Schindler's List DVD

By Jonathan Berohn

If you are like me, there are some DVDs that you want to buy, some DVDs that you don’t know why you bought, and some DVDs that you think you should buy. “Schindler’s List” is that rare combination of 1 and 3—the DVD that you feel you should buy but that you want to buy as well. Not only is “Schindler’s List” an outstanding film, but it is also an important film as well, chronicling an important story of the triumph of the human spirit in the face of barbarism and unspeakable horror.

Synopsis

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German entrepreneur during WWII. Shortly after the Nazi occupation of Poland, Schindler arrives there to make his fortune by using his charm and contacts in the Nazi Party. Unlike the other Nazis surrounding him in this world of wartime manufacture and profiteering, though, Schindler cannot ignore the plight of the Jews that work for him.

Step by step, bribing and schmoozing all the way, Schindler first wins the right to house his own workers away from the death camps, then even manages to transport them out of Poland to the relative safety of Czechoslovakia as the war churns to its anarchic conclusion. At one point, he even manages to liberate his female workers from Auschwitz to rejoin their families in his Czech factory.

More than a Movie

Even if it was just a movie about the Holocaust dreamt up in Spielberg’s imagination, “Schindler’s List” would be worth owning. The acting is exquisite, and the black and white format of the movie makes it even more poignant. The fact that the story is true elevates the movie to a higher plane, both artistically and morally. Spielberg, recognizing this, doesn’t clutter the DVD release with out takes, making of’s, or deleted scenes. Instead he presents an hour-long documentary of the actual Schindler’s List survivors—and lets them tell their own story. This documentary not only drives home the poignancy of the story, but it also helps fill in some blanks by recounting Schindler’s post-war story and his continuing connection with the men and women he saved from death.

As with most DVDs these days, “Schindler’s List” is available in both widescreen and fullscreen formats. Do yourself a favor and get the widescreen. You won’t want to miss any of the action.