Schindler's List (1993) Dir: Steven Spielberg
Instagram post:
Without a doubt, this is one of the most famous films of all time. It is known for its brutal and harrowing telling of events and intensely emotional scenes.
Director Steven Spielberg adapted the film from Thomas Keneally's 1982 Booker Prize-winning book; 'Schindler's Ark', which is a work of biographical fiction.
Whilst the majority of events in the film are accurate to the true historical happenings, there are inevitably, a few liberties, though nothing egregious.
The soundtrack is composed by John Williams, whose emotional and impactful score emphasises each new horror that the characters of the film go through.
At 3 hours and 15 minutes, it is most definitely a long film, but if you are prepared to invest your time, you will find yourself sucked into the story and taken on an emotionally battering journey - in a good way, if there is such a thing.
Liam Neeson gives the best performance I have ever seen from him. He portrays his character's development with subtlety and poise, and allows his performance to grow, until his climactic moment, which he executes in an immensely powerful manner.
Ralph Fiennes has a knack for making villains absolutely terrifying, and this film is no different. The way he shows so much with his facial expressions and the sudden bursts of energy are truly something to behold. I was genuinely tense watching his scenes.
Ben Kingsley is an actor who isn't always given his props, and perhaps with reason on occasion, but he certainly deserves credit here. He is emotive, he is sensitive and he illicits an endearing humanity that lacks in so much of the story.
I'd also like to give credit to every actor who played a Jewish or Polish character throughout the film - they were incredibly believable and served their purpose in making the story hit even more emphatically than it already would have done.
Overall, this must be considered as one of Steven Spielberg's greatest creations, which is quite some feat for a man who has made some of the best films of all time. While it is by no means a happy film, it is essential viewing for lovers of cinema and Spielberg.
Comments