Analyze This is very funny on its first watch, while Hard Eight is an excellent neo-film noir, and Gangster No 1, although capturing its 60 feel greatly, was made for thugs, about thugs, and ultimately, BY thugs. Terry Gillam's Brazil, on the other hand, is, on a first viewing, strictly for Orwellians, and not for the average mainstream cinemagoer. Looking back, though, the impeccable delivery of the dialogue and overall concept of the film is very well delivered. Elsewhere, The Deer Hunter had an amazing rewatch, and is yet another recent addition to my ten-out-of-ten elite. Throne of Blood also got another rewatch, while Philadelphia proved to be too shortcoming in dealing with the emotional side of its issues to gain the credit it receives elsewhere.

Schindler's List
(1993/Spielberg/US)

During World War II, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), an Austrian businessman persuades the Nazis to allow Jewish slave labour in his new factory just outside of the Krakow Ghetto. To help him, he recruits Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), who in turn helps to recruit the many Jews for the factory work. Along the way, Schindler uses the money he has earned to bribe a brutal Nazi into helping him save 1,100 Jews from the concentration camps.

Whether the film is (variably, depending on the viewer) seen as interesting, accurate, vivid, emotional or powerful, one thing is adamantly certain: its brutality. As the monochrome, documentary style filming hovers around the labour camp, Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) picks at random will a helplessly doomed victim to practice his superiority over the Jews, and with shocking abruptness, the ensuing moments of violence are unrelentingly brutal. The viciousness with which the film up to and after that point is delivered is frightening in its documentary, almost fly on the wall, account of an extraordinary true story.

At three hours, the editing had to be spot on to ensure a full flowing pace, and Michael Kahn did a superb job. Although it leaves you exhausted, while it is running the film is utterly absorbing and compelling to watch. Already said earlier, it is presented almost like a documentary, summed up perfectly with the (arguably most moving) final scene, shot in colour. But because of its documentary feel, although harsh and compassionate, the film does, surprisingly, stay fiercely controlled and restrained as regards sentimentality. Only in his final scene does Neeson show the emotions involved in what he has done, and it does seem very misplaced.

Saying that, Neeson does throughout the film play the authoritative figure of Schindler with extreme conviction, and Neeson as his subordinate is fantastic as ever. Fiennes’ performance, meanwhile, is just as resounding, and he holds his own against Neeson in their scenes together with enormous strength and menace. The way he presents the character, both in physical posture (resembling the retarded stance among common Nazis) and mental presence, adding a remarkable complexity to the role.

This epic work of art is both notable in high achievement of professional excellence, but also notable as Spielberg’s coming-of-age as a director. Technically, the film rarely puts a foot wrong. From production design to cinematography to the screenplay, the film is unreservedly one of the highest achievements of the nineties, if not the highest. How Tom Hanks beat Neeson to Best Actor at the Oscars is bewildering, and of the seven Oscars the film did receive are much-deserved.

****
9/10
#32

Mick

Im glad this became your film of the week Capo.

I never thought of Neeson's final scene as misplaced and I find it to be the best sceen he has...

Ralph Finnes is phenominal in this film. He is the most menacing villan ever put on film or at least Top 3!

That scene in which Finnes is out with Schindler after the part and Schindler goes on about power and that Power is when you have every right to kill someone and you dont... And Goeth just comes out and Tells Schindler "I Pardon you". I just think that that is the best line of words he has ever spoken on film... That meancing laugh he gives that follow "I pardon you" just hit the heart...

Nice. I actually got the new DVD today. -Pat
9/10

Schindler was from Sudetenland, Mick.

Excellent choice Mick.

"Schindler's List" is a moderen classic, brilliantly acted and a quite amazing "story".

Also hats off to Spielberg for having the guts to tackle such a horrific and tragic topic as the Holocaust. For a director who so often has entertained with the medium, he has created a piece of art that informs and entertains.

This classic will be shown in history lessons all over the world in years to come.

10/10

For those of you who would like more information on the Holocaust - try here

I might get some shit for this but, while I like Schindler's List, I find it very overrated and certainly not the best picture of that year, that being The Piano, a much more emotionally resounding film, which never slips into sentimentality like Spielberg always does.

Sentimentality was seen in the end of the film when Schindler cried about how he could have done more...

That is it and it is No More that 2 and 1/2 Minutes long and I feel was needed...

I am not surprised that Spielberg failed to mention the 5 million non-jews that also died in the holocaust.

Freddy C.

Jesus Christ Man... You can do beter?

I just think Spielberg was trying to make it look like the Holocaust was strictly a Jewish tragedy.

I hate to say it, but that's a very good and true post. Maybe that's what Spielberg wanted to do though. 'The Pianist' shows a better view of how everyone suffered. -Pat

Just Steven Spielberg, man even historians themselves give the Jews more attention than ther minorities that were moved, communists, homosexuals, ascocials, and eventually even christians. The reason why I think that the Jews have been given so much attention by history, is that they particurly were treated with upmost cruelty, in comparison to the other minorities.

The thing is Schindler's List has nothing to do with the Christians, Homosexuals, blacks, etc. that were killed during the Holocaust. I think Spielberg is the most overrated director of all time next to Mr. John Ford, yet this is in my top ten best films list. The film itself is perfect, and the sentimentality works extremely well; very few wouldn't react the way Schindler did, if they were in his position (i.e. saying "I could have saved one more."). The best scene of the film is with the real Schindler Jews; it's so poignant.

Thug

I don't remeber homosexuals or Jehovas Witnises or The Other Groups that were persecuted by the Nazis being displayed in the film....

The Jews, Germans, people hiding the Jews, and friends of the Jews who had to flee.
Schindler's List is strictly Jews. -Pat