Not only has Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning 1993 Holocaust drama retained its dramatic power in illustrating the horrors of the Nazi "final solution" and the systematic extermination of six million Jews and other victimized ethnic groups during World War II, but since its release the film has become one of the most powerful cinematic tools available to promote Holocaust awareness. Liam Neeson moves from greedy self-interest to heartbreaking generosity and humanity in the title role of Oskar Schindler, a Nazi party member and wartime profiteer who saved 1,100 Jews in Holocaust-torn Poland, employing them in his lucrative enamelware factory so they could be spared from the gas rooms and ovens of the concentration camps. As the Jewish accountant who guides Schindler's emerging conscience, Ben Kingsley is equally moving, while Ralph Fiennes is unforgettably evil as the murderous Nazi commandant Amon Goeth. Spielberg's direction (foregoing all the storyboarding and planning of his summertime blockbusters in favor of on-the-spot filmmaking) is immediate, inspired, and riveting in its unflinching authenticity. But for all its enduring narrative power, Schindler's List serves an even higher purpose in its worthy promotion of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, founded by Spielberg with a mission to 'overcome prejudice, intolerance, and bigotry--and the suffering they cause--through the educational use of the Foundation's visual history testimonies." Boasting superb image and sound, the DVD's extras include the feature documentary "Voices from the List" and "The Shoah Foundation Story" featurette, both of which are dramatic reminders that the Holocaust will continue to haunt us for generations to come. To hear some of the 52,000 survivor testimonies that the Shoah Foundation gathered from 1994 to 1999 is to witness history afresh, and be reminded of the refrain 'never again.' Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (J. Shannon) [Blu-ray Review—Feb. 26, 2013—Universal, 3 discs, 196 min., R, $34.98—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1993's Schindler's List is presented with a superb transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Blu-ray extras are nearly identical to the DVD release, including the 'Voices from the List' documentary featuring director Steven Spielberg (77 min.), and the 'USC Shoah Foundation Story' behind-the-scenes featurette (4 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are an 'About iWitness' educational program promo (4 min.), and bonus digital and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: Spielberg's powerful Oscar winner makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.] [4K Review—Jan. 15, 2019—Universal, 196 min., R, 4K: $29.99—Making its debut on 4K, 1993’s Schindler’s List features a superb transfer and a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Extras include the feature-length documentary 'Voices from the List' (77 min.), a '25 Years Later' retrospective (40 min.), a 'USC Shoah Foundation Story' segment with director Steven Spielberg' (5 min.), the testimony segments 'Let Their Testimonies Speak: Stronger Than Hate' (4 min.) and 'About IWitness' (4 min.), and Blu-ray and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: Spielberg’s powerful Holocaust classic is luminous—albeit heartbreaking—in 4K.]
This title is included in our article on teaching historical and current events using film