Jump to content

The Shawshank Redemption vs Schindler's List


Lewya

The Shawshank Redemption vs Schindler's List  

23 members have voted

  1. 1. Which film do you prefer?

    • The Shawshank Redemption - Frank Darabont
    • Schindler's List - Steven Spielberg
  2. 2. Which score do you prefer?

    • The Shawshank Redemption - Thomas Newman
    • Schindler's List - John Williams


Recommended Posts

Another poll, I need to know what people here prefer - for fun.

 

The Shawshank Redemption for me on both counts  - Shawshank is one of my top 25 scores of all time, Schindler's List wouldn't even make my top 100.

 

The Shawshank Redemption is simply a stunning score, Williams himself singled it out as one of the most impressive scores he had heard from the younger generation. The Schindler's List score may be good (I easily prefer Jurassic Park from the same year though), but it was never one of my favourite Williams scores and I feel it is probably even overrated. I find the score too maudlin and sentimental - the obnoxious choral moments are easily the worst. Newman's understated, moving and elegant effort is clearly the superior score for me. I still listen quite regularly to a handful of tracks from Shawshank - and it is a joy, but pretty much never feel the need to revisit the Schindler's List score.

 

Which film and score do you prefer, The Shawshank Redemption or Schindler's List?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never seen more than a few scenes of SL actually and I have absolutely zero desire to watch it properly.

 

It's one of the most prominent cases where, due to it being about the Holocaust, everyone must take it seriously and analyse it to death. I've had education at school about it. I don't need to see a film adaptation. JW's score is just one hour (or whatever) of overwhelmingly sentimental, depressing music. Can't stand it.

 

Newman's score isn't perfect by any means (I don't enjoy the entire score) but it's not as overwhelming and has some brighter moments in between the bits depicting the hopelessness of being imprisoned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's the basis of the comparison here? To me, its like comparing a computer with hummus or something.

 

Besides, I can't speak of Schindler's List as a film. Growing up in Israel, it just isn't something that one approaches as a film. Its more like a rite of passage of some sort. I haven't seen it since 16.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shawshank for film easily.  It's a classic, immensely rewatchable, and with a nice uplifting ending after the darkness.


Schindler's List is an incredibly well made film, but I don't watch it over and over again.  We watched it in high school, and then I saw it for the second time when it came out on Blu Ray.  It might be another 20 years until I watch it again.

 

I like the Shawshank score and bought the LLL expansion, but haven't listened to it yet.

 

I like the Schindler's List score and have listened to it plenty of times, and really like disc 2 of the LLL set a lot, so it wins this contest despite not being on my favorite scores by the maestro by any means.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As with the two films in today's other poll, these would boh be likely entries in a list of my top twenty films of the 1990s.

 

I suspect that my top twenty list will reach triple figures by the end of the month...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why is Shawshank considered so good? I remember reading how universally loved it was when I first logged on to the internet in 1999, but was never interested at the time.

 

After all the critical acclaim it's received over the years, will I be disappointed?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I first saw it before it had become the popular phenomenon that it subsequently did. It was a pretty low-key new cinema release, with very good reviews but not much hype around it. In that context, the film was like a bolt out of the blue. It's a pity that new viewers aren't likely to be surprised by it in the same way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't listen to Schindler's List very often, mostly because it's not your light Sunday-afternoon type of listening experience. For me, the score has such significance emotionally, with obvious connection to the significance of the film. 

 

For The Shawshank Redemption, I have never seen it, although I might some time soon. I haven't really given the score a full listen either.

 

However, regardless of the unknown, at least for me, I still feel it'd be hard for it to beat out Schindler's List, no matter how good of a film/score it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see absolutely no point in comparing these two particular films.

 

But i voted SL because its brilliant.

 

2 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

It's one of the most prominent cases where, due to it being about the Holocaust, everyone must take it seriously and analyse it to death. I've had education at school about it. 

 

A common enough opinion and fair. But you are missing out on an INCREDIBLY well made film! Which isn't at all just depressing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

It's one of the most prominent cases where, due to it being about the Holocaust, everyone must take it seriously and analyse it to death.

 

In a way, I kind of agree with that. Its especially true for Jewish youth in Israel, obviously. Makes it feel more like a school/education chore than a film.

 

That's certainly what the experience of it has been in my mind. I don't really have an urge to revisit it in the forseeable future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Listening to a few bits of the SL score on Spotify, it comes across as a concept album that's constantly preaching about the horrors of the war, but I'm just not getting it. I don't find Perlman's solos interesting either. It's just not a score for me - it's too in-your-face with emotion.

 

(And whoever made the digital master for Spotify screwed up - it barely sounds 128k)

 

1 hour ago, Chen G. said:

Makes it feel more like a school/education chore than a film.

 

That's certainly what the experience of it has been in my mind. I don't really have an urge to revisit it in the forseeable future.

 

Yes, I think that's it. I'm pretty sure the bits I've seen were during RE class at secondary school.

 

But now, I'd just prefer to spend my time a bit more positively.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

I'm pretty sure the bits I've seen were during RE class at secondary school

 

I saw it on a bus on a school trip to the Death Camps in Poland.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely no contest, on both counts.

SCHINDLER'S LIST is an extremely moving, poignant, and very "human" piece of work, with an Academy Award-worthy score...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION well and truly shits all over it, from a very great height.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shawshank is a better film in so many ways but Johns score (the 2nd best that year is better than Newman's which is good) wins. 

Btw Silence and Titanic are also better than Schindler's List. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, JoeinAR said:

 Btw Silence and Titanic are also better than Schindler's List. 

 

Silence of the Lambs - sure.

 

But Titanic - I don't know. The framing device in the film drives me nuts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.