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Summary: One of the greatest films of all time
Review: This is my favorite film, and over the years I have watched it grow from a near box office flop to one of the most beloved films. This is the tale of Andy Dufrense convicted of murdering his wife "and the fella she was banging." Andy is then sent to Shawshank prison to server back to back life sentences. While there he meets Red, the only guilty man in Shawshank, and his group of friends that make the time easier. He also meets Boggs and the bull queers who make his life a living hell. Through the course of actions, Andy begins to accept he is in prison and makes the best of it. He uses his skills as a banker to do favors for the warden and the guards, and in return he tries to make Shawshank more tolerable for all, by building a library and helping to educate the inmates. Andy seems content to remain in prison, he has found his niche, then he gets word that there may be evidence that could set him free, when the warden disregards the information, Andy generally goes insane and makes a last ditch effort to get out. The film is a roller coaster of emotions, some comical, some tragic, and in the end total redemption. I have seen it many times and still come close to tears at points. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman create wonderful characters and should have both won Oscars. Since this films release it has moved to number 2 on the IMDB.com list, just behind the Godfather.About the DVD: It is sparse, which is to say that it does not have the toys that we have come to know and love from our discs (Behind the scenes, trailers, deleted scenes, directors/actors commentary) this one only has the Theatrical trailer. Hopefully with this being the 10 year anniversary of The Shawshank Redemption, Warner Brothers will capitalize on the occasion and release a collectors edition rife with all the requisite goodies. T
Rating:
Summary: Underrated but immortal
Review: Every time I grow annoyed with Tim Robbins' politics I pop this DVD in or catch it on TNT for the 2,000th time. There is not one single flawed performance in this beautiful Stephen King adaptation. From Gil Bellows (who deserves stardom after landing the role of Tommy after Brad Pitt turned it down) to the tragic James Whitmore, ever-versatile Clancy Brown (who turned up to voice a dragon in the Cartoon Network series "Samurai Jack"), sinister Bob Gunton...and who can ever possibly forget the King of Hank Williams lovesick blues singin', multitalented and underrated veteran actor William Sadler, recently seen in the equally underrated "The Battle of Shaker Heights" and soon to play in the anticipated "Wonderfalls" dramedy on Fox? I love this movie and its observations on life, love, justice, and yes, redemption. Some have criticized Warden Norton's character as Hollywood's continued assault on religion. As Mel Gibson's PASSION OF THE CHRIST will undoubtedly prove, yes, atrocities have been committed in the name of religion, concealing human ambition. I can think of no better argument for Christ in this film than Andy DuFresne and Red. And lest we forget, Morgan Freeman played God in BRUCE ALMIGHTY.
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Summary: Prisonhouse Shades
Review: This film recounts the life experience of every decent man in the Western hemisphere. Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains, like Rousseau said. In adult life he gets ensnared into a system built on lies, injustice, chicanery, and is subjected to thugs, kommissars, bureaucrats, crooks and jerks. If he is lucky, he finds a good friend. By learning to play the system he can survive, and develop a plan to get himself out. With patience and durability he racks up a nest-egg for himself at the end of the tunnel. Sweet revenge is seldom there ---- in this the film departs from reality. Finally he can retire for a few years of pleasant life in the sun by the sea. The story is meticulously crafted, supremely well-acted and directed. It's a bit like Charley Varrick. Uplifting.
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Summary: Prison Escape Involving R.Hayworth, M. Monroe, & R. Welch!!
Review: =====> This 2 hour and 20 minute movie (theatrical release 1994), adapted from Stephen King's short novel "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" can be summarized easily. It tells the story of quiet banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) who has been unjustly sent to Shawshank Prison to serve a double life sentence. In prison, he forms a strong friendship with long-time inmate Ellis "Red" Redding (played exquisitely by Morgan Freeman) who, though he doesn't realize it, helps Andy escape after 19 years in prison. Also, help for this escape is provided by Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, Rachel Welch, and geology!! But there is more to this movie--much more. Even a wrongful imprisionment, a corrupt warden and a ruthless prison guard captain (played superbly by Bob Gunton and Clancy Brown respectively), and enemies within the prison (such as Bogs and his "sisters") cannot get the best of Andy. Why? His hope never dies. This is the art of this movie: it perfectly paints a picture of a man who will not give up the only thing that can't be taken away from him--hope. This is also a magical movie since you are completely enveloped in Shawshank from the very first movie shot. You experience a prison life composed of routine, after routine, after routine. This is one reason the movie is relatively long: to get the viewer involved in this routine. Also, the long length of this movie gets across the passage of time which is crucial to this story about patience, the squeaky wheels of justice, and the growth of a long-term friendship. All actors in their supporting roles do a fantastic job and some of these roles have been mentioned above. Also, look for James Whitmore's heart-wrenching portrayal of Brooks, a very long-term inmate. Something else that should be mentioned is Freeman's narration as Red. His voice when he is narrating seems to add to the movie. In fact, I can't imagine the movie without his narration! Here's other things that you'll find in this movie: contrasts, opposites, unpredictability, humor, persistence, justice and redemption, renewal, and the importance of freedom. At the end of the movie, there is a double surprise ending. These endings answer two questions: (1) How did Andy escape? (2) How does Red benefit from Andy's escape? Since this is an all-male prison movie, there is some violence and foul language. But these are not gratuitous and add realism to the movie. This movie has many memorable lines. My two favorites are as follows: (1) "Get busy living or get busy dieing" (2) "Hope is a good thing--maybe the best of things." This is one of the few movies where subsequent viewings actually enhances its impact. Why is this? Because there are so many wonderful things on-screen that are presented to the viewer. The only minor complaint I have with the movie is that it sometimes can be unrealistic. But this can be forgiven since the story is so engrossing. In conclusion, as mentioned Andy escapes Shawshank prison. The viewer, however, will find the she/he cannot escape watching this powerful movie! <=====>
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Summary: A very well done movie and very well told story!
Review: When someone suggested this movie to me I wasn't really interested because I didn't think I would like it but one day I was flipping channels and it was on a cable movie channel and it had just started so I decided to watch it for the hell of it. I figured it can't be all bad if it has Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in it. I have to tell you I was blown away! It was so good and completely captivating. I really felt for Tim Robbins character. Another pleasant surprise, at least to me, is that the marvelous Clancy Brown plays one of the prison guards. Some of you may remember his great performance as The Kurgan in The Highlander.
Morgan Freeman is superb, as always, as Andy's best friend. I can't tell what happens because it will spoil it for you, but if you like a story well told and to be caught by surprise by something you didn't think you would, like then watch this movie!
Trust me you won't regret it.
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Summary: Spell-binding
Review: I cannot think of a single movie from the 1990's that drew me in so fast and took me for a real emotional roller coaster ride. Most movies don't stand a chance of doing that, as I tend to be a harsh critic, but this film was just outstanding in so many respects. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are obviously good actors. Everyone knows this. But the way in which they fed off one another in this film made the two characters they portrayed and the overall mood of the place so compelling, it's hard to describe. The story is truly moving on a variety of levels -- everything from demonstrating the resilience of human nature, to finding friends where you expect only enemies, to the sadness of a life utterly confined (whether justified or not). This movie has perhaps the widest range of emotion I've ever seen in a film, and it demonstrates all of the emotions in such a genuine and timely way, that not a single word of the film or a single action within seems contrived to my ears or eyes. Quite simply one of the best movies I have ever seen. Highest Recommendation.
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Summary: Get busy livin, or get busy dying
Review: The plot of this film does not sound promising. Two guys become close friends while sharing time in a prison for twenty years. It is also very long, clocking in at around 2 hours 20 minutes. However, this is quite possibly the most enjoyable movie I have ever seen, with great characters and super pacing leading to a wonderful surprise ending. This movie lost the best picture Oscar in 1994 to Forrest Gump. While Tom Hanks deserved the best Actor award that year, that movie was no where near as good as this one. Tim Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a Maine Banker who is falsly convicted of the double murder of his wife and her lover. He is sent to Shawshank Prison for two life sentences, one for each victim. Early in his stay, he meets "Red" (Morgan Freeman) who has already logged twenty years there and is turned down for parole when we first meet him. Red is the man who has the connections to get anything the prisoners want, for a price. He actually has no respect for Andy when he first sees him, but eventually they become very close. The movie is fantastic in the way it sets up the personalities of the various characters in just a few scenes. Both the warden and the head guard are extremely evil men, yet we don't see them more than in just a few scenes. Their characters are established early and we grow to hate them almost immediately. The ending has several parts and it is great. It may be one of the most complete surprise endings ever, several strands in the story seem to come together at once. Should have been best picture.
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Summary: One of the best films ever, but where's the special DVD set?
Review: We all know Shawshank is one of the best movies of all time, and many of the reviewers have well-described why, so I won't bother rehashing the movie. Rather, I would like to air my puzzlement and irritation with Castle Rock for not releasing the movie in a special DVD set filled with extras. It seems that basically every_single_movie that comes out -- mostly garbage films no one has even seen in the theaters -- gets its own 2-DVD set. Conversely, one of the most popular films of the last generation has been relegated to a limited, basically empty DVD version for nearly 10 years. Shame on the production company, and I plead with them to re-release Shawshank to give it the glory it is entitled to and give Shawshank's many fans a better product.
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Summary: Redemption delivered, in spades
Review: One of the best 10 films I've ever watched and I must have watched this one about 5 times already! And I'm not even a fan of TR although I think MF is one of the greatest actors that graced our planet. What is it about this jail-buddy movie that gets me every time is hard to tell but probably it is this: hope wins against injustice in life. However, there is a jail-break in the heart of the movie. So we know that a convict runs loose but yet we root for him. Why? Because the warden ("da system") in this Stephen King story is even worse and corrupted than the inmates. The last scene is gorgeous and as perfect as any ending in film history. It makes you glad that you are alive. Watch this movie to feel hopeful about the future and fill your insides with the glow of good things to come. This baby indeed delivers the redemption it promises in its title.
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Summary: Great Movie - Not True Widescreen Video
Review: Beware! This is NOT a true "Widescreen Edition." There are many positive reviews, so rather than restating them, I want to speak about this so-called widescreen edition. I was terribly disappointed to discover it is merely a "standard" format with black bars at the top and bottom, rather than the theatrical screen ratio! A while ago, I had been given the VHS "standard" format video as a gift. I was excited to discover the "widescreen" format here on Amazon and purchased it immediately. I suspected something was wrong within the first few moments of watching the video...the tops of peoples' heads were "chopped off" and the composition of shots was odd. When I compared it to my "standard" version, I was shocked by what I saw...heads were not "chopped off" and the images were better composed! It was very obvious that black bars were added by the studio. The movie was shown on TV recently, and I compared the images there as well, and got the same result. I've just read another customer review for the DVD "widescreen" version with the same complaint. I'm extremely disappointed that the movie studio would do this and offended that they would try to put-one-over on their customers.
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