Schindler's List

It was 1971 when there was a big change in the life of Steven Spielberg. Due to the movie "Duel", filmed for television, Spielberg showed the ease with which he could maintain the viewer's attention and made ​​himself known as a leading man when it comes to science fiction themes. Four years later he released "Jaws", movie that opened him the doors of Hollywood, placing him away from the rest of the average directors and showing some vestiges of what would become his future works. The ease in which he handled the adventure genre led him to produce works that turned into  blockbusters, such as "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "ET" and the trilogy  of "Indiana Jones".

Because of this, Spielberg’s name turned into a synonymous of entertainment, so much that no one would have imagined that this director from Cincinnati could step put of that area with such a big success. Nevertheless, 1993 was one of the years that will be most remembered by the director. It was in this year that he revolutionized the industry of special effects on screen by reviving the extinct dinosaurs and was in this same year that he shocked the world by showing that he could also shot non sci-fi films. The Academy rewarded him by giving him the Best Director Oscar that year for "Schindler's List", after being nominated three times previously, without any victory.

"Schindler's List" is perhaps the most humane movie about the living memory of World War II. Based on a true story, Spielberg masterfully directs the life of Oskar Schindler, a man who underwent a process of difficult change, starting by making his fortune taking advantage of the war and ending rescuing hundreds of lives.

The performance of Liam Neeson, playing the role of Oskar, is remarkable. However, this is not so amazing, considering that for most of his career he delivered performances on the edge of perfection. Ben Kingsley takes the role of a Jewish accountant, Itzhak Stern, and his performance is so simple that it fills you up with the anguished realism that permeates this character: this performance eclipses his previous roles in great films like "Gandhi" (1982). Ralph Fiennes is not far away from this perfection as well; he represents the miserable Nazi soldier Amon Goeth in a particularly shocking way, showing the inhumanity of some men of the Third Reich.

But what is most striking about the performances is the amount of pain, despair and terror projected by hundreds of actors in small roles. It is impossible to forget the scenes in which children are deprived of their mothers so that they can be made part of the working men, in which these same children escape from the military paws even hiding in excrement deposits... cannot forget their faces of fear and anxiety, without even a shade of hope.

Image is a key aspect of this film, based on the book by Thomas Keneally. It contains a beautiful photography that sometimes can tear our souls with such inhuman sequences. The Ghetto parts, in which we see every corner of it, the contrast of classes and races in different scenarios, the cruelty shown in every scene and perspective; all of this poses a clean and clear image, whose movements dance to the beat of a sweet melody that maintains a precise timing the whole movie.

The black and white format to the film gives a special tone to it. The image in this state gives demarcated features of light and shadow that give life to the inert. The characters project a distinct aura that is difficult to generate when there is color. Besides, Spielberg used this format to add color to a specific scene that means a lot: the little girl in red. Due to the black and white, war scenes may be more bearable as it is not so shocking to see dark blood.

Nevertheless this is not enough to pacify the suffering that prevails. Unfortunately the pain and grief generated is so big that many people are not able to watch the movie again; but anyways, even the first time that you watch this movie has a message, has something that touches you somehow.

The film, besides having performances that would make anyone stand up and outstanding images, does also have an awesome music. John Williams, composer of big classic film franchises like "Star Wars" and "Superman", has a vast history of working hand by hand with Spielberg. In "Schindler's List", John Williams created a melody that, together with the images from the film, causes perhaps one of the deepest griefs in the history of cinema.

Memorable is the word to describe this film, which has an abysmal quality, a brilliant script with dialogues that leave the entire viewers thinking about how irrational a man can become. A film to think, to comment, to disclose. A film that can save lives ... and in words of Itzhak Stern "he who saves one life, saves the entire world."

Director: Steven Spielberg

Writers: Thomas Keneally (book), Steven Zaillian (screenplay)

Stars: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley