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Tim Robbins is Andy and Andy is Tim. I can't imagine anyone else in the role. Clancy Brown, Morgan Freeman and really the whole cast were so good. It's one of my go to films. Loved it from first view!!
Portraying the reunion between Andy and Red was absolutely mandatory as, in the context of the film, each man becomes the most important and impactful person in each others' life. Justified.
I like that scene to, but the short story ended with Red on the bus headed for the border. In the book you never know for sure if he meets Andy again. Which is probably why the director wanted it that way.
I saw in an interview where Morgan said he was asked by the director who he would like to act with and he said Tim. It makes a difference sometimes when you like and respect the person you are playing off!
@@angelangelushev1651 but we did that throughout the movie. By juxtaposing the sweet ending with the rest of the movie is an absolute reward for the journey. I believe it's what keeps us coming back.
@@angelangelushev1651 Eh. Certain films work better with an ambiguous ending, certainly. But in the case of Shawshank, I feel like we spent enough time dealing with Andy's suffering, and Red's redemption that the payoff ending is more appropriate. And it leaves the viewer with a more positive feeling about the film overall. I just don't think there's anything wrong with giving the audience what they want, sometimes.
Personally, I would say that both Shawshank and Green Mile are 2 films that is as close to perfection that a movie can get. I never tire of watching either.
Absolutely agree with you... and the reason ...Frank Darabont's screenplays (and direction). His screenplays captured the essence of King's stories like no one else could, and these are the best Stephen King stories in my opinion...and I love most everything he wrote!!
Barracuda V. Exactly ...my wife always walks away when she see me watching it over and over ....... the longest day is another film that I always watch again .....
Theodore Rex. Movies are movies some are enjoyed. Some aren't. Citizen Kane bombed. Now it's considered a classic. There is no golden age of anything everyone just forgets about the stuff they didn't like or was less popular.
The problem is that the public no longer praises original ideas. Of course, not for everyone, but Ruby Sparks was an original movie idea and it got no recognition. If there is no demand for intelligent original ideas, the supply will dwindle as we've seen for far too long.
I consider this film one of my top 5 films of all time! Story line, characters, setting, and the amazing ending is epoch. I was surprised when my sister-in-law told me it was originally a Stephen King short story. Some movies are so good I never tire of rewatching them, this is definitely one of them.
My ex refused to watch it with me! He said " is this some bullshit prison movie?" And nothing I said would get him past around the one time he watched the first 10 minutes or so... :(
Along with the fact that three actors that were in the Shawshank Redemption were also in The Green Mile. The prosecuting attorney was a guard on the mile and two prisoners played the father of the twins and the sheriff, respectively.
@Brian Pollard I have SO loved each of these movies (and they, bc of similarity, even reside tangentially together somewhere within me --- yeah, I know that sounded weird --- sorry best I could do!). Therefore, I really appreciated learning this interesting connection. Thanks for taking the time to share this bit of info. Cheers...
@laing jay I couldn't agree more regarding fav choice. I find it interesting that both villians (Warden - TSR; Percy - TGM) presented with psychopathic behavior but were both exposed as truly "spineless chicken-shits,".......arguably. But when you mentioned inability to choose fav, you really stopped me in my tracks! I impulsively first thought, "TSR," for sure! But then I started thinking of "TGM" and how John Coffey touched the hearts of Paul, Brutus, Harry, and Dean and each of those character arcs. [OMG, when Dean can't stop crying at the end, I freaking lose it!!! (Shit, I'm tearing up now!!) ...just keep that between you and me, ok? 😉 ] Anyway, I thought "TSR" was King of the #1 spot for me, until you really made me really think of why I also love "TGM." (...kind of a small epiphany.. shit, eyes are still wet!! Damn that Dean!!!!)
And yet, he left a huge almost perfectly cube rock in the way near the start of it. Best way to injure yourself while digging/checking other side/leaving..
Totally agree. It wasn't dirt, it was a wall, he had to fit through it, and he was meticulous and had years. He would have made it as close to a perfect circle as he could.
A bigger glaring issue is when Andy breaks into the sewage pipe to finish his escape. How can the sewage fountain up, under pressure, when he breaks through, when the far end of the pipe is open to dump into the stream, in a straight line?
@Joe Sudz yh the reason it bomb was because forrest gump came out the same year and after a year the video tape came out and everyone bought it a year After its release
I feel the best part of this whole movie is the ending when red is walking on the beach towards Andy. I don't know what it is, it just makes me feel really good inside that he finally made it
Greatest. Movie. Ever. If I'm just out of the shower on a Saturday afternoon and Shawshank happens to be on I will sit on the edge of my bed in a towel until it's over no matter how much is left.
Winning an Oscar would only detract on how great this movie is , what would be more correct is the Oscars don't deserve this movie , the love people have for this film trumps any little statue
Both movies look like the same argument, I agree on that. But the difference is the acting on them. They are both unique. Thanks for pointing that out.
For the longest time I thought that, but Forest Gump deserved its Oscar. I love both films very dearly, and I love Shawshank more, but Forest Gump has the better story, rewatchability, and it's Hanks' best role to date.
motodog242 Forrest Gump was an overhyped, manipulative, arrogant movie full of flaws and stereotypes. Don't get me wrong, it's a good movie still! But there is no comparison to Pulp Fiction, a truly unique, original, inventive movie at its time that influenced the way movies are made even today. People debate that, but Tarantino and Pulp Fiction forced filmmakers to regroup and strive for more clever ways to tell their stories.
The actors they mentioned that either wanted it or were offered it would not have done the same job as Tim And Morgan et al. Could you imagine Charlie Sheen in it? Omg hell no!
I wouldn't trust someone who actually hated this movie to be around my family. I would forever glare at them like Gran Torino Clint Eastwood... "You are WRONG, Eggroll !!"
I’ve watched Forest Gump once, maybe twice in pieces. But Shawshank??? I’ve watched it at least a half dozen times, always anticipating that transcendent ending “I hope...”
Absolutely. I've passed by watching Forest Gump many times while channel surfing, but I have never, ever passed by Shawshank Redemption. Whenever I see it on TV, I watch it - and I have the DVD, so it says a lot.
I was a budding film critic for our local paper when this film was released. As I was walking out, I made the decision right then and there to find a different career. I was so moved by the movie and all I could think about is how unqualified I was to critique this masterpiece. I'm glad I made that decision.
I`m glad that they choose these exact actors, without them, the movie would be way different! Also i`m glad that the ending was how it was, that gave the movie that cherry on top! Overall 10/10. One of my favourite movies !
For a movie that bombed at the box office , The Shawshank Redemption is an absolute classic. Great script , great cast , great soundtrack . It's in my top 10 movies of all time
I would forever be thankful to Liz Glotzer for fighting for that last scene. That was when I found myself smile as wide as I can be, with my eyes misty and heart warm with happiness, and decided that this is my most favorite movie EVER!!! It was in 2001 when I was 20 years old. No other movies surpass how I felt about this movie yet...even after 20 years. So thank you, Ma'am...
I was an extra as this was filmed in my hometown the summer (1993) after I graduated high school. A couple more things you didn't know...The cell blocks were actually built for the movie in a warehouse in downtown Mansfield, OH, the cafeteria scenes (that was real food!) were filmed in what was previously used as the visitation room in the former Ohio State Reformatory, wood shop scenes (my leg makes its silver screen debut!) filmed in Upper Sandusky, OH, laundry scenes in Akron, OH, and the end beach scene was Florida Keys, not Mexico.
I think the round circle that Andy was able to make for his getaway tunnel is very indicative of Andy being the fact he was such a perfectionist in life and a perfectionist in prison
Fun fact : how could Andy hang the poster back on the wall... when the tunnel is too small for him to turn around 🤔😅? Impossible. But it's ok still an iconic movie🤗!
@@SylD0611 It's shown earlier in the movie that the poster is hung only by the two top corners as he's digging it. There's no indication in the final reveal that it's any different.
"Sometimes it makes me sad, though... Andy being gone. I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend. " - Red
Shawshank Redemption is on a par with It's A Wonderful Life. Both only did modestly well upon release, and yet the sheer power of the stories they tell have cemented them into our collective consciousness. And both are blessed with the most satisfying endings movies can deliver. 🥰
What makes me love this movie so much is that at it's heart, it is about how two men can have such a strong bond of friendship. Many of us go through life and don't find love, but do have a very good friend. I think it speaks to us in a way that other movies about friendship do not. Then ending tears me up with joy.
All time favourite, but I wish they’d left it out. I loved the narration over Reds bus journey, and the ambiguity of whether he would see his friend Andy. It was perfect for the story told.
This is one the best monologues in film history, by one of the finest actors, in one of the greatest movies, and by one of the greatest writers. Stephen King. Morgan Freeman’s role as Red Herring has remained with me years after watching this film. I’m currently studying acting; when our tutor asked us to perform a monologue, Freeman’s was the first one that came to mind. It’s an influential, understated performance that almost seeps through the ‘magic’ screen and into reality. Over 6 million views just shows how memorable his emotional performance was.
This will always be a favorite film! The ending was so satisfying because you got to see two friends finally get some relief from the hell they had both endured.
This video actually made me watch 'The Shawshank Redemption' for the first time. It's such a great movie. I don't know how to handle all these feelings!!!!
The scene in which Red is in Buxton and is observed walking adjacent to the stone wall up to the tree to which Andy directed him is truly one of the best visuals in all of film. While its duration is less than ten seconds, it is so memorable. Sheer genius!
Absolutely my favorite scene. You can feel the hope and sense of freedom coming on. I usually pause it and make sure I’m ready to give it my full attention. Like when he looks over his shoulder to make sure no one was around, I kinda like to be alone when he’s reading his letter.
I love how Frank Darabont captures King's psychological thrillers. Everybody bags on how bad King's horror movies are but then they're in love with The Green Mile, The Mist and Shawshank Redemption, having no idea they came from the same mind. It's harder to bring cgi monsters to visual but these actors bring his characters to life. amazing work.
The funny thing about King movies is that they somehow take good actors and turn them into terrible actors. Shawshank, Green Mile, Stand by Me are a few that somehow didn't get caught in that trap. I've always felt that King's novels just don't translate well to the screen simply because much of what goes on is internal and somehow it just doesn't play well.
Agreed! I don't know why directors feel the need to be all mysterious, after we, as viewers, have just spent like two hours investing ourselves in the minute details they were so adamant about including. It's not Arty to give no real ending, it's just ripping off someone who admires your vision.
yep same here, watched it in 07 or 08 simply cuz it was the only dvd/movie in my home that i hadnt watched yet and was supremely surprised how i had never heard of the movie before considering that it truly is a masterpiece
I haven’t even seen Pulp Fiction and I only just a few years ago saw Forrest Gump. People also say I’m weird cuz I haven’t seen Braveheart. But Shawshank Redemption I’ve seen maybe a dozen times.
Don’t forget the brilliant score by Thomas Newman. My favorite film composer of all time for one of my favorite films of all time. This score, and his other work, seems to capture the mood of the action perfectly. A true genius.
I saw this movie solely based on the movie poster as I walked by the theater one day. Great cast, the tagine was inviting great storytelling. I went for it. I walked out of the theater in a cinephile haze. Then later found out it was based on a Stephen King short story...stil being a huge King fan at the time, I was shocked I hadn't heard about the film or read the story. This film came out of nowhere. It was a wonderful surprise of a film. I miss having those experiences.
I watch this movie at least once a year, sometimes more. I like the feeling of freedom I feel as Andy and Red meet on the beach, knowing their days of confinement are over. This is the feeling I can't wait to have when I die.
I was so happy when Andy and Red reunited. Kudos to everyone who lobbied for the inclusion of that scene. The Shawshank Redemption is in my top 5 best movies of all time. Forest Gump is not even in the top 50.
@@GeneralBoboDK At the moment (obviously the list changes over time) these are my top movies (in no particular order): - The Shawshank Redemption (1994) (as mentioned) - Dangerous Liasons (1988) - Silence of the Lambs (1991) - The Matrix (1999) - Titanic (1997) - The Color Purple (1985) Best Hidden Gem romance movie: About Time (2013) I would also put Joker (2019) in my top movies, but it feels too soon to assess it's long term personal impactfulness. It is a well-crafted, powerful film though and in a year or two, when the hype is gone, I can better determine how I feel about it up against every film I have ever seen. :)
I respectfully disagree. The proper ending for a movie whose theme is hope is with Red on the bus hoping he makes it to Andy. Once our hopes become reality they cease to be hope anymore. The movie shows that one should never lose hope even in the darkest situations. The movie needed to end with us HOPING they meet, not actually SEEING them meet.
Definitely one of Freeman's best performances. It's one of those movies I like to watch when I'm feeling down trodden and it gives you a sense of hope that one can overcome the worst of things that life throws at you.
I have this movie on DVD and I watch it at least once a month. I consider this the most human story Stephen King ever wrote. It never fails to move me every time I watch it. I always felt it was a crime it did not get any love at the Oscars. I truly feel it is just as good as Forrest Gump.
This and the Green mile were the best Stephen King based movies that seemed to get the story right. I read both novels before seeing the movies and I was very happy that they were able to include so much into the movie and stay so true to the original story.
@@christophermerlot3366 I never heard of that one. I read alot of Stephen King in my early 20s all the way to Geralds Game. I even made sure to read Richard Bachman stuff but never came across this one. Interesting. I got bored of Kings style and went on to other Authors. The thing that turned me off eventually, that it took King a whole page to describe 1 aspect of something and I caught myself skipping ahead to the end of the description to get back into the story.
Aaron Meloccaro it’s actually a novella in the same collection that Shawshank and Stand By Me are from. It’s called Different Seasons. The story for Stand By Me was called The Body. Apt Pupil was called something else, I forget what. It’s about a kid who figures out his old man neighbor is a Nazi in hiding and blackmails him into retelling gruesome stories of concentration camps.
The movie Stand By Me. Based on..... The Body, which is the third novella in Different Seasons, directly after Apt Pupil, which followed Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption.
Just thought of Andy getting his 1st "meal", if you can call it that, & Brooks asking if Andy was 'going to eat that'. He hands over the maggot to Brooks who feeds it to the little bird in his pocket. YUK, but really touching. It broke Brooks' heart to set it free when he was being released. Probably the only friend he had!
I am so glad that all of the actors that were in Shawshank were not anyone else.. All of the actors, were good and made that movie.. I still pull it out to watch it and I watch it when it comes on tv.. That is one fantastic movie..
This movie is so iconic the script is so honest and the actors did an amazing job. Andy and Red characters make you appreciate life I have seen the movie many many time ❤
Their new identity check boxes is all thats wrong about the industry and distracts from the focus of getting good scripts acted out by the best actors possible.
26th thing you didn't know, despite all the things that might have gone wrong, this is by far the best, the most masterful, the most tearful, the most gut wrenching, with a happy ending only celluloid can deliver.
I saw it when it came out. I recommended to everyone I worked with. Can't remember how many people came up to me and said how much they loved it. I felt like I was apart of its making👍🏽. I still have it in my top 3. The best
Deservedly one of the all-time best movies. One dares not tune to it even in passing, or there goes the rest of your time watching whatever time is left of it.
@Michael O Callaghan Definitely a fulfilling moment, and one of my favs... Slightly less wholesome when ya remember that Red was in jail for cutting his wifes brake lines, causing the deaths of a few folks, and he's now going to live happily on a beach XD Funny how we can feel for anyone given the right circumstance
Seen it so many times. Everytime I'm like, "I've seen this so many time there's no way I'm gonna cry." Bawl like a hungry, angry baby every stinkin' time!!
I remember going to see my favorite Cousin in Bedford-Stuyvesant late one evening and she urged me to stay and watch “The Best Movie Ever Made!” She was NOT wrong. We did not leave her house until 4 am to go back to my in-laws house in Queens... I can watch this movie several times a year and still get that same sense of hopelessness and hope that I got the first time I watched this Masterpiece...
That scene of Tim raising his arms to the Heavens...quite the emotional release for the audience...which need that, by the time that scene rolled around
I need to add that Thomas Newman's musical Score was the best. He should have won the Oscar for the beautiful narration of the score. It really set the mood for the piece. Speaking of Narration, I love the way Morgan Freeman guided me through the story. I did not want to see a prison film, but his narration was like a wise sage telling me the truth.
I believe in the book Tommy Williams gets moved to another prison. Well OK, then when he is released from there he can go to the police and tell them the truth about Elmo Blatch. Be honest, in reality, The Warden would know that so what's the point in moving him? However, in the movie, The Warden having him murdered shuts him up forever, giving Andy no hope of a retrial. That version is certainly more powerful.
This is in the top 3 films of my very long and I may say, active life. No addition, change, nor, interpretaion, of the cast, script or direction, could have made this film more unique, enjoyable, and re watchable, (if thats a word), tremendous, entertainment, full of pathos, humour, violence, and reality, rolled into one, ending in a pink, candy floss, finale, Hollywood at its VERY best
