Schindler's List

So, here it is. I finally gathered the courage, mustered all my mental strength, and carved out three hours of free time, because those three things are necessary to watch Schindler’s List. As many have said, I probably wouldn’t have believed that Hollywood could make a film with such depth, but when Spielberg takes on a project, anything seems possible. While watching the film, I found myself thinking countless times that I was watching a documentary because everything feels so harsh, chilling, realistic, and believable that it doesn’t even seem like it could be a movie. Spielberg is a true magician, and with the black-and-white filter, he created the most chilling piece of work in history. As for the two lead roles, it’s not enough to say the actors played them perfectly—they portrayed them in an almost otherworldly way. Neeson, in the role of Schindler, gave the best performance of his life (I’ve heard that his character is quite altered and idealized, but that doesn’t bother me in the slightest), but Fiennes delivered an absolute masterclass. There were moments where his character’s actions made me feel physically sick. Some scenes are so overwhelming in their atmosphere that I now understand why Spielberg had to watch a comedy series during filming to clear his mind. Even though most people know what happened during World War II, they should still watch this film. It’s not just an incredible movie—it’s a must. I give it 96%. (08/28/2017)

If there is one single example of a film that is both excellent and thematically important, it is Schindler's List. Where else could you feel the indescribable horror and shame of the human deeds you have just seen, photographed in the most horrifying but at the same time most beautiful black and white composition imaginable? The scene with the little girl in the red coat, walking as a symbol of colourful innocence through pure hell, is probably the most powerful I have ever seen in a film, and it brings tears to my eyes every time; and even if it was the only one in the whole movie, I'd still never get this film out of my head – but it's not, not even close. Masterpiece. (05/05/2018)

Someone once described Schindler's List as the building block of Holocaust film history. Its influence confirms this, of course. Nicky's Family is not the only project that has taken inspiration from it almost literally, as Steven Spielberg simply chose to speak a universal language for academics and ordinary people alike. (10/15/2022)

Spielberg's sensitive precision, Williams's music, Kaminsky's cinematography, Neeson's eyes, Fiennes's villain, Kingsley's everything, the little girl in the red dress walking through the black and white film... An unforgettable story. PS: Finally seen in the cinema on the occasion of the 25th anniversary. Indescribable experience. (01/15/2008)

I am sure I will only repeat what has been said many times about this immortal work of Steven Spielberg. For me, the film is actually perfect in every way. When strong emotions come, they do so without the need for manipulation, though of course it’s clear that given the subject matter, Spielberg had it easier in this respect at least – there is simply no emotional manipulation here either, we are "merely" being provided with the facts and it is up to each viewer how they can absorb these ancient facts or how the film ultimately affects them (how emotionally). In making Schindler's List, Steven Spielberg not only fulfilled his duty to the Jewish population, but also his duty to the entire world in ensuring that all generations of all nations are educated and informed about what man was capable of in the 1940s – both the most monstrous and the most noble. I waged an internal battle with the character of Oskar Schindler (the phenomenal Liam Neeson) for most of the film, and couldn't quite pin down his character or discern his intentions up until a certain point. The very respectable running time, in which there is not a single dead spot, gives a great amount of space to identify with the characters, their fates, and the fate they had to involuntarily accept. It's hard to say what Schindler's List would have been without Spielberg's evocative direction, likewise what it would have been without Zaillian's excellent screenplay, Williams' perfectly pitched soundtrack, or Janusz Kamiński's flawless cinematography. And did you notice that throughout the entire film, not once does the word "leader" appear in any language? (08/06/2011)