Schindler's List - 25th Anniversary Edition [4K UHD + Blu-ray]

Schindler’s List by Steven Spielberg is an amazing film and may be one of my favorite movies of all time centered around this time period. The way in which the movie portrays the Jewish people and the rampant antisemetic behavior that had engulfed much of Europe was done in a very mature and respectful way and made sure that everything in the film was accurate to a certain degree. Schindler’s List was clearly made with the sole purpose to draw more attention to the Holocaust and capture the very real experiences that many of the Jewish people had during that event. Schindler’s List center’s around a single man, Oskar Schindler, who is an up and coming entrepreneur who believes at first that he will be successful if he manufactures and sells tangible items such as pots and pans to be circulated in the Jewish ghettos. He hires an accountant by the name of Izhak Stern who is Jewish to, in a sense, run the company for Schindler. While managing this company, Stern hires only Jews to work at the manufacturing company and in doing so, avoids their deaths in concentration camps under the assumption that all of the Jewish people hired are, “essential workers.” Eventually, the Jewish people are moved out of the ghettos and into labor camps where they are forced to work without pay for the Nazis lest they will be killed. On top of this, the living conditions of the Jewish people in the labor camps is absolutely inhumane with the people not being given adequate food and water as well as being forced to work for many hours straight without being given a break. Oskar Schindler sees the atrocities that are occurring within these labor camps and hears of what goes on in Auschwitz and he decides that the best thing that he should do is to hire as many of the Jewish people as he can and put them on his list so that they will not be killed in Auschwitz including Izhak Stern who helps him put his plan into fruition. Schindler bribed a multitude of Nazi elites whom he had already a good relationship with to maximize the amount of Jewish people he could prevent from dying. In the end, Schindler saved around 1100 Jews, most of which have living descendants today.The practice of Judaism as a religion only occurs a handful of times around the film: the beginning where a group of Jewish people say a prayer around candles, a few Jewish items such as a menorah are seen in the background of the homes of Jews before they are thrown out, a man practicing Tefillin, some Jewish people that work for Schindler observing Shabbat, and a reciting of Mourner’s Kaddish towards the end. While it may seem like a lot listed out, given the length of the film, these moments are few and far between. What the audience does get a good understanding of when it comes to Judaism, is the sense of community and oneness between the Jewish people. That bit I feel is really important, that even under persecution, the Jewish people are still very concerned with helping each other out because that’s who they are. This film does an amazing job with showing that even though they aren’t related by blood, Jewish people will still look out for each other and care for one another as though they are family, because in a sense, they are.

All these descriptions fit Oskar Schindler, who saved 1100 Polish Jews from the Auschwitz ovens during the second World War.Before we get into a critique of the 20th Anniversary DVD of the 1993 movie, let's deal a bit in fact and fiction.Fiction: In his overly-sentimental, romantic way, director Steven Spielberg fudges some facts of the way the list developed and deals in some fantasies about the man Schindler himself.Fact: If you want a realistic account of the man Oskar Schindler and his wife Emile Schindler (whose role in all of this got short shrift from Spielberg in the movie) you should read the book: "Oskar Schindler: The Untold Account....................." by David Crowe. Crowe deals with the real Schindler and the real source of the list, plus Mrs. Schindler's outstanding role in affairs, both during and after the war.And now to a critique of the 20th Anniversary DVD movie.In the movie, Spielberg creates a legend of the saviour, Oskar Schindler, because he deserves it. (Schindler is portrayed by Liam Neeson.) The movie is shot in black and white without the brilliance of colour so that our sense of the stark, heart-rending facts are not diverted by our sense of colour. Only one scene shows any colour whatsoever, at the time the Krakow ghetto was being violently cleared out. A beautiful little girl is trotting along the side of the people being cruelly evacuated. Her coat is coloured red. This is a symbol of the blood shed on all of the innocents. The girl herself, although appearing as an innocent child just trotting along unknowingly, proves not to be that unknowing. She goes into a vacated apartment building, ascending to the top apartment, and hides under a bed. The innocence of the girl, then the knowledge of her destination, makes this a chilling scene.Oskar Schindler was born in Brinnlitz,, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) just south of the Polish border. When the war broke out (September 1, 1939) and the Germans overran Poland, he made his way to Krakow, Poland, and opened a business which produced pots and pans and cutlery, his market being the German forces. In order to achieve his market,he goes through a lot of bribery with black market goods for the German higher-ups, a lot of procurement of willing women for them, a lot of orgies, a lot of bottles of excellent wines, and the procurement of other rare goods only available through the black market.After the Germans send residents of the Krakow ghetto to be gassed systematically in the death camp, Auschwitz, those still fit to work are sent to a concentration camp set up at Plawitz. The overseer is the sadistic Armon Goeth, who has a villa built on a hill above the camp and just for fun, sits up there on his balcony, randomly shooting unsuspecting Jewish interns walking around the camp. Following the war, Goeth was hung for war crimes. But while he was commandant, his greatest enjoyment - other than attending Oskar's orgiastic drunken parties - was random shooting of Jew, and/or beating up his Jewish maid.When the Germans were losing, with the Russians advancing from the East and the Allies advancing from the West, the concentration camp was closed down and all workers sent to Auschwitz. These were meant to include the Schindler Jews, who lived in the camp and worked at the Schindler factory during the day.Schindler and his erstwhile Jewish accountant, Isaac Stern, make up a list of all the workers in his factory, and include Goeth's maid. With a lot of bribing, Schindler gets his Jewish work force sent to him. However, through a cruel twist of fate, the women, in a separate train from the men, are sent to Auschwitz. Just as the Marines save the community at the last moment, Schindler, through more bribing (this time with diamonds) gets the women out of there and sent back to his factory. But because of the retreat of the Germans, Schindler's business is to be liquidated.So he returns to his home town of Brinnlitz, Czechoslovakia, and opens a plant there, producing munitions for the Germans. He is aware that the war is nearly over and tells Isaac Stern that if the plant ever produces ammunition, he will be sadly disappointed. At this point, Mrs. Schindler reappears in his life (she had left because he wouldn't give up his womanizing), a clinic is opened for the ill, and she does outstanding work in it (which is only alluded to in the movie).You'll want to see what happens to Schindler and the workers once the war ends and the Jews reward him in their everlasting gratitude.Oskar Schindler is saviour and hero to the 1100 survivors and, in 1993, their 6,000 descendants. This DVD includes interviews with some of those survivors, which is a feature which should not be missed.The very end of the movie switches to full colour. Scene: Israel; Oskar Schindler's grave; a parade to put a stone on his grave (an honour) by some of the 1100 whose lives were alluded to in the movie. Emile Schindler is there. The widow of Isaac Stern is there, accompanied by Ben Kingsley, who brilliantly portrays Isaac Stern in the movie. At the end of this scene, a tall, bearded shadow of a man places two roses on Schindler's grave. It is Steven Spielberg.If this scene does not bring tears to your eyes nothing ever will.I gave this movie five stars since the movie in itself is brilliant, one of the greats of all time. Through the story of the Krakow ghetto and the Schindler Jews (as they called themselves) Steven Spielberg presents a brilliant microcosm of the macrocosm of Jewish suffering at the hands of the Germans during the second World War. The elimination of six million Jews was the result of technology gone stark raving mad, the evil vision of one madmen which infected a whole nation.And Schindler, a deeply flawed human being, was still and always will be, a saviour.

First film I've ever seen that made me tear up at the end and actually feel proud about it. Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Sir Ben Kingsley literally brought down the house. The perfect film for an era where our world clearly needs more ANTi-anti-semitism.

VERY NICE

good flic

Perfectly done. It should be shown in every school in the nation.

I'm glad this film was made its not perfect but it's an incredibly powerful piece of both art and a retelling of vital history. May those killed in the holocaust never be forgotten.

1993年作、スピルバーグ監督念願の作品･監督･脚本賞等のアカデミー賞7部門授賞、今も米国映画歴代ランキングTOP10の常連に評される名作中の名作。ナチスドイツ占領下のポーランドでのユダヤ人に対するホロコーストを背景に、戦争用調理器具生産工場を立ち上げ、安価な労働力確保を口実に凡そ1100名のユダヤ人をアウシュビッツ送りから救った実在のドイツ人オスカー･シンドラーを描いた感動の名作。ほぼ100％白黒作品だが、直ぐに気にならなくなる。流血や虐殺シーンのショックを和らげ、より多くの方に観て貰える事を狙ったのだろうが、それ以上に人々の表情の陰影を際立たせるのに役立っている。カラーはジャケットにもある赤い服や現代シーン等に限定され、生命の象徴として扱われている。私がリーアム･ニーソンに興味を持ったのは、このシンドラー役を観てからで、タフで強欲な実業家を演じる仮面と、人道主義に目覚めた後の表情とのギャップに惹かれた。実は意外なことに本作は落涙を撮ったシーンは殆ど無い。ユダヤ人が恐怖と絶望の淵で何とか精神的破綻から免れる為には、虚無感と無抵抗しか出来なかったのが痛切に響く。それだけにラストシーンに哭かないなど土台無理だ。現代へと受け継がれる余りにも美しい光景に自然に魂が震えるのだ。シンドラーの片腕である会計士イザックシュターン役のベン･キングズレーの献身的で抑えの効いた演技や、収容所長アーモン･ゲート役レイフ･ファインズの狂気を忍ばせた演技はどちらも迫真で素晴らしい。長尺三時間もの全編を通して戦闘場面等が一切無い、純人間ドラマでここまで集中出来る映画は稀有だが、まさに撮影、演技、脚本の完成度が為せる業だ。人間が人間に対してどうして此処まで残虐になれるのか、無抵抗な市民や無垢な子供達をどうして簡単に殺せるのか、史実なだけに人類の抱える深い闇に戦慄する。終戦の報に接して、悪い夢から醒めたかの様なドイツ軍の将校や兵士の表情にも本作の一つの狙いがある。親衛隊に支配された国家の狂気に抵抗する事は想像するより難しい。史実を通じて人間の持つ本源的なリスクを知ることこそ、本作を出来るだけ多くの現代人に観て欲しいと思う所以だ。現イスラエルに｢正義の人｣と冠されるドイツのシンドラーと日本の杉原千畝は心に刻むべき男達だ。完璧な吹替で恐ろしくリアルな戦時世界を体感出来る歴史的傑作のBlu-rayは実態☆6。未見の皆さんに心よりお薦めします。

Schindler's List is so overwhelming, such a dramatic, deeply researched, accurate historical story that it is almost beyond review. It is almost a presumption to comment on this superb evocation - no, harrowing experience - of the Holocaust. Did you know thatSpielberg lost relatives at Auschwitz, that he felt obliged to make the film, that he accepted no payment for his brilliant andno doubt traumatising work?Absolutely essential viewing for everyone who has never been through war, nor experienced the horrors of arbitrary tyranny.This is far beyond art or entertainment , this is a labour of love, a plea for such things not to happen again, an educationalFEELING insight, in fact a spiritual experience. Of course it must be seen, several times, it shakes up one's whole being.Brilliant performances from Liam Neeson (Schndler), Ben Kingsley , and above all Ralph Fiennes as the cruel, lost andtormented camp commandant. An ode to the vagraries of life, the Nazi exploiter gets angry and becomes a hero, the evilcommandant starts to question his Nazi indoctrination under Schindler's influence, the inmates just cannot believe - even in amuderous Nazi labour camp what is related of Auschwitz, the sheer horror of the supposed superior SS hierarchy corrupt andbribable to the core.Outstanding inciidents one could quote are everywhere. Schindler's manouvering and manipulations - for good ends. His rescue of hisprotegés' children from the SS at Auschwitz - "see, little hands, not useless at all, essential to polish the inside of our shells", hisstrong reprimand to Ben Kinsley for forgetting his pass & getting himself into the death wagons - and wasting Schindler's timerescuing him, the sheer humanity of Schindler causing water to be sprayed onto the wagons in the hot sun & making himself thebutt of SS laughter. The man was a total hero, as we can all be at the right place & time, but did you know that he was also a failurein real life & business? Fortunately he was always bailed out by the Jewish friends he had so nobly saved - at such financial, emotional,and exhausting cost to himself.The final scene where we move to to-day and into colour completes an absolute masterpiece. If I were Spielberg,I would rest my casebefore God with this one film, feeling I justified my life, served and educated. Five stars is too little. because this film transcends theseventh art completely and takes us right out into life & makes us reflect why we are here and have we done enough with our lives.

This Blu-Ray disc is an HD transfer of the DVD version. It contains the three-hour movie and various documentaries about the film from the time of the original DVD release (late 1990s).Regularly voted one of the greatest films of all time and certainly this is one of the most important films of the late 20th Century.Spielberg often attracts rather harsh and unjustifiable criticism, as being emotional and sentimental and producing low-brow films. Schindler’s List is sometimes condemned as being over-indulgent, deliberately manipulative and historically inaccurate. I sometimes fear there are rather unpleasant overtones in this, linked to the director’s Jewishness. Spielberg can get a hard press in Hollywood – it seems that producing very well crafted films, that have huge popular appeal (Jaws, ET, Jurassic Park, Colour Purple) is simply not good enough. Many of his early films were populist for sure and perhaps not at the intellectual cutting edge but I found them immensely entertaining. But with Schindler’s List, the Academy Award committee had to sit up and take note.Schindler’s List propelled Spielberg’s filmmaking in another direction, mores serious, more poignant and more relevant. There are some historical inaccuracies for sure but maintaining the strength of the narrative for three hours is a remarkable achievement in a film. It was a hugely important film to make, and clearly a personal journey for Spielberg. The strength of its message is central. The Holocaust has been poured over and analysed and has seen innumerable fictional and documentary film productions over seven decades. To tackle it in an original and engaging way was Spielberg’s masterful achievement and the film, 24 years later, remains his crowning glory.The acting is superb. Neeson, Kingsley and Fiennes excel in the central roles. The cinematography is crucial – you have the impression of looking in as an outsider on real events. The score adds to the poignancy. The closing sequences – Schindler saying goodbye to his workers at the factory and then the cut to modern-day Israel and the parade of the surviving Schindler Jews (placing stones on his grave) is one of the most powerful in any film.

I always knew I needed to add Schindler's List to my collection one day, I also know that I will always be deeply effected when I will return to this film - always. I had read the book but the whole process Steven Spielberg uses to bring a brutal reality to the story packs a punch to the gut, because I may read the authors words but Spielberg makes you witness the horror and does not water it down.For me there is a voice in my head reminding me constantly that this is not fiction and the inhumane and utter terror of the camps, the commander Amon Göth performed by Ralph Fiennes (he won a BAFTA and nominated for an Academy Award) was pure evil, he must of been a psychopath. Ralph Fiennes in costume and mannerisms was so alike of Göth that When Płaszów survivor Mila Pfefferberg was introduced to him she physically shookThe other actor Liam Neeson also stood out playing Schindler, he didn't idolise the man, he made him into the also flawed human Schindler was... but he did portray him as the human who did achieve a moral compass and was a man prepared to make a difference. Neeson's scenes at the end of the film was so compelling and emotional... I was in floods of tears...The only disappointment for me was the special features were a let down. If you are looking for more in depth extras there are special editions which I wish I had now purchased.The last comment for me is that this film should be part of a child's education... we must show our children how humans can dehumanise each other so easily, how one of the most intelligent nations of the world could be turned into bigots and assassins. And there is still ethnic cleansing in modern times, and still racism for the Jewish population.

We all know this film it's inspirational - What is a must watch is the Bonus part that explains so very much and really gives you an insight into what was happening at that time, why and how; amidst the evil around, one man was unaffected by it and did something utterly amazing when the majority were swept along by the evil allowing what happened by a combination of passive indifference and a historic hatred of a group of people. It's unimaginable that it could happen - but it is still happening!