Documentary Adds Perspective To ‘Schindler’S List’

Sun., Aug. 14, 1994

Andy Wickstrom Philadelphia Inqu

With next week’s video release of Steven Spielberg’s Oscarwinning “Schindler’s List,” interest in its central figure will once again be intense.

HBO Video has anticipated that interest by releasing the British documentary “Schindler” (81 minutes, $49.99), produced, written and directed by Jon Blair and drawing on the book by Thomas Keneally, which also inspired the Spielberg movie.

“Schindler” has been seen on PBS, but should attract an even wider audience on video.

The tape, narrated by Dirk Bogarde, recalls many key scenes from “Schindler’s List” but has the advantage of being able to explore Oskar Schindler’s life before and after World War II. We learn that he was from an unremarkable Catholic family in Czechoslovakia, whose next-door neighbor was a rabbi with two sons, and that he adored being the center of attention.

Accordingly, we are told, Schindler developed a flamboyant style that served him well when it came to dealing with the Nazi power structure.

Just as with the Spielberg movie, the inhumanity of the Holocaust described here is nearly overwhelming. Plenty of old film footage exists that attests to the horror, but Blair has chosen his clips with care.

Schindler, as this worthy documentary insists, may not have been a saint, but at a certain time and place, he did perform a miracle.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.