The Final Film Analysis paper- Schindlers List

The Final Film Analysis paper- Schindlers List

Schindler’s List was a 1993 epic film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian. It is essentially about Oskar Schindler, a Geman industrialist. He saved more than one thousand Jews from the Holocaust by giving them employment in his factories during World War II. With this knowledge in mind, it suffices to say that this paper will explore the differences between the film’s plot and story, the film’s genre theory analysis, the three techniques used in the film, and the connection between the film and society.

Need help with your assignment ? Contact us at eminencepapers.com to get quality services.

Summary

Foremost, the story of this film is about Oskar Schindler, a German opportunist and industrialist, and was also a member of the Nazi Party. He was credited with the saving of about one thousand and two hundred Jews during the Holocaust. In this case, during the Second World War, the SS and the Nazi Party purged the Jews during this war. It happened in Germany, and it intensified as the Germans were losing the war. Schindler was initially motivated by the notion of making a profit during the war. Still, later, he showed plausible initiative, courage, and tenacity when he dedicated his life at this point to save the lives of the Jews who were also being killed on a much larger scale.

Besides, in the film’s plot, unidentified hands light several Sabbath candles, which are immediately followed by blessings from the Hebrew people praying. There is a large crowd of people registering themselves as Jews before numerous tables in Krakow. In his hotel room, Oskar Schindler drops some of his valuable items and goes to a nightclub, where he catches the attention of a senior Nazi official. He does this by buying him a drink as he tries to ingratiate himself with people of his ilk to be able to secure war contracts. Later, he treats numerous officials to expensive wine and food and takes pictures with the important officials here. Later, he visited a Jewish council that had the mandate to carry out the orders of the Nazi Regime in Krakow. He tells his accountant, Itzhak Stern, that he needs several Jewish investors for his enamelware factory. Because the law in Germany did not allow Jews to own businesses, Schindler proposed to them that they would receive their share in the product. Since Oskar is a shrewd profiteer, he is fully aware that his profits will be maximized if he does not pay his Jewish investors in cash. Stern, despite initial refusal, agrees to work and helps in the hiring of the Jews instead of the Poles, who are more expensive. When Stern realized that when a worker is regarded as “essential,” they would not be deemed expendable and be purged by the Nazis, he used his position to hire as many workers as he could from the Jewish Ghetto and certain death in the Camps. Schindler is unaware of Itzhak’s doings, but when the former brings a one-armed man who wants to thank Schindler, the latter brushes off the gratitude, and his anger mildly intensifies against his accountant. Ironically, though, Schindler is forced to rescue Stern from the train headed for the death camp. Goeth, a sadistic Nazi, is in charge of the construction of the Plaszow labor camp, and when it is finished, the Jews are evacuated to the camp from the Ghetto. When Schindler and his girlfriend see the destruction of these camps and the subsequent escape of a small child, both are moved, making Schindler request Goeth allow him to construct his own sub-camp that will house his workers for the enamelware factory. Later, a Jewish girl comes to Schindler and begs him to employ her parents because she heard his factory was a haven for the Jews. He sends her awareness and chastises Stern strongly, but after his anger subsides, he gives Itzhak his gold watch to bring the Perlman family back to the factory. This decision is the first of many that Schindler engages in to save the Jews as much as possible by bribing officials using personal items to bring Jews to his factory. Much later, upon realizing that Goeth had been tasked with the evacuation from Plaszow and the burning of 10,000 exhumed Jewish bodies, Schindler decides to use the wealth he had gathered over some time to save as many Jews as he possibly could. At this point, the identity of the film’s title is visualized because Schindler prepares a list and asks Goeth to sell him workers, including his maid, Hellen Hirsch, to be employed in his factory in Czechoslovakia. Two trains, carrying women and men individually, are transported. However, on the way, the train carrying the women is accidentally turned to Auschwitz, whereby Schindler has to purchase them again, and they are later reunited with their male counterparts until the end of the war. After the end of the war, Schindler tells his workers that they are free to go but that he will inevitably be hunted as a war criminal and have to flee in the middle of the night.

Genre Theory

Equally important, genre theory manifests potently in this film. In Genre Theory, films “…are usually easily recognizable as part of a certain genre. This is because they tend to use familiar story formulas, character types, settings, and iconography (visual imagery with symbolic implications), all of which lead viewers to have certain expectations about what the film will be like before they actually watch it” (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2014). In Schindler’s List, various factors come to focus when thinking of its conventions. It is vital to understand that epic films take a historical event, entail myth, legendary or a heroic figure, and employ sufficient setting and lavish costumes. These films recreate past events and are often expensive because they need extensive panoramic settings, costumes needed during such periods, on-location filming, and a massive number of characters on set.

It is crucial to note that the focus is often on a single character, whereby the protagonist is seen as a historical figure or even a mythical hero in epic films. In this case, Oskar Schindler is the protagonist of Schindler’s List, whereby the story begins when he is a self-centered businessman ready to exploit the war to his advantage. He employs various shrewd tricks to avail himself of the resources needed to amass himself substantial wealth. However, as the film progresses, the audience sees him changing when he saves the Jews, starting with Itzhak Stern, his accountant, and the Perlman family, to saving hundreds of Jews from certain doom. As such, it is clear that this is a feature of epic films in the genre theory. Schindler, a Nazi, is ironically the hero of the Jewish people. In an epic film, the hero is portrayed as one who has impressive behavior that instantly wins the admiration of the characters in the story and the audience as well. In Schindler’s List, Schindler is seen as a clever hero who essentially uses the wealth and labor of the Jews in the camp to the benefit of the Jews themselves, although he thought it was of benefit to himself at first. His bravery as a hero in this story manifests further when he takes the risk of getting branded as a Jew lover and still interacts with the Jews at closer quarters. His depiction as a hero is that he acts in stark contrast to what members of his Nazi Party are doing, purging the Jews, but he is saving them instead. As an epic hero, Schindler’s fortunes come about from his own admired characteristics. He is persistent and no longer self-centered as the film progresses to the end.

Also, another convention of the epic genre under the genre theory is that in epic films, numerous people, which is as often the case, entire societies, depend on the protagonist’s success in the film. Schindler’s List provides numerous efficacious examples in the film. Without a doubt, the workers were dependent on Schindler for their survival in the camps. If Schindler’s company could have run bankrupt or inefficacious, it would be inevitable that they would have survived the purge being met on them by the Nazi Party and its SS. Since the number that Schindler saved paled compared to the number of Jews murdered by the Regime, Schindler is credited with the lives of more than six thousand Polish Jews today.

Besides, in an epic film, the action is on a large and grandiose scale because, in Schindler’s List, for instance, he embarks on exercising many bribing expeditions to save as many Jews as possible within his fiscal means. He gives Stern a gold watch to bring the Perlman Family to the factory. He also bribes Goeth to have his own sub-camp and host Jewish workers on the premises. He purchases many Jews and puts them on trains to Czechoslovakia. Still, when one of the trains is diverted to Auschwitz, he is forced to repurchase them from the looming death. These numerous actions taking place serve to categorize this film as an epic film in the genre theory.

Furthermore, in an epic film, a key characteristic that distinguishes the epic film from the rest is the “…Ornate costume and set design…essential to an epic film” (Kaye, 2014). In this case, characters are depicted dressing in costumes that represent the clothes people wore during those days, back in the historical period described by the film. As such, in Schindler’s List, the German Nazi Party members are seen dressed in the uniforms of the Army. On the other hand, business people like Schindler are always dressed in suits to match their status, while the soldiers and the SS are also dressed in the Army uniform, and the captured Jews are dressed in prisoners’ uniform, and those not in uniform yet have a star marking them as Jews.

Techniques And Design Elements

Nevertheless, various techniques are employed in advancing the narrative and themes of a story. In this case, technical competency must manifest both from the director and the crew. In this case, the director is expected to be overly creative and narrate the story to the audience effectively by ensuring that the timing, mood, pacing, and even the visual styles are relayed powerfully in an imaginative manner. Also, when it comes to the distinguishing style for the films, which is the distinguishable personality, an influential director has a distinct style for all his films that ensures that one can easily tell his movies when seeing them. Also, Grant (2012) maintains that interior meaning as a technique is needed because it involves the director making films that are thought provocative by containing layers of meanings and several things to talk about concerning the human condition. Schindler’s List offers several meanings in the film. It is thought-provoking on the matter of how humans behave from one extreme behavior to another. The audience is left thinking about the human condition, our capabilities to hurt, hate, and love, and the ramifications.

Moreover, several elements also contribute to the theme. In this case, Steven Spielberg uses lighting to add to the dramatic tension manifesting in various scenes. The flares and the flashing lights put the viewer in the mood to sense an imminent danger and make the scenes compelling to the audience. Spielberg uses natural sounds efficaciously to provide the movie with realistic features. Therefore, the sounds believable to the audience and help them identify with the characters and events happening in the film.

Connection Between The Film And Society

Lastly, there is a direct connection between the film and society at large. The film offers a positive lesson to us all, reminding us that the deeds of a single person can entirely make a difference in other people’s lives. It is a painful historical reminder of the repercussions of following ideals that do not work to develop humanity and togetherness. The fact that the film is depicted from the actual events and that there were survivors who lived to tell the tale should be a warning that we, as a human race, should remain united against leaders with extreme ideas. We should refuse such leaders who have views that hurt other people, even if it could not be people of the same society or country. It is a reminder that forgiveness is also one way of healing from past scathing wounds.

In conclusion, this paper has broadly explored and analyzed the film, taking care to understand the distinction between the story and plot of the film, the genre theory present in the film, and its analysis. The Techniques discussed have shown how technical competency, signature styles, and interior meaning all play a role in advancing the theme and narrative of the movie. The connection between the film and society has also been established for the audience to learn from.

References

Grant, B. K. (Ed.). (2012). Film Genre Reader IV. University of Texas Press.

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2014). Film: From Watching to Seeing, San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education.

Kaye, N. (2014). Characteristics of Epic Films. Sites.middlebury.edu. Retrieved 9 September 2021, from https://sites.middlebury.edu/enam0323epic/2014/03/01/assignment-3-2/.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

---

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read Chapters 9 and 10 from your course textbook, the required article from Film Genre Reader IV, and the Week 5 Checklist Download Week 5 Checklist. The ENG225 Research Guide in the University of Arizona Global Campus Library will be particularly helpful in locating required sources. Also, be sure to review the required course resources that will assist with writing this final paper.

Considering that this is the final writing assignment, you will want to review all previous class materials, including all chapters read and discussion board responses. You are encouraged to incorporate writing from your Week 2 and Week 3 assignments only after you have reflected on your instructor’s feedback and revised the relevant parts of the essays accordingly. Refer back to the outline template. Download the outline template in the Week 4 Learning Activity. However, you must also consider the broader requirements and context of this assignment when integrating previous work; you cannot simply cut and paste material in but may use it as a building block to make a new comprehensive whole.

Throughout this course, you have written essays and participated in discussion forums in an effort to analyze various elements of film using different theoretical lenses. This Final Film Analysis is your opportunity to combine those elements into a comprehensive analysis of one movie.

Please choose a film from this list of approved choices. Download this list of approved choices.
Note: You should watch your chosen film twice—once to ensure that you have grasped the storytelling and once to take more specific notes on aspects of the film you wish to discuss. If you would like to write about a film that is not on this list, you must email your professor for approval in advance or you may not receive credit on this assignment.

Your paper should be organized around a thesis statement that clarifies what you will attempt to accomplish in your paper and how you will proceed. Review the Final Film Critique sample. Download the Final Film Critique sample, which provides an example of a well-developed analysis as well as insight into composition.

In your paper,

Identify your selected film, including writer, director, year of release, and genre.
Briefly summarize the film in which you apply your knowledge of the difference between the film’s story and its plot.
Describe one of the broad theories you have learned about in class (auteur theory, genre theory, formalist theory) and analyze your selected film through that lens.
Evaluate the use of three specific techniques and design elements employed in the film as they contribute to the overarching narrative and theme of the film. This can include elements of mise-en-scène (e.g., lighting, sound, composition of frame, costuming, etc.) and editing (e.g., cuts and transitions, shots used, angles, etc.).
Describe the connection between this film and society (i.e., politically or culturally, positive or negative) and draw conclusions about its impact.
The Final Film Analysis paper

Must be five to six double-spaced pages (1500 to 1800 words) in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center’s APA Style (Links to an external site.) resource.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of Your Essay (in bold)
Your First and Last Name
University of Arizona Global Campus
Course Code: Name of Course (e.g., ENG 225: Introduction to Film)
Instructor’s name
Due Date
For further assistance with the formatting and the title page, refer to APA Formatting for Word 2013 (Links to an external site.).

Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice (Links to an external site.) resource for additional guidance.
Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusions (Links to an external site.) as well as Writing a Thesis Statement (Links to an external site.), refer to the University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center resources.
Must use at least three scholarly sources in addition to the course text.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.) table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.

I have attached the week 2 and 3 assignment papers written

and film list to choose from also attached