Review of Schindler's List (1993) by Chris K — 16 Mar 2013

This is one of the most challenging films to review. Not because it's complex or difficult to follow, but because it is quite simply one of the most intense films I have ever seen and the level of emotion is...quite unlike most movies of today.

Widely considered Steven Spielberg's crowning achievement, Schindler's List is a powerful, utterly devastating and raw glimpse at the horrors of the Holocaust. It's also a profound character epic, transforming a man who prides himself on leisure and his bountiful fortune into one who sacrifices it all to save the lives of many.

The first element of note is the phenomenal cast. Liam Neeson leads as Oskar Schindler, and is tremendous. A real, raw, and emotional performance. Ben Kingsley plays Itzhak Stern, a troubled Jewish accountant who helps Schindler in his character transformation. His performance is also incredibly genuine, ever representing some of the best casting in film. Rounding out the fantastic cast is Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth, a sadistic psychopath with nothing but hate for the Jewish people. It's an awesome cast that carries emotional weight and intensity, but written with that signature Spielbergian style.

Right off the bat, you can also see the Schindler's List is in black and white. This visual style is striking and refreshing and adjusting to it is remarkably easy. The way the film is shot is more intimate and personal as compared to other Spielberg outings, and the black and white really augments the experience. The sets are recreated with such incredible attention to detail; Everything from the Ghetto at Krakow to the terribly disturbing Auschwitz, Spielberg simply doesn't take you to these places but puts you in them, creating a sense of tangible immersion in these places. John Williams also composed the score for Shindler's List, and is among one of his most original works to date. Straying away from the big and boisterous action packed scores he usually composes, the score for Schindler's List is a more subtle and emotional score, and I was taken away by the beautiful music (the theme is especially memorable).

Being a Holocaust film, Schindler's List has no shortage of intense grit and violence. It's worthy of note because of the brutality of it all, recreating some of the darkest moments of human history with nothing held back. I cried more than a few times during Schindler's List because of these scenes; it's so emotionally poignant and it gets the point across with almost blistering intensity, and if not for the transformation of Schindler the entire film would fall apart. But because of the striking visuals, intimate and strong performances, and that Spielbrgian branded style, Schindler's List shines as a near-perfect balance between intense violence and story.

I will say that Schindler's initial transformation seems rather sudden, but when between the rock and the hard place that Oskar Shindler was in I can see his change of heart. Other than this seemingly dramatic change of character, This film is a masterpiece.

It's all just so incredibly disturbing, powerful, emotional, intense, and violent that Schindler's List becomes ingrained into your mind. And that's a good thing. While all films that win Best Picture are credible in their own right, I can safely say that Schindler's List rises above most for one simple reason: Schindler's List is an important film. In a time when people are denying the Holocaust even happened (for some foolish reason), Schindler's List is a graphic and raw recreation of an event in history that should never be forgotten. Brilliantly casted, well conceived, directed, shot and tremendously powerful Schindler's List is a masterpiece film that, now in 2013, has stood the test of time and will undoubtably remain a classic for ages to come.

Blu-Ray Review: Picture quality is surprisingly good, with only one or two moments with obvious visual flaw. The audio is as good as it can be. It isn't laser sharp, but isn't distracting either. In terms of a remaster it's awesome. The packaging is in a nice collectable box, and a 3 disc set (2 DVD's - parts 1&2) and 1 Blu-Ray. Digital Copy included is both iTunes (gladly it's HD) and UV.

5/5 - A classic.