While we gloat over the achievements of Tinseltown, we should ask ourselves if Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg’s 1993 moving historical drama, could have come to fruition without the support of any super alliance. The Ohio-born director, 77, himself expressed his deep appreciation for the decisive support he received from none other than, George Lucas, his loyal comrade.
Earlier this year, Spielberg discussed in detail the paramount role that Lucas had in the creation of Schindler’s List. Indeed, thanks to Lucas and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, who was in the US completing Jurassic Park’s sound mixing, Spielberg was able to work effectively on the moving and impactful Holocaust flick.
Spielberg even remembered saying, “George, I am in trouble”, when he reached out to Lucas. That being said, both Schindler’s List and Jurassic Park became timeless masterpieces because of Lucas’ helping hands and generosity.
Steven Spielberg’s Best Bet: The Timeless Brilliance of Schindler’s List
Steven Spielberg would go on to helm a number of hailed classics, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, and Saving Private Ryan, among others, after securing his reputation in Hollywood with 1975’s Jaws. The Fabelmans is the recent work that the 77-year-old director has released.
Have you ever thought about which of his films—the heavier dramas or the popcorn-themed mega-blockbusters—is his favorite? This year, in February, the director gave a comprehensive response. He stated in a THR interview that he believes Schindler’s List, which came out in 1993, to be his best film to date.
Nonetheless, the director left room for future endeavors, implying that his critically acclaimed drama may yet fall short. In his words:
“It’s the best movie I’ve ever made. I am not going to say it’s the best movie I ever will make. But currently, it’s the work I’m proudest of.”
In that very interview, Spielberg disclosed that while he was in Europe filming Schindler’s List, George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, completed the sound mixing for Jurassic Park in the United States. The Jaws director recalled:
“I called George. I said, ‘George, I’m in trouble. The studio’s really upset with me that I’m going to not mix Jurassic Park and go off to Europe and make Schindler’s List. Would you mix Jurassic Park?’ I already had his mixers working on the film, so George said he’d take over. And he and Kathy Kennedy mixed the film.”
Spielberg obviously has a great deal of gratitude for Lucas and the help he gave him at a very important time in his career.
The Enduring Impact of Schindler’s List: A Look Back at Its Reception in 1993
In all of Steven Spielberg’s remarkable filmography, Schindler’s List continues to be his most somber and serious flick. Naturally, prior to 1993, he had taken on more somber and grounded dramas, such as Empire of the Sun (1987) and The Color Purple (1985), but Liam Neeson starrer signaled a departure from the director’s previous filmmaking formula.
Also, it was a box office success, raking in $322.2 million worldwide despite a $22 million budget (see Box Office Mozo). What’s more? Best Picture and Best Director (Spielberg) were among the seven Academy Awards it won out of a total of twelve nominations.
The positive reviews Schindler’s List received from critics should not be surprising. Neeson plays the real-life industrialist Oskar Schindler in the movie, who goes to tremendous measures to keep his Jewish workers safe during World War II. With a rating of four stars, critic Roger Ebert said of the movie, “It is brilliantly acted, written, directed, and seen”.
With an average score of 9.20/10, the movie has a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. What else can you ask for?
Even though Spielberg has delivered so many beloved movies by now, this 1993 Universal Pictures flick is still among his best.
If you have not seen Schindler’s List yet, please do the favor and stream it on FuboTV.
