Schindler's List and Malcolm X

The film editors hired to make previews for Schindler's List and Malcolm X employ many of the same techniques of visual argument.

Schindler's List begins with frame after frame of destruction and frightened faces of Jewish people. Shots of homes being ransacked by the Gestapo and pictures of children being ripped from their families and and thrown mercilessly into trains evokes overwhelming emotions. The things being done are unimaginable to everyone except for the modern day survivors. An old, traditional, Jewish folk song plays throughout the beginning of the clip; the slow monotony reflects the movements of the captured Jews in their work lines. There are only two instances of dialect in this preview, which shows us that the creator is trying to evoke all the feelings and make his argument with visuals alone. The first voice we hear is that of a little girl screaming "Goodbye Jews! Goodbye Jews!" as she runs her finger across her own throat, foreshadowing the death of the captured families. The director displays helplessness and destruction and obviously wants to evoke a sense of overwhelming sorrow in the viewer.

The second half of the clip takes a turn toward the light, literally, although the entire clip is in black and white, it unmistakably brightens when the words come across the screen "Whoever saves one life... Saves the world entire". After that, we get the feeling that a distraught man shown throughout the preview will emerge as a hero and save the lives of as many families as he can. The song picks up in volume and in tempo. We feel a bit of happiness emerge as newly weds break the glass and this hero introduces "Schindler's list", which we can only imagine is a list of families they will save. At the end, we come away with a sense of hope and salvation; something good will come even in the midst of all the destruction.

Malcolm X begins in prison where Malcolm is asked his name and when he replies "Malcolm Little" to which the man next to him says, "No boy, your real name, not the one your slave masters gave you”. This dialogue foreshadows Malcolm's rise against racism. After a hard few years of adolescence in and out of prison, Malcolm turns to morals to better himself and move from a street thug follower to the leader and face of black equality. The music begins slow and ominous like that of Schindler's List and transitions to a sound of inspiration as Malcolm's mission advances. "He became the voice of the people who longed to be heard".

The creator uses visuals of large crowds of followers with Malcolm placed right at the front to show his unmistakable leadership. Every frame in the clip has Malcolm defined in some way as a leader. Just from the preview we grow to love and respect Malcolm for overcoming all odds and rising up to lead his people to equality. This film is one of inspiration to people and reverence for Malcolm.

The most important difference in the two clips is the endings. In Schindler's List, we are left with a feeling that good will prevail, the last scene is the "hero" figure and he doesn't look as distraught as in the beginning. One might ever say he looks happy, or accomplished. In Malcolm X, in the other hand, the whole preview is one of redemption and salvation, but the very last scene is a shotgun blast. We are left with a pit in our stomachs, and if you know history, you know the gunshot blast is representative of Malcolm's murder.