Sorry for the delay, to make it up to you all I will be putting out another double post, tomorrow and Friday, for number 7 on the list, this will not replace the weekend one, it is more of an aplogy for the delay, all will be explained in the next post, but for now lets get on with number 6 of 250Schindlers List [1993].
In Poland during World War II, Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis. Taken from IMDb
Directed by the mastermind that is Steven Spielberg, a director I am sure will return in this list as we progress through. The film is a prime example of the directors versatility, he is able to produce monumental blockbuster such as Jaws [1975], E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial[1982], Jurassic Park [1993] and the list goes on. He also creates Oscar worth films such as Saving Private Ryan [1998] and the one I will talk about today Schindlers List. I have seen more of his blockbuster, yet with this list, I look forward to explore more of the directors work, and what a place to begin.
The film has been praised byHolocaust survivors for its historical accuracy, the story of Oskar Schindler is an incredible one, and one I wasnt aware about until watching this film, but now I am intrigued to find out more. This is a great example of what film can do,a form to tell stories that reach a larger audience then texts.
The symbolic use of colour illustrates the horrid times of the war. The majority of the film is shot in black and white, with colour only being seen at the beginning and end of the film. Colour in the film becomes associated with the idea of life, as in the beginning a candle is seen lit, this is before the war, the candle is blown out and the colour is removed to demonstrate that the war has begun and the lifes of the jews, or control of at least has also been removed. When Schindlers Jews are released, the colour comes back, emphasising the idea that colour represents life, as they have regained theirs and are going to start a new ones.
Schindler, played by Liam Neeson, is a dynamic character, he goes through a long arc, from a man with lack of interest to others, to a caring man and savior, which leaves us questioning how we feel about him, what adds to this, is the fact he was a real person. There is even a part of dialogue in which the character refers to his negative attitudes, a Nazi criminal, profiting of war and suffering, yet the film film displays his compassion to the Jews, going out of his way to save as many as he can by creating his list and breaking down because he could not have saved more. You could look at his motivates and debate that it is an ego thing, but the film showcases plenty of scenes dedicated to highlighting Oskar compassion, this could mean his motivate is pure in the fact he just didnt want to see others suffer.The real Oskar never revealed his motivations so it is always going to be up for debate, but what is notis the great effect that his actions caused.
Now I have reached my word limit that I set on myself, before I go just wanted to point out what a performance by Liam Neeson, the transformation he goes through with his performance, helped me see Oskar Schindler and not that guy from Taken.
Thanks for reading
Fraser Somers Film and Television Student