Schindler's List

Schindler's List The film Schindler's list directed by Steven Spielberg based on Thomas

Keneally's Schindler's Arks tells the story of an entrepreneur and

womaniser Oscar Schindler. Schindler uses the war to his gain by

exploiting cheap Jewish labour to run his factory with dreams of

earning "steamer trunks" full of money who with the twist of fate ends

up saving the lives of 1100 Jews by bribing the Nazi with all his

assets during one of the darkest period of history, the Holocaust.

Although the film is based on a true story, it does get pampered with

some Hollywood treatment to highlight Schindler's hero status, this

makes us the audience feel strongly about the tragic mass murders of

the Holocaust. Spielberg uses a wide range of filming techniques to

manipulate us the viewers. He mixes facts with emotion created by the

focus on individuals and the documentary styling evident through on

screen captions and use of handheld cameras. Throughout the film the

question "What a person is worth?" is raised. During the end of the

film it's argued, "whoever saves one life, saves the world entire".

One of the techniques used by Spielberg is documentary styling. During

the film captions such as "September 1939 - The German forces defeat

the Polish army in two weeks" appear on screen. This sets the scene

and contributes to emphasising that the film is a true story and the

events in it really took place. The events in the film such as the

liquidation of the ghettos are positioned in a historically accurate

timeline. Every key event has a caption providing th...

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...ences the audience strongly by displaying the

authenticity and tragedy of the Holocaust to them through the use of

numerous strategies implemented into the film by Spielberg. These

strategies heighten the emotions we experience and make us feel

sympathetic towards the Jews. The documentary styling shown through

captions and use of handheld cameras is one of many examples of the

efforts made to make the film seem a true story and authentic.

Spielberg's story of the Holocaust has strong impact on us and steers

our opinion in favour of the Jews that died in the Holocaust through

the use of many technical and non-technical film making techniques and

strategies. It is clearly displayed that one person can make a

difference. By saving 1100 Jews Schindler ensured generation and

displayed the sheer power of a sympathetic mind.