Film Analysis : The Shawshank Redemption

Imagine someone close that’s lived the straight and narrow to get where they are at. They are not perfect, maybe they could have put a little more time into their assignment at work or held their temper towards the grandpa driving too slow in front of them, but they’re just human living life the best way they know how. When a not-so-freak accident occurs and they find themselves behind bars imprisoned for the rest of their life. Sounds like the plot to “Shawshank Redemption” right? At this very instance, this story is being told of ordinary citizens behind the curtains of the New York Court System in rapidly increasing numbers. What may seem like an isolated incident is part of an ever-growing

In 1994, Frank Darabont’s film ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ received a poor reception when released; it only made a $0.3m profit. More recently the film has become known as one of the greatest movies of all time, it has inspired hope in many people, helping them to lose weight, leave abusive marriages and such like. The film is based mainly upon two convicts, and the idea of hope. Andy Dufresne is a ‘Hot Shot Banker’ imprisoned with two life sentences, for the suspected murder of his wife and her lover and ‘Red’ (Morgan Freeman) whom Andy redeems hope in, along with the other convicts, saving them from institutionalisation.

The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King is both a wonderful film and a brilliantly written short story. There are many themes represented in each form of The Shawshank Redemption. The one major theme that interests me in both the film and the story is freedom. Freedom serves a large purpose for both the story's writer and the filmmaker. Both use similar examples to signify freedom, not only in the jail, but also in a larger context about life. There are many events and examples in both the film and the short story that signifies the theme of freedom. The one main difference is when the film uses the director’s technique to portray a feel of freedom for the inmates. The overall three issues used in this essay are all linked to the

The movie the Shawshank Redemption, based on the book by Steven King, I believe is one of the best movies ever made. The portrayal of prison life in the movie is the best I have seen and a star-studded cast including Morgan Freeman supports the characters and brings to life the everyday struggles of life behind bars. In this paper I will relate topics from class to the movie and discuss information we have learned through out the semester.

Prisoners like Brooks were trained to like routine for so long, that they became used to the way they were treated. Andy became subject to extortion when the administrator used him to do their tax returns ; “By April of 1951, Andy was doing the tax returns for half the screws at Shawshank , and by 1952, he was doing almost all of them” (51) This quotation shows that lack of empathy , and morals used by the administration at Shawshank. Shawshank as a prison was highly corrupt and the prisoners suffered from mental abuse by use of extortion and punishment.

Initially, Terry finds himself being used as an ignorant “bum” for evil purposes, but he is not ready or strong enough to break free. When Terry betrays Joey (who is his friend) because Joey broke a secret rule of “D ‘n D”, he is shocked when Joey is killed by the mob. The fact is that Johnny Friendly’s side will kill all and any longshoremen who try tell the truth – “When those guys wanna win a bet there’s nothing they won’t stop at”. A poor woman mourns that her Andy was killed five years ago, proving that this community has lived in fear for years. Likewise, in the early scenes when Joey calls from his window saying “I gotta watch myself, you know?” we the audience understand that fear is part of this community. The spectre of that fear is realised almost immediately in the menacing and murderous shadows that wait on the roof above him. Joey’s fears are almost immediately confirmed when he is thrown from the roof, and the mobsters joke “He could sing but he couldn’t fly.” At this stage Terry is shocked, worried, confused, and clearly regretting following

1. A degradation ceremony is a ceremony in which people are stripped of their personal identities and thrown into a brand new situation; something that they have not experienced before. An example of this from the movie was when the men first arrived at Shawshank Prison at the beginning of the movie. As they were walking in, they were surrounded by the “experienced” convicts and teased. They were then stripped naked, covered in powder to make sure they did not have lice, and then forced to walk throughout the prison with everyone staring at them. No one should have to go through this, the act was humiliating enough. This degradation ceremony was like a welcoming to the new convicted felons, and

Hadley threatens to take Andy’s life, but he spares him knowing that Andy gave him sound advice. Upon seeing Andy’s financial talents, Warden Norton asks Andy to launder money for him, as well as help the guards complete their taxes. During this time, Andy constantly works to get funds for the dilapidated library. When he receives a shipment of books and music for the library, he plays music over intercom and ignores the Warden’s request to turn it off. This stunt earns Andy solitary confinement.

The film Shawshank Redemption is a great representation of what we have studied this past semester in Corrections. This paper will specifically highlight two topics the film illustrates: Parole and Prisoner Re-entry into the community.

The film directed by Frank Darabont comprises of a storyline where the main character in the film Andy Dufresne, a prominent educated banker, was unfairly accused of murdering his wife with her lover, and was put into the Shawshank Prison with 2 life sentences ahead of him. The film explores the inner journey that the protagonist, Andy, was unwillingly placed to take in order to lead the hellish life in Shawshank prison. The inner journey is explored through various techniques in the film throughout different ways. Shawshank prison itself is a symbol of adversities and hardships that one encounters regularly. These include the struggle we face in our daily lives, the injustices we receive and the losses that we suffer are all demonstrated in the film in different scenes.

"Captain a word if I may." "Go ahead but we need to walk for I'm headed to my office." As we walk I tell him about my suspicions, "that's one hell of a suspicion." "I know that's why I'm coming to you, sir." "If your theory is right what would you do?" "Well stop them, sir, innocent people are getting hurt for their selfish desire." "Selfish huh." I stay by the door as he walks to

I am seriously about to pee my pants, I'm laughing so hard, and he wants to know if I'm coming to bed? What made it even funnier, he didn't comment on his sudden ‘safety call’ (checking the outside lights) a performance that puts Don Knots in the Ghost and Mr. Chicken, to shame. Not a word! All he can say, all he wants to know is, am I coming to bed?!

The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont, was a captivating film about the life inside Shawshank prison, in particular the story of Andy Dufresne and how he managed to survive and redeem himself through manipulating the guards of the prison with a money-laundering scandal and being a beacon of hope to others. Throughout the film, Darabont used a series of effective film techniques to convey the development of key themes and relationships in the story; including the use of camera techniques and varying angles, lighting techniques and styles, and sounds, diegetic and non-diegetic, to enhance presentation. Character growth and development in personality was a very big part in the film and the use of camera angles and shots was a

In the movie The Shawshank Redemption, a man named Andy Dufresne gives viewers an insight on hope, friendship, and time. It can be hard enough to survive this world as a civilian, let alone a prisoner. When Andy gets to the Shawshank prison there is not much to it besides four walls and some innocent criminals. Andy is sort of like this beacon of light coming into the prison. He doesn’t come in and make things better, but he gives some of the prisoners a sense of the outside world. In a world where it is easy to get lost, hope, friendship, and time are essentials in survival.

In the film ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ the director, Frank Darabont, uses many significant scenes throughout the film to present the idea, institutionalisation, to the audience. To do this, Darabont skilfully uses lighting, voice over, motif and foreshadowing to present the idea which helps to develop and further the idea of the text. One of the most important segments in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ which uses a number of these techniques is Brooks release up until his suicide. There are two techniques which aid in showing the idea of the text during Brooks release, these are lighting and foreshadowing. Once brooks accepts that he can’t stay in the prison, inside the walls he now calls home, he unwillingly parts with Jake.