Schindler's List

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)

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)

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)

When Steven Spielberg puts forward his most fundamental mental dilemma alongside his opinions and beliefs, nothing can arise but the strongest and extra tasty cinematic coffee and his intellectual peak. While Schindler's transformation from an ordinary citizen to an unstoppable advocate for all neighbors gains intensity perhaps a bit inconspicuously, during the grand scenes and perfectly credible streams of thoughts from the mouths of the main characters, it becomes all the more emphatic. A truly unique and irreplicable work in its own way, in every aspect. (12/30/2005)

What can I write about this film if I don’t want to just dryly pull out all of the superlatives and assign them to every single component of its filmmaking? Welles had Citizen Kane, Coppola The Godfather, Kubrick A Space Odyssey and Spielberg has Schindler’s List. Portrayed by Ralph Fiennes, Amon Goeth is the personification of the collapse of the human spirit responsible for the greatest tragedy in our history. John Williams’s score is the pinnacle of contemporary film music, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski is an idol to me as a lover of black-and-white composition and the extermination of the Krakow ghetto is one of the most horrifying scenes that I have ever witnessed in a film. With Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg fulfilled the purpose for which he became a director. And I would love to frame every shot from it and I wish that I could turn back time and prevent the events on which it is based. (05/27/2002)