Introduction ~~~~~~~~~~
Andy Dufrensne is a high flying city banker, that is until the day his wife tells him she wants a divorce and she is having an affair. Andy’s wife is also coincidently is murdered with her lover the same night she told Andy she was having an affair. Andy also happened to drive to their house on the night she was murdered. Andy Dufrensne is given two life sentences for the murder off his wife and the man his wife had an affair with. Andy pleads his innocence with relativity weak evidence that is dismissed by the court. Andy Dufrensne is sent to Shawshank prison, that’s where the real drama unfolds….
IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THIS YET – DON’T READ THE QUOTES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE
REVIEW AS THEY MAY SPOIL THE FILM FOR YOU!
Characters ~~~~~~~~~~~
Andy Dufrensne: Andy is played Tim Robbins. Andy is an expert on finance, he soon puts his knowledge to use by helping the prison staff with their tax returns. Soon tax returns become a bit too simple for Andy so Warden Norton gets Andy to work on illegal schemes and scams. Tim Robbins plays Andy brilliantly and fits the role very well, a shame he didn’t get an Oscar nomination.
“Red” Redding: Red is a fellow lifer with Andy. Red is well known to prisoners as “a man who knows how to get things.” So whether it was a bottle of brandy or a poster Red was your man. Red was in for murder like Andy, though he was guilty of his crime. Red didn’t seem like a murderer, in fact he had a heart of gold. Red is the narrator of this film, Red gives an amiable and folksy feel to the narrative, as if Red himself was telling you the story. Morgan Freedman plays Red, Morgan received a 1994 Best actor Academy award nomination for his role.
Brooks Halten: Brooks has spent over 50 years off his life in Shawshank prison. Brooks is released. Brooks doesn’t want to be released, he’s spent most of his life in Shawshank so he wants to die in Shawshank prison. He gets so used to been in prison he isn’t a happy man when he gets out. Brooks is a character you develop a soft spot for, he spends the majority of his life in prison, 50 years. Brooks is played by James Whitmore. Whitmore’s been in loads of films, these have included Rage, Nuts and Relic.
Warden Norton: Norton is the boss of Shawshank prison, Warden Norton is a short-tempered hypocrite. He quotes the bible frequently and tries to make himself out as a religious man. The truth eventually comes out.
Story ~~~~~~~~~~
The story to the Shawshank Redemption is rather vague there isn’t a that strong storyline. Even if there is supposed to be the film just drifts off it. Unlike many films this is very unpredictable, there are added twists in the tale to keep you on the edge of your seat. I haven’t actually read the 1982 Stephan King novel but I do plan to. When I first heard about this film I thought it sounded a bit like The Green Mile. Another Stephan King novel where a film adaptation has been made. Well apart from the Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile both been based in prisons in the 1940’s they are totally different. Silly me for jumping the gun.
This is one of the best films I have ever seen, I can compare it to my all time favourites. Most prison dramas are gritty and coarse but this film shows that a prison is home to some of its inmates. Not a home from hell too, some of the prisoners seem happy in there. Though if you’ve been in a prison 50 years, “get busy living, or get busy dying” as Andy Dufrensne says.
Soundtrack ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may notice that the Shawshank Redemption has a rather similar soundtrack to The Green Mile. Why? Thomas Newman made them both. The soundtrack is very good, all of the music used is classical so I wouldn’t recommend you buy the soundtrack on CD! Thomas Newman got a well deserved Oscar for the best original score and best sound.
Overall ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a great film, if you haven’t already seen it you should. This is yet another brilliant adaptation of one of Stephan King’s books to the big screen. Apparently he sold the rights to this film for just a dollar to enable production.) Freeman and Robbins are fantastic and fit their parts brilliantly. A superb cast, great script and good directing make this an epic. 1st time director Frank Darabont is brilliant and he got a well deserved Guild award for his directing.
Quotes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Get busy living, or get busy dying.” Andy Dufrensne. This is probably the most memorable quote of the film. Things are at an all-time low point for Andy but somehow he manages to look on the bright side of life. Always look on the bright side of life! Sorry, no Monty Python…
“Rehabilitated, it’s just a bull-shit word. So go on and stamp your forms sonny, and stop wasting my time, to tell you the truth, I don’t give a shit.” Ellis “Red” Redding. Red is turned down twice for being released, the first two times when asked if he had been rehabilitated he just says yes. The third time he realizes that doesn’t work so goes in for controversy!