Steven Spielberg is “proudest of” this movie he made.
Summary
- Spielberg proudly calls Schindler’s List his best work, surpassing classics like Jaws and E.T.
- The filmmaker wasn’t sure he could adapt the riveting book, Schindler’s Ark, for the big screen.
- Schindler’s List was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won 7 Oscars.
Schindler’s List is the movie Steven Spielberg is “proudest of.” Spielberg’s storied filmmaking career spans over 50 years, and he’s amassed some of the most memorable titles of all time. He endowed fans with the first summer blockbuster, which was Jaws (1975), the Indiana Jones franchise, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and even the critically praised remake of West Side Story — too bad the movie musical opened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cinema history wouldn’t have Jurassic Park if not for Spielberg, not to mention 2022’s The Fabelmans. During a sit-down with The Hollywood Reporter, for the Schindler’s List: An Oral History of a Masterpiece feature, Spielberg declared Schindler’s List to be “the best movie” he’s ever made. Spielberg told THR:
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.
Schindler’s List is based on the 1982 book Schindler’s Ark by author Thomas Keneally. But Spielberg didn’t quite know how to bring Keneally’s work to life on the big screen. Spielberg said in the same interview:
I wasn’t sure if I could get a script developed from the book.
Steven Spielberg’s Crowning Achievement
Schindler’s List is one of Steven Spileberg’s finest films, and its genesis can be traced all the way back to 1982. As E.T. completed its second week of theatrical release, Steven Spielberg’s mentor and the President of MCA, Sid Sheinberg, gave Spielberg a review to read about a book written by Thomas Keneally. After reading the write-up for Schindler’s Ark, Spielberg was excited to get his hands on the story, which, admittedly puzzled the filmmaker. Spielberg said in the same interview with THR:
“The book didn’t have a narrative that was obvious to the naked eye. It was full of names, facts, dates and times — certification of authenticity. The great mystery, though, which I could never solve when I read it, was: Why did Schindler do this? Why did he risk his life and spend 95 percent of the money he’d amassed to buy his workers back from [Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp commandant] Amon Göth and eventually bring them to freedom?”
Related
Best Steven Spielberg Films, Ranked
A lot of directors have a unique vision and respect the craft of filmmaking, but none more so than Spielberg, who does both with elegance and style.
As history clearly shows, Spielberg did better than simply adapt Keneally’s book for the Silver Screen, to say nothing of what he did with the unforgettable and chilling ending of Schindler’s List. The filmmaker imbued the black-and-white picture with heart-wrenching storytelling, which resulted in Schindler’s List being nominated for 12 Academy Awards. And at the 1995 ceremony, Spielberg’s favorite movie won a staggering 7 Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Film Editing and Best Original Score. Spielberg himself walked away with two golden statues that night.
Spielberg has every reason to be proud of his 1994 masterpiece, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. At the time of this writing, Schindler’s List is available to rent or buy on VOD.
