One of the best films in one of the greatest filmographies, “Schindler’s List,” was a passion project that launched Steven Spielberg into the realm of awards filmmaking. With its powerful story of the Holocaust, the film has become a classic and one of the most revered films on the subject in history. And now, in celebration of the film’s 25th anniversary re-release, Spielberg believes his film is more relevant now than ever before.
The new poster says it all: “A story of courage that the world needs now more than ever.” Make no mistake, Spielberg’s original film is unchanged (minus a new restoration and a new sound mix), but everyone realizes that the hatred on display in “Schindler’s List” is being seen today, all too frequently. And to fully bring the message home, the new trailer for the re-release puts that message out there, from the very beginning, echoing the words on the poster.
“I think we found a door to allow people to talk about the consequences of hatred in all its forms in a more open way,” Spielberg says in an interview with EW. “Films have that capacity to move people to explore and understand the most tragic and horrific events in history, and at the same time to highlight the resiliency of the human spirit.”
“When the film initially came out, it made one of the most incomprehensible acts of humankind accessible,” Spielberg added. “It didn’t make it understandable, but reachable to audiences to be able explore it, to be moved in such a way to want to stand against all hatred, and know it is real and what can shockingly happen in the 20th and now the 21st centuries if we are not vigilant.”
READ MORE: Watch Steven Spielberg Introduce ‘Schindler’s List’ For Its First Network TV Screening
You don’t have to be a storytelling genius to understand what Spielberg is saying about the current political climate and the necessity for people to understand the evils of WWII. Clearly, as he’s done in the past, the filmmaker is drawing allusions to the current President of the United States and the contentious political climate that he has facilitated.
This is further emphasized when you look back to earlier in 2018 when Spielberg did the press rounds for “The Post,” in which he openly criticized the current administration and claimed that his urgency for making that film was due to who was in the White House.
So maybe he’s right. Maybe it’s time for the world to rediscover “Schindler’s List.” If nothing else, people will see one of the greatest films that came from one of the greatest filmmakers with a restoration that makes the film unlike what you saw 25 years ago.
Here’s the official trailer for the re-release:
