The Shawshank Redemption

[sal]

The original DVD release of Shawshank Redemption was one of the first DVDs to come out (aka. picture and sound just slightly better than VHS counterpart), so I avoided purchasing this one and hadn't seen it in probably 7 years. This week, a deluxe edition of the film was released on DVD and I picked it up immediately and watched it the same night.

This movie is just spectacular across the board. For once, a Stephen King story is given a worthy adaptation (OK....The Shining is also in that group), but it really transcends King's story in many ways. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman give what I feel are their best performances ever. The acting, pacing, music, cinematography, sounds, atmosphere....all of it is just as close to perfection as you can get. This was director Frank Darabont's debut, and this film will probably always remain his ultimate masterpiece. But its that humane story, and the many emotions you feel throughtout the nearly 2.5 hours of the film, that just make it so enveloping. Like Roger Ebert comments on the back of the box, you forget you're watching a film. It makes you laugh, cry, rejoice, gasp, etc. And in the end, you feel happy to be alive, and to be free. Just incredible.

The Shawshank Redemption got lost in the madness of 1995, which also produced the breakthrough "Pulp Fiction" and the film that became America's darling, "Forrest Gump". But as much as I like those movies (Pulp Fiction is one of my all time favs), the Shawshank Redemption really struck a cord with me, and it remains a truly special gem in American film. Revisiting this classic work of art on the wonderful DVD has truely been one of my more enjoyable cinematic experiences of recent years.

[catesta]

It is a great movie.

I don't have the DVD probably because they play it on cable almost every other week.

However, this new DVD sounds like the one to get.

[Free For All]

Well said, sal. Shawshank is a great flick. I'd like to get that DVD.

The Shining was good, agreed (vintage Jack), but it was quite different from the original King book. Totally different ending.

I thought Stand By Me was a good King adaptation.

[dsgtrane]

One of my all-time fave movies. Will have to pick up the deluxe edition if it's that much improved.

I recall thinking when I read the King book "Different Seasons" (4 short novels, 3 of which have been made into movies) that this story would make a great movie. Nice to be right on occasion.

[BERIGAN]

Agreed, Robbins, and Freeman's best performances...and the evil warden...

[BruceH]

Good movie ---in fact, has to be one of the best prison movies of all time. You know, it's been re-released on the big screen (in a limited way) as publicity for the new DVD. You should try to see it in the theater if you can. I saw it when it got a short rerelease because of all the Oscar noms. It's the kind of film that just enfolds you; the big screen helps.

BTW, Gump and Pulp Fiction came out in 1994, but Shawshank DID get lost, no doubt about it. It found it's audience in the years since, on cable, VHS, and DVD. That's how it is, these days; audiences aren't given time to discover a film on the big screen, no 'sleeper hits' anymore, they have to discover a film in the aftermarket.

Edited October 12, 2004 by BruceH

[Noj]

I really enjoy the soundtrack from Shawshank, particularly the scenes where Morgan Freeman's character Red is walking in Buxton and narrating.

[Shrdlu]

A big favorite of mine. Nice to see it come up for discussion.

[jazzbo]

Okay I'm going to make an admission: I've only ever seen the final half of this movie, on TV.

The first half would have to be incredibly STELLAR for me to call this a great movie!

[dsgtrane]

Okay I'm going to make an admission: I've only ever seen the final half of this movie, on TV.

The first half would have to be incredibly STELLAR for me to call this a great movie!

Give it a try Lon. Have I ever steered you wrong?

[Leeway]

Some of the local cable channels in my area run this film frequently. I like it very much. I've watched it quite a number of times. Its humanity pulls you in. BUT, watching it, I know that the picture it draws of the convicts and convict life, is hardly realistic. If it ever did exist, it doesn't anymore. It's a beautiful film about justice, friendship, hope. But it gives a hopelessly idealized picture of prison life.

[jazzmessenger]

I saw this movie on TV last year and got the DVD right after I got a DVD player last Christmas. Great movie

[Bright Moments]

a great movie. lon, you have to see it from the beginning!

WORD!

[Dan Gould]

But it gives a hopelessly idealized picture of prison life.

Brutal rape scenes, sadistic guards ... "hopelessly idealized picture of prison life"??

[Shawn]

I think Shawshank is a very good film...but I don't consider it a "great" film.

[Templejazz]

"Hey fish...........fish, fish, fish, fish, fishieeessssssssssss..."

I love this movie. I love Morgan Freeman and his final parole hearing speech.

Great music too.

B-)

"And it's FAT-ass by a nose!!!"

"Fresh fish!"

[marcoliv]

one of my top-5 movies

glad to know there is a new edition of it

thanks

Marcus

[Leeway]

But it gives a hopelessly idealized picture of prison life.

Brutal rape scenes, sadistic guards ... "hopelessly idealized picture of prison life"??

Dan, check out any documentary on prison life in America. There is violent race warfare inside the prisons, drug use, gang warfare, etc. One doesn't see in them the sort of easy camaderie and uplift spirit protrayed in the film. I wish it were otherwise, but it isn't.

In addition, the hero of the film is an innocent man, thus it's easy to root for him, and the other cons seem like harmless, inofffensive sorts of fellows, more put upon than threatening. Go into any maximum security prison facility (I have visited them), and the prisoners one finds there are hardly inoffensive; indeed, there's a very good chance of getting killed in a heartbeat.

I'm not putting down the film. As I said, I personally like it a lot. But I think it's important to keep in mind that the film's treatment of prison life is, in fact, quite idealized.

[Dan Gould]

Well, you are right about the inmates being inoffensive fellows.

But unless you're going to tell me you were visiting prisons from the late '40s through the late '60s, or whatever the time period of the movie exactly is, you are applying your experience with the current inmate population to that of an earlier time. Specifically, I would suggest that gang warfare, race warfare, and the level and type of drug use during the timeframe of the film was quite different than it is now.

Or to put it another way, if HBO existed in the '50s, would anyone have written and produced Oz? I think the answer is no, because the prison population was not the same.

[Leeway]

OK, now that we have dealt with the prison life issue, there is one other aspect of the movie that I have reservations about: the ending. I would have prefered the movie ending with "Red" (Morgan Freeman) heading out on the bus, so that the issue of the future is left open for the viewer to speculate upon. That scene on the beach, where Red and Andy meet each other again, seems too pat, sentimental. It has a "Hallmark" quality to it. I'm probably in the minority here again, but was wondering if anyone else felt that the ending scene was weak.

[Dan Gould]

OK, now that we have dealt with the prison life issue,

How exactly have we dealt with the prison life issue when I have pointed out that you are applying gang/race/drug issues from the present day to a time up to 50 years ago, and you offer no rebuttal or response?

FWIW, I agree with you that the ending is too pat and sentimental.

One aspect no one's mentioned: Morgan Freeman has an awesome voice and does a tremendous job with the narration.

Edited October 12, 2004 by Dan Gould

[BruceH]

OK, now that we have dealt with the prison life issue, there is one other aspect of the movie that I have reservations about: the ending. I would have prefered the movie ending with "Red" (Morgan Freeman) heading out on the bus, so that the issue of the future is left open for the viewer to speculate upon. That scene on the beach, where Red and Andy meet each other again, seems too pat, sentimental. It has a "Hallmark" quality to it. I'm probably in the minority here again, but was wondering if anyone else felt that the ending scene was weak.

INDEED! I felt somewhat the same way about the ending, but I was inclined to be generous on this point. After all the characters had been through, I felt they'd "earned" a nice happy ending, sentimental as it may be.

(You're also very right about the depiction of prison life of course. Almost all the men in Shawshank are depicted as basically decent guys. But this just seemed like a throwback to an earlier type of Hollywood movie, and probably an older tradition of prison stories in print as well. You know, the prison's a metaphor, blah, blah, blah... Maybe the rape was thrown in to make it seem more realistic.)

[Leeway]

How exactly have we dealt with the prison life issue when I have pointed out that you are applying gang/race/drug issues from the present day to a time up to 50 years ago, and you offer no rebuttal or response? 

In the sense that you have your view and I have mine Sorry to disappoint you about not offering a rebuttal. OK, let me add this:

As you indicate, the time is somewhat indeterminate. Modern enough not to seem remote, but not right up to date. So it can be taken as relevant to today, but not topical. I think this was by design. It allows one to disregard prison life as we now know it, for a slightly hazy past where questions about prisoners tend not to intrude. But maybe prison life was nicer a generation or two ago. From what I know, it wasn't, but I'm not an expert. I doubt it was quite as collegial as it appears in the movie. Bruce H in his post nails it, I think.

I would also suggets that the presence of Tim Robbins ( a fine actor BTW) signals a certain left socio-political orientation (which I share to a great degree, so I'm not knocking him just for that) that is implicit in the movie. There is a definite political element implicit throughout the movie. I do think the movie, aside from telling a powerful personal story, wants to change the viewer's poltiical and social views on crime, punishment, and, in the largest way, about government authority. That's just my take on one aspect of the film.

[Dan Gould]

How exactly have we dealt with the prison life issue when I have pointed out that you are applying gang/race/drug issues from the present day to a time up to 50 years ago, and you offer no rebuttal or response? 

In the sense that you have your view and I have mine Sorry to disappoint you about not offering a rebuttal. OK, let me add this:

As you indicate, the time is somewhat indeterminate. Modern enough not to seem remote, but not right up to date. So it can be taken as relevant to today, but not topical. I think this was by design. It allows one to disregard prison life as we now know it, for a slightly hazy past where questions about prisoners tend not to intrude. But maybe prison life was nicer a generation or two ago. From what I know, it wasn't, but I'm not an expert. I doubt it was quite as collegial as it appears in the movie. Bruce H in his post nails it, I think.

OK, a rebuttal wasn't entirely necessary, but I did hope you'd respond in some way.

Now that you have, I must say that the time is most assuredly not "indeterminate". If there are no specific dates given, the passage of time is seen throughout the film, specifically in the progression of pinups Andy has on his wall.

I would argue strongly that gang warfare (when did the Crips and Bloods start battling in prisons across the US? Not the '40s, '50s or '60s) and racial warfare were not the same as they are now. Drug use, I'm not so sure about, but certainly the drugs going into prison during the time period covered was largely pot and heroin, not crack or PCP.

[Leeway]

One aspect no one's mentioned: Morgan Freeman has an awesome voice and does a tremendous job with the narration.

Yes, agreed; in fact, it might be a key reason why the film resonates on such an emotional level. It has the intimacy of a story told among friends or family.