Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Over the course of several years, two convicts form a friendship, seeking consolation and, eventually, redemption through basic compassion. 

Written & Directed: Frank Darabont (The Green Mile)

Original Novel by: Stephen King (Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption)

Original Score: Thomas Newman (Scent of a Woman, The War, Meet Joe Black, WALL-E, & so much more)
Cinematographer: Roger Deakins (Blade Runner 2047, Skyfall, 1917, A Beautiful Mind, and so much more)
Editor: Richard Francis-Bruce (Se7en, The Green Mile)
Production Designer: Terence Marsh (The Green Mile, Clear and Present Danger, Spaceballs, A Bridge Too Far)
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: R, For language and prison violence
Starring: 

    Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne

    Morgan Freeman as Red

    Bob Gunton as Warden Norton

    Clancy Brown as Captain Hadley

With special commemoration and recognition of the brilliance of

    James Whitmore as Brooks Hatlen

Plot

Shawshank Redemption follows the story of Andy, a man in 1947 convicted of double homicide of his wife and the man she was having an affair with. Andy is quickly found guilty and sent to Shawshank prison in the state of Maine within the first few minutes of the movie, and he largely does not speak to his innocence. While in prison, Andy meets Red, a man who has already spent twenty years in prison. The movie focuses around these two characters and their friendship as they both attempt to survive the day to day of Shawshank prison. 

Shawshank Redemption very easily finds itself on my list of Required Viewing for American Adults for so many reasons. One could call it a commentary on the American justice system, with degrading conditions human beings are being subjected to in prisons, corruption, and injustice; and perhaps it is. However all of these things are secondary to the main themes of the movie: community, friendship, and hope. This movie is so oddly warm and comforting in the harsh and brutal environment that is prison. Andy forms bonds with not just Red and his group, but also finds (or rather fights to create) a harmony with his environment as best he can.

I recently learned that this movie did not even earn enough money to cover the cost of production in the opening weekend of its release. I was quite relieved to learn that after it won seven Oscars (including Best Picture) that it earned a bit more, and I am happy to be among it's fanatical following post-release. This movie is my fathers favorite movie. He would often tell me that when he was going through college and his life was feeling difficult he could always pull some degree of inspiration from this film, no matter the circumstances. I find myself tearing up as I watch this movie thinking of my father being young and lost, recently married, maybe even having just received word he's going to be a father. I imagine him trying to shake off another monotonous day by seeing this movie. I'll wonder if perhaps he found comfort out of this scene, or that song, and I look forward to the conversations we will have about it in the future.

Soundtrack & Score

The soundtrack of this movie stays true to the time periods in which it takes place, a characteristic I always love to see in period pieces. As the 40's leave and the world revolves around the stasis that is Shawshank, we get a brief hint at the passing of time through this neat little trick. However, it is not any of these period appropriate songs that are the most striking to me. Period songs give this movie a 8/10 for me but the SPOILER song turns this category into a 9.5/10 easily!

Thomas Newman will always hold a special place in my heart as one of the first composers I had ever bought music from to play on my iPod Nano when I was in middle school (Whisper of a Thrill if you're curious). I was not surprised to hear it was his music to have such a wonderful influence on this film. I love when I notice that the score of a movie is driving my emotions one way or another, but I love even more when I do not. Newman's compositions do exactly that, and it makes the film all the more better for it. I have very little else to say other than give me more good Newman. 10/10.

Cinematography

Roger Deakins! The man produces such fantastic works of art time and time again, he seemingly cannot fail and this holds true even for his older works. Shawshank Redemption is beautiful to watch, a feat that is even more impressive given the lack of space in which to actually film anything at all (because it's a prison). Somehow his style made the prison walls and the cramped cells feel so normal, and by contrast makes the outside world feel so very large. Deakins was nominated for his first Oscar for his work in this film and it is a damn shame he didn't get it (side note: Blade Runner 2047 was his first win, 24 years after Shawshank). The overall vision of the film would not have been the same without him. 10/10 hands down.

Final Thoughts & Overall Rating

Some of you may already know that I do not care so much for inspirational films. I know it's a cynical opinion to have but they just feel so bland and repetitive to me, to the point where nearly every single one is just the same story with different characters and setting. The man overcomes his turmoil? Cool! Oh wow, that white person is helping all these troubled POC youth realize their potential? Amazing!
It's boring, I'm tired of it. 

That being said, Shawshank Redemption is more than just a bland and overdone inspirational story because I think it taps into something that many inspirational films fail to actually accomplish: INSPIRATION! So many renditions of this genre of movie are feel good stories that do not challenge the audience at all. They provide no benefit or substance beyond the warm feeling that everything worked out in the end. Shawshank Redemption is attached to much more meaningful material, and that is the themes I discussed earlier: Friendship, community, & most importantly, hope. It is all too easy to feel like a part of this prison, to see yourself in their struggles, in their hopelessness. There is a reason this film is the #1 rated film on IMDB.

10/10. One of my favorite movies of all time

Beaux Score: 10/10

          

¡Tierra de Aguafiestas!

(Land of Spoilers)

This movie is a wonderful example of something that is not often portrayed in cinema; the main character (or hero) being different from the protagonist. One of the most easily recognizable examples of this is Avengers: Infinity War. We all know that the Avengers are the heroes of the movie, but the main character of that film is not the heroes of the story, but it's villain, Thanos. In Shawshank Redemption, the hero of the story is clearly Andy Dufresne. The story centers around him, he is the main character. However the protagonist is not Andy, but Red. (I suppose an argument could be made that the movie has a dual protagonist and dual antagonist but I like it more this way). In a basic story structure with a protagonist and antagonist, it is the antagonist that brings conflict into the protagonist's life. To overcome that conflict, the protagonist must then change or adapt somehow for better or worse. 

From Day 1 of lock up to his escape, Andy remains the same character, the narrative does not require him to undergo meaningful change. He is always using his wits to make the best of his situation, and make meaningful connections with his inmates. It is a deliberate choice to only see the story from Andy's point of view in the first few minutes while he is being convicted, (and later the few minutes that make up his escape). As soon as Andy gets to prison, we only see him through the eyes and actions of others. His escape (a plan that he has been enacting for years) really only comes after he feels there is no alternative, therefore Andy is not a protagonist. 

Red on the other hand does change. We see him soften toward Andy, grow a friendship with him, and ultimately place his hope in him. Brooks is a sad example of what Red could have been, an old institutionalized crook with no hope of any meaning or future. But Andy gives Red that hope, he changes his perspective and helps Red defeat the real antagonist of the film; hopelessness. The entire sequence with Brooks on the outside makes me tear up every time and it is a huge part of that is due to Deakins' fantastic camera work paired with Francis-Bruce's editing. I gave him a special commemoration earlier, but again I would like to sing the praises of James Withmore as well.

Lastly, I wanted to talk about the spoiler song I was referring to earlier: Sull'aria, the operatic music from The Marriage of Figaro. Its graceful presence does not sit idly in the background of it's scene, it is not meant to give you an indication for what the character is thinking (despite being a literal needle drop). Red (and later Andy in the cafeteria) explains exactly what this song means to every prisoner of Shawshank, to Andy, and to us as well. It's freedom, beauty, hope. That which cannot be taken, no matter what conditions we may find ourselves in. Such a lasting impression is left on the audience for such a small moment in the film.

And it is so much more rewarding when Andy lifts us out of that darkness and shows us that hope can still exist.