Schindler's List - Collector's Widescreen Gift Set

Starring:Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Jonathan Sagall, Embeth Davidtz, Malgoscha Gebel, Shmuel Levy, Mark Ivanir, BÃ©atrice Macola, Andrzej Seweryn, Friedrich von Thun, Krzysztof Luft, Harry Nehring, Norbert Weisser, Adi Nitzan, Michael Schneider, Miri Fabian, Anna Mucha, Albert Misak
Director: Steven Spielberg
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
Steven Spielberg had a banner year in 1993. He scored one of his biggest commercial hits that summer with the mega-hit Jurassic Park, but it was the artistic and critical triumph of Schindler's List that Spielberg called "the most satisfying experience of my career." Adapted from the best-selling book by Thomas Keneally and filmed in Poland with an emphasis on absolute authenticity, Spielberg's masterpiece ranks among the greatest films ever made about the Holocaust during World War II. It's a film about heroism with an unlikely hero at its center--Catholic war profiteer Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who risked his life and went bankrupt to save more than 1,000 Jews from certain death in concentration camps.

By employing Jews in his crockery factory manufacturing goods for the German army, Schindler ensures their survival against terrifying odds. At the same time, he must remain solvent with the help of a Jewish accountant (Ben Kingsley) and negotiate business with a vicious, obstinate Nazi commandant (Ralph Fiennes) who enjoys shooting Jews as target practice from the balcony of his villa overlooking a prison camp. Schindler's List gains much of its power not by trying to explain Schindler's motivations, but by dramatizing the delicate diplomacy and determination with which he carried out his generous deeds.

Amazon.com essential video

Steven Spielberg had a banner year in 1993. He scored one of his biggest commercial hits that summer with the mega-hit Jurassic Park, but it was the artistic and critical triumph of Schindler's List that Spielberg called "the most satisfying experience of my career." Adapted from the best-selling book by Thomas Keneally and filmed in Poland with an emphasis on absolute authenticity, Spielberg's masterpiece ranks among the greatest films ever made about the Holocaust during World War II. It's a film about heroism with an unlikely hero at its center--Catholic war profiteer Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who risked his life and went bankrupt to save more than 1,000 Jews from certain death in concentration camps.

By employing Jews in his crockery factory manufacturing goods for the German army, Schindler ensures their survival against terrifying odds. At the same time, he must remain solvent with the help of a Jewish accountant (Ben Kingsley) and negotiate business with a vicious, obstinate Nazi commandant (Ralph Fiennes) who enjoys shooting Jews as target practice from the balcony of his villa overlooking a prison camp. Schindler's List gains much of its power not by trying to explain Schindler's motivations, but by dramatizing the delicate diplomacy and determination with which he carried out his generous deeds.

Product Description

The DVD debut of the Oscar-winning film delivers an outstanding image and sound experience (both 5.1 and DTS tracks are provided), although the single disc needs to be flipped to see the entire film. The centerpiece of the extra features is the new 70-minute "Voices from the List," in which the men and women saved by Oskar Schindler talking about their experiences and memories. The film does an excellent job of complementing the film without overshadowing it in any way. It came out of the Shoah Foundation, which Steven Spielberg started after the film to record first-hand experiences of the Holocaust. A 10-minute featurette updates the foundation's efforts. Unfortunately, there is no insight on the making of the film except a few liner notes. Perhaps the film has such a revered status, deconstructing it might be something Spielberg doesn't want to do, but it's frustrating not to hear from the cast and crew who helped put together one of the 1990s' most distinguished and well-crafted films. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

A movie that will change your life........2007-06-18

Schindler's List, directed by Steven Spielberg, is a film about the Holocaust. This movie will break your heart and change your life.

So what's this movie about? This movie is mainly about the Holocaust with a side story about a man named Schindler. Schindler was a German who knew Nazis in higher power. He used his good standing to help Jews. He owned a factory and recruited Jews to work for him so that they wouldn't have to go to concentration camps.

What's to like about this movie? First of all, aside from a little girl's coat, most of this movie is in black and white. Also, there's a ton of detail in terms of costumes and props. The realism as well as the camera work are a huge plus. Second, it's EXTREMELY emotional. You see everything. From people getting shot to dead bodies being burned, Spielburg doesn't hide anything. The one scene that truly had me in tears was when a trainful of Jews were squished together in the extremely hot weather. Schindler persuades the Nazi soldiers to spray them with firehoses. You can see one person drinking the water that falls down from the top of the train. It made me realize that these people were treated like animals, not human beings.

What's not to like about this movie? The reason for the 4 stars rather than 5 is because the big plot of this movie was to show how the Jews were treated during the Holocaust. If you're like me and you've studied books and watched movies about this subject, not a lot of what happens in this movie will surprise you. For the average person, this movie will completely shock you and have you in tears. The only thing that was new to me was Schindler's story.

This is a movie that EVERYONE needs to watch. There's a ton of nudity and violence so I would hold off on letting young kids watch this but adults will be completely enthralled.

Necessary.......2007-06-16

I rate this movie 9.5/10 or 5 stars. This movie is among the 1000 Best Movies in DVD's by Peter Travers and in the Top 10 list of Best American Movies Ever. The movie won several Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Director. Steven Spielberg directs this movie 10 years after he read the book for the first time and was completely fascinated with the story. As a Jewish himself, he brings to the screen the story of those Jews who survived the Holocaust thanks to one man -Oskar Schindler-, who gave them the opportunity to work in his factories during the end of World War II. The movie shows the brutality of the Nazi army against the Jews, and how they were being killed at different Death Camps (Auswitch, etc.). The movie is based on true facts collected after the testimony of many people who experienced the Holocaust and survived. The movie is rated R for obvious reasons and it is very difficult to contain the tears. This DVD Collector's Gift Set edition is absolutely wondeful, including a special plexiglas casing, a picture book showcasing images by photographer David James with a foreword by Spielberg, the Original Soundtrack by the Oscar winner and always superb John Williams, and a rare limited edition senitype individually numbered and made from a actual film frame from the movie. (So the price it's just a bargain with all of that!). I want to say that, despite not being a Jewish nor coming from a country involved in World War II, I feel absolutely moved by the story told here and I have enormous respect and empathy for the Jewish community and for all the atrocities they have gone through their history. This is a necessary movie that needed to be done and needs to be seen by as many people as possible, so we don't make the same mistakes in the future. We are all human beings, and we all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, regardless our religion, ethnicity, race, social status, sexual orientation, etc. Unfortunately today, we are still witness of so many intolerance and bigotry that makes me feel embarassed and very sad. We all should work together for human peace, love and understanding among all peoples from all countries in the world. This movie helps people understand how important it is to know each other and understand each other, so ignorance and hatred does not govern our lifes.

P.S. If you like my review vote YES. You can read all my other reviews if you wish to. I modestly write them to help people form an opinion about movies, music and books, but if nobody reads them (if you don't vote I do not know if you did) there is no point in writing them.

needs no review.......2007-06-10

this is a phenomenal film.

everyone should own it.

a whole new language.......2007-06-04

Stephen Spielberg's SCHINDLER'S LIST is simply the finest motion picture ever made.

The story brings us face to face with the most organized evil of which humanity has yet proven itself capable. Spielberg's direction and performances of Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes attain that level at which matters are simply beyond improvement. One merely stands in awe.

After viewing the LIST for just the second time since its debut in 1993, this reviewer can think of no more adequate response than the exhortation to buy, rent, view, and then bow silently or in prayer before the fact of evil and the potency of good.

Sadly, it takes a wickedness so vile as to require its own language to occasion a work of art so noble in its conception and execution that language fails to describe it.

'The LIST', as Kingsley's Yitzhak Stern says with a different intent, 'is an absolute good.'

Movie Reveiw.......2007-05-30

I ordered this movie without having ever seen it before. I got it, watched it, and was pretty disappointed. It was so boring I coulden't get through the whole movie.

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