Schindler’s List Techniques Essay
To what extent do you agree that the techniques of film are ideally suited to the treatment of themes?
Discuss your views with close reference to the treatment of a key theme in a film you have studied, referring in detail to at least TWO techniques.
In ‘Schindler’s List’, the techniques used by director Steven Spielberg are perfectly suited to the treatment of themes. A key theme in this film is the theme of hope. Schindler’s List is the story of one man who risks his life to save the Jewish people who were working for him. Throughout the film, the theme of hope and innocence is portrayed through these people, in which their situation kept getting worse. Spielberg showed the dying hope and innocence of the Jewish people, by using colour, lighting and sound. It is portrayed through the techniques of colour, lighting and sound.
Colour is a very significant technique used by Spielberg. In doing so the theme of hope is portrayed to his audience. The beginning scene is only one of a few scenes in full colour. That scene lets the audience see many close up shots of candles as they are lit, following their journey to the point where they blow out. As the close up shot of burned down candles fade in, the colour in the picture fades out, with small flames being the only thing in the picture that still remains in colour. As the flame burns out fully so does the colour leaves the screen, plunging the film into a colorless scene. Both the fading colour and burned out flame are representative of the hope and lives of Jews under the cruel Nazi rule. Towards the end of the film, we again see candles; this is when Schindler invites the Rabbi to observe the Sabbath. Colour yet again plays a very vital part in portraying the theme of hope and innocence. We see an extreme close up of the lighting of candles. While the picture remains colourless, flames of the candles are in colour, symbolising the rebirth of hope for Jewish people because of Schindler’s understanding for the
Discuss your views with close reference to the treatment of a key theme in a film you have studied, referring in detail to at least TWO techniques.
In ‘Schindler’s List’, the techniques used by director Steven Spielberg are perfectly suited to the treatment of themes. A key theme in this film is the theme of hope. Schindler’s List is the story of one man who risks his life to save the Jewish people who were working for him. Throughout the film, the theme of hope and innocence is portrayed through these people, in which their situation kept getting worse. Spielberg showed the dying hope and innocence of the Jewish people, by using colour, lighting and sound. It is portrayed through the techniques of colour, lighting and sound.
Colour is a very significant technique used by Spielberg. In doing so the theme of hope is portrayed to his audience. The beginning scene is only one of a few scenes in full colour. That scene lets the audience see many close up shots of candles as they are lit, following their journey to the point where they blow out. As the close up shot of burned down candles fade in, the colour in the picture fades out, with small flames being the only thing in the picture that still remains in colour. As the flame burns out fully so does the colour leaves the screen, plunging the film into a colorless scene. Both the fading colour and burned out flame are representative of the hope and lives of Jews under the cruel Nazi rule. Towards the end of the film, we again see candles; this is when Schindler invites the Rabbi to observe the Sabbath. Colour yet again plays a very vital part in portraying the theme of hope and innocence. We see an extreme close up of the lighting of candles. While the picture remains colourless, flames of the candles are in colour, symbolising the rebirth of hope for Jewish people because of Schindler’s understanding for the