Schindler's+List

=** SCHINDLER’S LIST **= Jews are forced out of the Ghetto and sorted into essential and non essential workers. Jews are lined up and shot Suitcases and belongings are thrown out of the upper balconies and abandoned as litter. Genia Dresner – only one in spot colour apart from candles (shabolt candles) at the beginning/end. It is Oskar Schindler's turning point. Oskar Schindler’s motivation to save the Jews is never completely clear but the film suggests that having seen the liquidation of the Ghetto it drives Oskar Schindler to save the Jews. Genia Dresna in spot colour of red – the little girl in the red coat walking through the liquidation oblivious to the violence around her. This has great social significance – represents the red flag the Jews waved at allied powers as a cry for help. She walks through violence unaffected, ignoring the carnage around her – mirrors inaction in saving the Jews. She also represents innocence – her eventual death signifies the loss of humanity/innocence. This is witnessed by Oskar Schindler when he is talking to Amon Goth – her lifeless body is transported to a large pile of burning bodies. All are used to develop (as a build up) Oskar Schindler’s empathy. Spot colour – we notice her, as does Schindler. POW – from Schindler's perspective intensifies his reaction. Panning of chaos Sound effect of silence – intensifies the moment, we know its Schindler's turning point.
 * MARCH 13 1943 **
 * What happens? **
 * Incidents **
 * Importance **
 * Techniques **

** Themes **
Moral dilemmas and individual choice – Schindler does everything in his power to save the Jews, including sacrificing all his money and wealth. Dehumanisation – the treatment of the Jews as objects rather than humans, exemplified by pointless killings see – incidents.

** Manipulation of Audience **
We are manipulated by the director through close up shots of Schindler's face showing his reaction as he witnesses the Liquidation of the Ghetto. The panning of the chaos coupled with the sound effect of silence is used by the director so that we too can witness the violence of the liquidation and understand/realise the effect this has on Schindler. We are manipulated by camera/production techniques and understand why this is defining moment of Schindler's transformation. The film exposes the inhumanity of the Holocaust and is warning us not to repeat the event which occurred Originally just after the money Goes through transformation from bad to good Risked his life to save the Jews Schindler was capable of empathy, viewing the liquidation of the ghetto had a profound impact on him He liked to manipulate events and people Member of the Nazi party but from Czechoslovakia and so he was an ‘outsider’ not as heavily influenced by Nazi propaganda WHY “I knew the people who worked for me, when you know people; you have to behave towards them like human beings” “There was no choice. If you saw a dog going to be crushed under a car, wouldn’t you help him?” Initially Schindler was motivated by friendship to individual Jews, but gradually the Nazi industrialist won a reputation as a kind compassionate man. He was a ‘saviour’. His factory was a haven Schindler began to glory in his reputation as a kind compassionate man. He liked the role he was playing. It made him feel good. It filled a psychological vacuum in his life. Goeth is pure evil, Stern is good and Schindler is the grey area, he is able to change. Schindler was still a human with weaknesses Schindler’s list is about Schindler who makes the ultimate sacrifice of his safety and livelihood to save 1100 doomed people who had no connection to him. A film of celebration. It skips some of the more violent parts of the holocaust, and tends to focus on Schindler’s deeds. A film about the horrors of humanity during Nazi control, but also for the potential of goodness of humanity. Balances the good scenes with the horrible ones to show the contrast between to sides of humanity. The preciousness of life is shown throughout the film with children, they are innocent and vulnerable. The contrast between Goeth and Stern is shown, while Schindler is on the fence and finally goes towards Stern’s side. **INCIDENTS** Looks over the liquidation of the ghetto and realises he’s the one that needs to save these people Trades a large amount of diamonds for 1100 Jews Trades a lot of money for every Jew from Goeth Talking to his wife saying he did something no one else did Breaking down even after he saved all of the Jews at the end Goeth shows his inhumanity when he only cares about the car roof and not liquidation “Who ever saves a single life saves the world entire” “They are mine” “He did something no one else ever did” Spielberg is a Jew whose grandparents emigrated from Poland during the war. Portrayed the holocaust in a documentary to depict the atrocities accurately without “Hollywoodification” Spielberg showed clearly the real life, non fictional story of the Nazis' reign in a very understandable way Tells the story of three men and through these stories show how people change and adapt in adversity, and comments on the human condition by saying some people are pure evil(Goeth) and some are good (Stern) and there is the indistinct middle ground which changes between (Schindler) Shows us how people can change, Through Schindler we see this in that judgements of people are not always accurate, or people may change after you judge them, Spielberg’s message to society know people before judging. Schindler vs. Goeth Humanity vs. inhumanity “Power is when we have every justification to kill and we don’t” (Schindler) “You think that’s power?” (Goeth) Contrast of good and evil ways of viewing the same thing Both Schindler and Goeth have womanising/corrupting Shows Schindler is not perfect but in contrast to Goeth, he respects women etc. Goeth sees women as objects he can abuse. Shaving scene is used as a touchstone to convey similarities between the two men. Their actions after contrast each other. Turning point for Schindler is seeing Genia hiding in plain sight. At the same time Goeth is conducting a massacre. “Scherner told me something else about you …. You know the meaning of the word gratitude” Goeth does not understand gratitude, Schindler does “they say you are good” Elsa Krause/Regina Perlman to Schindler In the scene where Schindler and Goeth are bargaining for people, Goeth is in darkness and Schindler is in the light. “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire” (about Schindler) Stern is the touchstone between Schindler and Goeth and is the normality which allows us to see the contrast between Schindler and Goeth. “The list is life” Schindler’s list gives life to the Jews, At Auschwitz Schindler in light while bribing Commander; Commander in darkness, enigmatic, when he leans forward to accept bribe “portable wealth” he comes into light to symbolise goodness. BIOPIC Not truncated or conventional Not only positive aspects of Schindler, shows his flaws. Spielberg shows his compassion coming late, after a cold blooded profiteering drive and suggests only gradually maturing into a noble person Not conventional as it shows a short piece of Schindler’s life 1939 – 1943 Not the story of one man but three: two are heroic and the other Goeth Goeth (Schindler’s bad side) Stern (Schindler’s good side) DOCUDRAMA Documentary/drama, real events and people to life Use of black and white film Use of superimposed titles Use of hand held camera (liquidation scene Krakow ) No actual footage except Churchill’s audio Discourse on history, talks about history as it is depicted – Goeth voiceover before liquidation of Krakow ghetto Personalising the fate of Schindler in specific stories – Dresners, Perlmans No pornography of violence – restraint, not sensationalised, violence is suggested. Final scene the jump to the cemetery is a jump from story to documentary, allows Spielberg to show that the real people own or authenticate the representations of themselves and the events they lived through on the film Moral integrity Honourable Represents under class Saves his people by risking his own life Realises how terrible event is: Jews won’t “weather the storm” Foresight to realise ultimate threat Never accepts a drink from Schindler until what seems to be an imminent end – shows Schindler gained his respect Touchstone doesn’t change Representative of unrealised power of Jews “their future” Touchstone of moral integrity Manipulated Schindler throughout the film into rescue In charge of account Saves the lame and the crippled (one armed man) Forges documents to keep people alive, knows what needs to be done eg: history teacher – useless, metal worker – useful Being powerless manipulated himself into power Knows the regime, knows who they target Real hero because he is the hero from the start Puppeteer – suggests that Shcindler hire Jews as they are cheaper than Poles Never tells anything to Schindler, only implies ideas that Schindler then thinks about then acts on “Where would I be?” Schindler Makes Schindler see the truth about Goeth and the regime, “Do I need to create a whole new language?” Keeps factory running, knows Schindler is undermining the war efforts See little of him, but his influence is enormous If Schindler is the test tube, Stern is the catalyst and achieves the activation energy required for reaction Schindler wept uncontrollably at Stern's funeral, knows his significance Important to Schindler as Schindler insists on getting Stern off the train Schindler buys Jews back from Goeth, Stern commends him Stern like Schindler, was an opportunist and was the main contributor to the rescue of the Schindler list “Herr Director, don’t let things fall apart. I worked too hard” “Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire” “The list is an absolute good, the list is life” “By law, I have to tell you, Sir I am a Jew” “There will be generations because of what you did” Images of children Genia little girl in red Olek little boy hiding in the latrine Evoke theme of innocence and vulnerable potential Technique of spot colour: emphasises Genia symbol of large bloodstain on Allies' radar but no country did anything to intervene and help the Jews Children symbolises death of innocence, brutality of war Schindlerjuden walking to freedom Black and white images of Schindler Juden walking to freedom merge with colour images of those people still alive fifty years on Symbolises hope and survival “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire” Message is that people are precious and that every person is precious, life is precious, the most precious thing of all. Watching liquidation of ghetto, turning point sees how many people Nazis kill with one shot Decision to buy Jews as his wife sleeps ‘God Bless the Child’ by Billie Holiday – ironic Shows abandoning ambition to leave Krakow with steamer trucks of money and is now totally committed to saving Jews. Change from Nazi war profiteer to Jew saviour/advocate Conversation to Goeth about intentions to buy Jews. “No, no what’s one worth to you?” Fundamental difference between Schindler and Goeth Typing Schindler’s list Ironic because lists represents death with the Nazis This one gives life and hope Cuts between the names of people with bribes signifying life being bought “they are mine” Schindler – possessiveness of Jews, intent on saving them “There’s no future in it, They don’t have a future”– Nazi opinion dichotomy of Schindler. Stern Touchstone of morality. Realises preciousness of life since the beginning Spot colour of Genia in red (little girl) in the film Schindler and his mistress witness the liquidation of the ghetto. Amidst the forsaken humanity (monochrome), sees girl in red coat. One of four occasions in film otherwise black and white film is used. Keneally writes that the sight of the child dressed in red compelled Schindler’s interest because it made a statement Girl in red is a literary device. Child is a symbol of innocence Child presented as individual beside the grey masses. Serves to remind viewer that the mass of forsaken humanity in the ghetto was a mass of individuals – Nazis murdered 1.5 million children Know she is murdered – see her a second time passing on a cart of dead bodies Easy to get lost in numbers, 6 million murdered – Girl is just one. (Black and white dimension throw back to old expressionist and film noir works) Constant use of shadows and silhouettes. Striking patterns of light and dark, chosen deliberately. “Vision of holocaust in stark black and white,” wanted to get rid of all distractions ie:colour Poldeck is very quick witted “clearly the clearway is the liquidation of the ghetto” Runs through the sewer, but Milo does not want to. Milo has some class Goes into the church removes his band, begins the relationship with Schindler, could get things for Schindler, started a long and prosperous relationship with Schindler, black market ideas Dresners Danka Mrs Dresner Wondering through the ghetto Levy who hasn’t fully propaganda hide them Interaction through whistling Often had the camera focussed on them Whistling, bridge lots of close up Bosners Musicians Henry is the leader of the musicians, plays violin. Because of this he is always very close to the action, sees Schindler kiss a Jew Ironic because at the liquidation of the ghetto was told not to be musicians by stern and others. Yet survived and survived well because of it. Plaszow: employ cattle cars brought to train depot Muddy open space between barracks and clerks set up table and lists Goldberg and cupboards White gowned doctors and stethoscopes New shipment of Hungarians to Goths camp meant he must reduce the size of Plaistow workforce “We’ve got to separate the sick from the healthy to make room” like culling cattle on a farm, Jews are a resource, used and gotten rid of at the disposal of the Nazis Music played on speaker – false sense of security Jew stripped naked and must run across compound to prove to doctors they are fit. Women and men separate In barracks, women prick fingers and rub blood on their cheeks to add a healthy red colour – to such devices they have descended, in order to stay alive – shadow and lighting frightened women, emotion audience connection, Quick medical exams determine their fate Music switched to children’s song. Children mass movement onto trucks – unknowingly inching towards their doom like lemmings. Fit women overjoyed until they see their children go. Mass breaks out Olek Rosner (boy) slips away tries to find a place to hide, everywhere packed with the clever children, he ends up in a toilet hole. Again forced to such low human behaviour The unfit in striped uniforms (like criminals) marched like human cattle to cattle transportation trams. Hot stinking weather and tin carriages, Jews totally packed and suffocated dying of thirst Schindler in white suit (knight in white shining armour) – symbolism Other Nazis and drinks. Contrast against Jews physically and socially “What do you say you get your fire hoses out here and hose down those cars?” Goeth “ This is really cruel Oskar you are giving them hope” Goeth typical Nazi humour found in pain Schindler takes advantage of the other Nazis finding entertainment in his actions asks for larger extension to reach carriages at the end, the smiles fade from the Nazi faces. Jew are the evil Nazi’s source of entertainment while Schindler treats them as people, relieves them from what discomfort he can. (Inside the Judenrat) ”What they tell me changes from day to day. (From one of the Jewish officers) SCHINDLER It could not be better He did something extraordinary And left with a steamer trunk – two steamer trunks full of money They’re mine Then where would I be (to stern after Oskar got Stern out of the train) And he’s got war which brings out the worst in people, never the good, always the bad Power is when we have every justification to kill and we don’t Do I have to invent a whole new language? I could have got more out; I didn’t do enough (at the end) I updated the race and resettlement act.. I killed a Jewish girl STERN The Jews themselves receive nothing He gets nothing I think I better have it now (accepts Schindler’s drink in the end) This list is an absolute good. This list is life. All around its margins lies the gulf You’re buying them? There will be generations because of what you did AMON GOETH Today is history I’ve got to make room I pardon you I would like so much, to reach out and touch you in your loneliness No, no, no. What's one worth to you? Control is power OTHER He who saves one life saves the world entire You shouldn’t get stuck on names It’s the inconvenience to the list It will take more than that The more you see of Herr Commandant, the more you see there is no set of rules that you can live by This is it, this is the bottom It could be worse How? Tell me how on earth that this could possibly be worse Money’s still money They say that no one dies here, that your factory is a haven
 * Message for Society **
 * SCHINDLER **
 * HUMANITY **
 * QUOTES **
 * DIRECTOR'S PURPOSE **
 * GOOD VS EVIL, AND THE USE OF CONTRAST **
 * GENRE – ELEMENTS OF BOTH BIOPIC AND DOCUDRAMA **
 * STERN **
 * QUOTES **
 * INNOCENCE AND PRECIOUSNESS OF LIFE **
 * BLACK AND WHITE SPOT COLOUR TECHNIQUES **
 * PFEFFERBERG – POLDECK MILO **
 * HEALTH INQUISITION AND TRAIN (SCHINDLER AS HERO) **
 * QUOTES **