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Schindler's List Reaction! (Patreon)

Published:
2024-04-01 18:57:57
Imported:
2026-06
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Files

Schindler's List (1993) - Sesskasays

Download Edit (4.7 GB) Edited Reaction Alongside the regular multi-part full, you now have the option of watching an edited version of the full movie reaction with 10-15mins of Picture-in-Picture. You can watch this edit

Comments

Ryan

I hope you'll understand when I say I don't know if I'll ever watch this one. I did watch the introduction where you laid it out quite nicely yourself. It can be hard enough watching the raw emotion you so easily reach when it's about something fictional, and with this I'll have to do some serious mental preparation before I can even begin considering it. Spielberg himself was very reluctant to take on the responsibility of telling this story, and only bit the bullet when Holocaust denial started becoming worryingly trendy and he decided he needed to do his part to fight it (Gene Siskel noted this in his review, which he started with "I need to say something to Steven Spielberg both as a film critic and as a Jew: Bless you."). John Williams also said he wasn't at all qualified for it, to which Spielberg famously said "I know, but all the better choices are dead." He quite naturally still considers it the best, most important work of his career, and it's been quite a relief seeing it emerge from the hipster hatred it suffered under for so long around the time I first saw it in high school. It played a big role in introducing Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes to a wider audience outside their home countries (though rather amusingly, another major contender to play Schindler was Bruno Ganz, now best known for his much-memed performance as Hitler in Downfall, the one who rants about nerdy stuff while throwing pencils at a map), to which we owe so many great performances. Of all places, Cracked.com provided perhaps the best ever summation of Oskar Schindler: "This was not in any way an exceptional man. He had no other successes to his name. But goddamn, did he step up when humanity needed him to." And the movie is actually a little harder on him than he deserves, as he was actually after saving as many Jews as possible from the very beginning rather than needing to go through an arc of realizing his responsibility (though I very much appreciate that the film avoids the temptation to give him a single concrete moment when he decides to do it). It's a movie I'm very glad exists, even if it's not one I ever find myself with any desire to see very often, and every new person who sees it is like a victory.

Thomas Corp

I confess that it was surprising to learn you had never seen this film before. The reasons you listed, both the harrowing emotion of the subject matter and the nature of what triggers you, thus leading you to faint, that makes sense, and I don’t begrudge you that reasoning, Jess. This is the first film in this reaction series that I have seen. I first saw it around this time of year as a matter of fact, nineteen years ago when I was nearly fourteen. As you saw, it is a raw, intense, and powerful film. And as you said, it has a stronghold on your heart. One of Steven Spielberg’s masterpieces, earning him more than well-deserved Oscars for directing and best picture. On Siskel and Ebert, it was given their trademark two thumbs up, and it was named by both as the best film of the year, one of only nine times in three decades that ever happened. Roger Ebert wrote most beautifully written reviews, as did Gene Siskel, who, as I see Ryan noted as well, opened the on-air discussion by saying this, “There's something I have to say to Steven Spielberg, both as a film critic and as a Jew: Bless you.” And although The Remains of the Day is my personal favorite film of 1993, I concede Gene and Roger’s assessment that Schindler’s List is the best film of that year. Something that was great was that for the time, the cast was relatively unknown, and the film was not bogged down by star power. Liam Neeson, though not unknown, was propelled to stardom by his strong performance in this film. Likewise, Ralph Fiennes was virtually unknown prior to this. His performance as Amon Göth remains one of his most famous, and it was my formal introduction to Ralph in a live action role. I felt your horror at Ralph’s performance of Göth, and the horrifying thing is that said performance is SANITIZED compared to real life. And the infuriatingly depressing thing is that people, more so then, than now, criticized the performance for being “Too outlandish; Unrealistic” which is probably one of the main reasons that Ralph lost the Oscar. Ben Kingsley was probably the most well-known at the time, given his Oscar win for Gandhi, and his, as you described, phenomenal and nuanced performance as Itzhak Stern gained him greater fame. I had suspected that Ben’s performance as Stern would be something you’d greatly appreciate. All throughout your reaction to this film, Jess, I could see in your eyes how deeply affected you were by this, and I so badly wanted to give you a hug. Especially during the prominent scenes with the severely underrated Embeth Davidtz as Helen Hirsch, which were scenes that I knew would likely deeply disturb you. I figured you’d be familiar with Genia Gittel Chill, the little girl in the red coat, or at least the image. Your reaction to the scenes with her got me. Another notable part of your reaction that got to me badly was the shower scene. And even if you somehow manage to make it through the film without weeping at least once, I don’t know how one could do that, nothing prepares you for the scene where Schindler breaks down over having not gotten more people out. Just as nothing, Jess, could have prepared me for your reaction to that scene, and following that, your reaction to the powerful ending of the survivors and their families laying the stones on Schindler’s graves, with Liam laying the flowers on the headstone, all underscored by the primary theme of the film. Which brings us to the masterpiece of a score composed and conducted by the legendary John Williams. And this film is the source of my favorite behind-the-scenes story that John’s involved in which I see Ryan mentioned in his comment as well. The story goes that John’s shown the rough cut of the film, is understandably overwhelmed, goes outside to collect himself, comes back in, and tells Spielberg that he cannot do the film because he is not good enough to score the film. Seriously, let that sink in for a minute. At that time, John had over thirty years of film composing under his belt, among his many awards, four Oscars, three for original score. He will go down in history as one of the greatest film composers, if not the greatest, probably be considered one of the greatest composers, period. And he tells Spielberg that he is not good enough to score Schindler’s List. I don’t think he could have paid Spielberg a greater compliment. And it led to the immortal exchange where John tells Spielberg, “Steven, you need a better composer than I am for this film.” and Spielberg sincerely and simply replies, “I know, John, but they’re all dead.” It all leads to the masterpiece of a score that will make me weep independently of the film; a score that earned John his fifth and thus far final Oscar. The whole thing is pure brilliance. The two most recurring themes are the primary theme, and a piece entitled Remembrances. Both musical selections have had many beautiful recordings over the years featuring Itzhak Perlman who was the performer on the soundtrack itself, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Yo-Yo Ma, just to name a few. I’m not even attempting to add on to nor improve on anything you commented on in the post-reaction thoughts as what you said was perfect. You said it all, Jess. Though I sincerely doubt that this will be a reaction that I will revisit as much as I do some of your others, it does not change the fact that this was one of the most powerful of your reactions, Jess, and I am so very proud of you. So, so very proud, Jess.

Andrew Vignaux

I didn't watch this in the theaters - I watched it alone at home. And I have never watched it with anyone (except a couple of reactors now) - it is too raw. It's not a film I seek out to rewatch but it is an outstanding movie. It was completely understandable that you would need to take some time between segments. Thank you for your reaction and post-viewing comments.

Ryan

One other thing I need to add: in 2012, the figure quoted at the film's end of the Schindlerjuden having over 6,000 descendants was updated to over 8,500, and who knows how many more have been added since. Stern told him "There will be generations because of what you did," and there's the proof that it was no exaggeration.

DieWinterkirsche

As a German I watched this in school (like 7th or 8th grade) and watching it again as an adult now… it’s so much more heartbreaking! Wow. 😭

Ziro the Hutt

Oof, a very heavy film to watch, though everyone should watch it once, if unfamiliar to some of the events of the Holocaust. Humanity both at its worst and best. Though I've never been fond of Neeson, he does give it his all, but Fiennes is a revelation in his first big screen role, as the sadistic yet pitiful Nazi.

Lucas

I keep meaning to check this film out but you really gotta be in a certain mood for it. At least whenever I do watch it I know I can come to this afterwards and hopefully cheer myself up a bit.