man's opinion on a religion and how the world should work. Shooting it in Black & White was a way of showing what The Holocaust was like for people who weren't there.

The Performances are perfect. Ben Kingsley & Ralph Feinnes are unbelieveable and are just a joy to watch on screen. But the money is Liam Neeson. Honestly this is Neeson's finest performance of his career and i don't ever think he will top it. Neeson is an actor who perfectly fits his characters and steals almost every performance in his films (Star Wars included). Neeson is a joy to watch in any film.

I also briefly must talk about The Red Girl in the film. Its Important because in a way, it shows when Schindler changes and in a way also states that there is colour and hope for the jewish people that the suffering will end and it is in the form of the little girl.

While Schindlers List has had its universal acclaim, it is not without its criticism. Terry Gilliam lashed out on Schindlers List and Said it was a film about success where as The Holocaust was about failure. Every person has a right to critisize a film, but this film in my eyes was to show that there was some good in The Holocaust. That despite 6 Million Innocent people losing their lives, there was stories to tell that were about people seeing what Hitler for who he really was and people standing up and saying "This is too far". And its important for people to tell these stories in schools and pass it on to future generations to show that what happened to those people is something that should never happen again.

However i do have my merits. I felt that Spielberg could have gone a step darker with this film. I don't think The Holocaust was potrayed as evil, horrible and nasty as it was. I wanted Spielberg to potray nastier images and acts on screen, but the furthest we got in my eyes was the shower scene with the woman and also the scene with the red coat girl. Its the second time we see her not the first time. Spielberg is a talented man, but could have been alot darker if he dared take that futher step.

Schindler's List should be seen by everyone, just so they understand how much The Holocaust was horrible and should never occur in our world again. Spielberg has raised an issue that can be rarely be done right again. Through camera shots, acting, music and many more Schindlers List is a film not to be missed.

Rating - 100% - A+