Sunday, December 16, 2007

Schindlers List

Schindlers List (1993)

After reading Thomas Keneallys book, Searching for Schindler I decided it was time to watch the movie again. In 1993 when it was first released, I was working in London, and went with some friends to an evening session. The people in the cinema were quiet except in some of the harrowing scenes when loud sobs escaped from many in the audience. I know that I had to hold back my own tears.

Since then, I have caught minutes of the movie when it has played on TV, but not watched the whole thing again til now. The viewing was enhanced, I think by reading Searching for Schindler first, as it explained many of the relationships and brought some of the characters into life. Bravo Mr Spielberg, I think this picture still looks fresh 14 years on.

I must say, that I was disturbed at work when one on my colleagues and I discussed some event of the second world war involving the Jews. We had a student working with us, 22 and very bright, yet she said that she knew nothing of the holocaust and very little about the second world war. After 17 years of education, it shocked me that she was so ignorant. However, in the weeks since I have thought about some of these young ones read little more than gossip magazines every week, never read non fiction, wouldn't watch any documentaries or the news. I guess for most of us oldies, we grew up watching whatever our father wanted to watch on TV (mum got the occasional vote - but not often) so in our house that was documentaries most of the time.

Maybe not the best movie for your holiday season, but definitely worth a revisit. 5/5

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