Steven Spielberg finally got the long awaited respect he deserved as director when he won the Oscar for his 3 hour 16 minute epic. And now this excellent 20th Anniversary Blu ray finally arrives. Spielberg shot in black and white because he says that is how he pictures all the events in his mind. As a kid he had seen some photos and they were B & W. With a splash of color at the beginning and end, he also tosses in an effective shot of a little girl walking through chaos wearing a red coat.Brilliant movie making but certainly not a movie that can be casually watched. Nor is it a film that requires regular viewing. Frankly it is difficult assignment most of the time. In spite of the upbeat aura of Schindler's great good, the film also accurately depicts the horrors the Nazis bestowed upon Jews throughout Eastern Europe. As one might expect, we see superb performances especially by Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes. A masterpiece for all time.
This Blu ray transfer includes a 1080p resolution and a 1.85:1 aspect ratio that matches the original. Spielberg personally supervised the high definition transfer and the lossless audio (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1) restoration of the film from the 35mm film original negative. Special features include:
Voices from the List: Documentary featuring a number of testimonies and stories from men and women who survived the Holocaust thanks to Oskar Schindler.
USC Shoah Foundation Story with Steven Spielberg
For a basic plot summary, "Schindler's List" focuses on Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a high-ranking member of the Nazi party during World War II. When the German Nazis invade Poland and begin rounding up Jews into ghettos, Schindler sees it as strictly a business operation, opening up his own pots-and-pans factory using Jewish labor. While raking in the dough on the backs of the Jews, however, Schindler begins to see the escalating brutality of the Nazis and is eventually appalled by their treatment at the concentration camps. Thus, he creates a list of workers that he ultimately hopes to protect from the brutality.
As a history-based epic, "Schindler's List" manages to capture the essence of the moment AND yet still be subtle about it at the same time. Director Steven Spielberg strikes the perfect balance between drama and realism. The acting performance from Ralph Fiennes as the Nazi Commandant is especially shocking for its ability to depict the brutality of those camps. Essentially, this is a movie that should be shown to American high school students at least once during their education for its ability to show the true horrors of the holocaust.
Perhaps the true hallmark of the movie, though, is the character evolution of Mr. Schindler. He starts off as nothing more than a ruthless businessman, but over time (and it quite literally takes almost every minute of the film's 3+ hour runtime to come to fruition) he begins to realize not only the horrors transpiring around him, but also that he has the power (and thus the responsibility) to do something about it. To me, that was the most endearing message that I took from the overall experience.
Thus, I consider "Schindler's List" to be a masterpiece of American cinema (although, what should I have expected from Mr. Spielberg?!). It is compelling on both a historic and personal level simultaneously. Even though it is quite long, there are very few wasted moments.
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I see Schindler's List as one of those movies that everybody should watch at least once in their lifetime. It might be difficult movie for some to watch, due to how disturbing and sad it is, but it is important that the Holocaust doesn't repeat itself (those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it). It's a movie that everyone at the high school I went to views before they graduate, and I hope that there are many more schools that do the same.The fact that the film is in black and white (for the most part) really draws the mood of the movie; sad and somber. If Spielberg filmed it in color, I do not think the mood would have been captured as well. Schindler's list while sad tells the incredible story of how one man stood up to one of the most evil regimes in world history and did what was right. Saved lives. I won't get into how he made money off it it, because it's not as important as saving the lives of innocent people. Once again I hope this is a film everybody sees at least once in their life. Taking a class about the Holocaust in high school, I became an advocate in hoping people take tie to learn about the Holocaust so such horrific event never occur again and watching Schindler's list is a piece to that puzzle.
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Shindler's List is not for the faint of heart yet it is a movie everyone should see. Whether Mr. Speilburg makes a commentary on his work or not doesn't make any difference to me. What he has done is tell a story of one man who although a scoundrel in his ways, was a man who was not afraid of his inner heart. A man who with the world around him standing by watching people being murdered, people being shipped off to be murdered, was brave enough to do all he possibly could to save human lives. A real hero, if I may say. The film is graphic certainly but it is truthfully graphic...the way it should be. Openly honest. Sadly there are still people who claim the Holocaust never happened. How or why they can say that is beyond me. Millions died...because they were Jewish...or Russian...or Polish...or Gypsies...of French....or Dutch....or Hungarian....yet non beleivers still say it never happened. I see a little child in a red coat walking along among the crowds being forced to their deaths and know it happened...over and over again. This movie is a masterpiece of epic proportions! Thank you Mr. Spielburg and all the actors who worked on this greatest story ever told!Want Schindler's List (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (1993) Discount?
"Schindler's List" is a difficult movie to watch. I can't say it's something you want to repeatedly view for entertainment because it's so tragic and downright depressing. The last time I watched it was in 1993. If it wasn't for the release of the movie on Blu-ray for its 20th anniversary, I quite possibly would've never seen the film again. All that being said, I'm glad I did. It was a reminder of the unspeakable events that unfolded during World War II and how easily they can happen.Oskar Schindler is an industrial businessman and member of the Nazi Party. He uses his factory as a means of employing Jews and keeping them from being sent to the concentration camps. As he continues his crusade to save as many Jews as he can, he comes dangerously close to having his true intentions discovered by the Nazi officials he must act like he's aligned with.
To say "Schindler's List" is one of the most important films of the 1990s would be an understatement. It's quite possibly one of the most significant ones of the entire 20th century. It captures the best of both worlds when it comes to filmmaking. Director Steven Spielberg used all the modern tools at his disposal and crafted a movie that looks timeless and will never be considered irrelevant in any decade to come.
The movie is as graphic as the subject matter demands it to be. The atrocities committed by the Nazis against the Jews need to be seen to pound home the horrific acts they unleashed upon them. Is it a bit too much for some people to see? Of course it is. If you think seeing it onscreen is tough, just think about how it was to live it.
My only problem with "Schindler's List" is its scenes of sexuality. They are a distraction from the real purpose of the movie and give parents a reason to not allow their teenagers to view it. In a nutshell, they limit the amount of people who will be exposed to the movie.
I completely understand the nudity when it comes to the Jews having to strip down naked and run around the camp. This shows the sort of humiliation they were put through and helps the audience identify with it. There's absolutely nothing sexy or sensual about that.
The 20th Anniversary Blu-ray edition of "Schindler's List" was painstakingly restored and supervised by Steven Spielberg. The audio and video transfers are absolutely flawless. The picture is black and white with tiny splashes of color here and there throughout. The 5.1 surround sound uses the quiet of hiding and the noisy chaos of the Ghetto and concentration camps to properly put audiences in the middle of the circumstances unfolding on film.
The special features for the Blu-ray version of "Schindler's List" will probably disappoint most consumers. There's a 77-minute documentary entitled "Voices from the List" in which director Steven Spielberg interviews Holocaust survivors and their descendants. He also shares background on the organization he founded through the 5-minute featurette "USC Shoah Foundation Story with Steven Spielberg." A promotional spot for the online application IWitness is also included.
"Schindler's List" will go down in history as one of the most important films ever released in all of human history. Thanks to its cinematography and classic black and white format, it maintains a timeless feel that will serve it well in the decades to come. It is a welcome and essential addition to every home entertainment library.
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