When was the first time you watched this movie ‘The Shawshank redemption’? Was the same impression remained the last time you watched it? I hope it wasn’t.
I believe! The learnings, the way characters spoke to you are pretty much different and might have changed over the years. The way you emotionally connect with the characters, hopes, meanings and perceptions you got definitely be improved and changed over the ages with different phases of your life. Right?
That’s the magic this movie holds within!. A true masterpiece! This uplifting tale on hope, friendship, dreams based on the book of Stephen king ‘Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption’ directed by Frank Darabont is perfect in every ways. The casts. Acting. Screenplay. and Cinematography.
HOW IT TOPS THE IMDB LIST:
Since 1990 there’s been an average of 2,557 movies made every year as per the source of IMDB. Yet, Shawshank redemption manages to stay in top position with it’s highest score of 9.3. How?. let’s see it briefly.
we know, this movie is a failure at the time of it’s release in 1994. But, a true gem definitely be valid and celebrated by the people who knows its real worth. That’s why it is still being one of the loved movies of all time and a timeless classic!
With all the cinematic experiences, A movie’s success mainly depends upon how much its characters connect with the audiences and how the emotions deeply moves them. Shawshank redemption does this throughout the movie with it’s brilliant character arc.
HOW WE CONNECT OURSELVES WITH THE CHARACTERS:
In a way, we all are Andy Dufresne, Ellis Boyd Red, Brooks Hatlen, Tommy Williams at different phases of our life.
At times, we face difficulties, yet we need determination, focus, smartness and most importantly ‘Hope’ to get what we want. Andy is the symbol of hope. He teaches hope throughout this movie and we see ourselves in him whenever he faces disappointments. we see ourselves in him when he talks about hope and freedom. we see our sorrow, joy, struggles in him. we connect with him at his success.
However, we can’t be stayed motivated and hopeful all the times. Though Ellis Boyd Red is a con in the prison who gets and supplies all the stuff from outside, he thinks ” Hope is a dangerous thing”. He doesn’t know what to do if he ever comes out of the prison. He felt lost at times like many many us. We see ourselves in Red after every rejection.
Then, There is Brooks hatlen, a librarian who spends 50 years in prison looks for jake(A crow) after his release. we see ourselves in him to face the changes and reality and try to get away from the comfort zone. He tries hard to adapt to the changes but fails miserably and teaches a lesson.
Tommy Williams, a charming, funny and unpredictable character who wants to learn from Andy . He is a positive vibe but often engages in danger because of his ignorance. He is a resemblance of many of us in many times.
on the other hand, Officers like Hadley, Norton – The selfish giants, teach us how a person should not be.
More than all of this, this world resembles a ‘Mini’ Shawshank prison with numerous libraries to learn, with good, true characters and friends like Red, Heywood, with poisonous foxes like Mr. Norton, Hadley. Yet, it is our choice to look for very own Zihuantanejo, a place with no memory and good friends to spend our life with.
SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION TEACHES HOPE: THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
Every conversations and emotions around it are the highlights of this movie, especially when Andy and red talks about hope.
Red usually thinks hope can drive a man insane. on the contrary, Andy thinks ‘Hope is a good thing’, ‘ May be the best of all things’ .He believes ‘It comes down to a simple choice’ , ‘Get busy living or busy dying”. May be, this is the lesson what Brooks needs when he comes out of the prison.
Brooks scares about wandering automobiles everywhere, he fears about loneliness. He felt lost. Despair. What advice reaches Red finally and helps him, that failed to get into the hands of brooks. But, every characters teach us to have our biggest asset of the life ‘Hope’ – the greatest of all time.
From the Life of Andy, Red, Brooks, Tom Williams, and Norton, this movie conveys deep messages and choices to make. It teaches hope. Life. Motivation. And how to ‘GET BUSY LIVING’. And that’s why ‘The Shawshank redemption’ still stays close to the hearts of millions and will be celebrated forever as the symbol of ‘HOPE’